Agenda Document Pack - Cabinet - 02/06/2026
Midlothian Council · 2 June 2026
Back to Cabinet — 2 June 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
Notice of Meeting and Agenda Cabinet Venue: Normandy Court/ Hybrid, Normandy Court, 20 Normandy Dr, Dalkeith, EH22 1JG Date: Tuesday, 02 June 2026 Time: 11:00 Executive Director : Place Contact: Clerk Name: Democratic Services Clerk Telephone: Clerk Email: democratic.services@midlothian.gov.uk Further Information: This is a meeting which is open to members of the public. Privacy notice: Please note that this meeting may be recorded. The recording may be publicly available following the meeting. If you would like to know how Midlothian Council collects, uses and shares your personal information, please visit our website: www.midlothian.gov.uk Page 1 of 356
Page 2
1 Welcome, Introductions and Apologies 2 Order of Business Including notice of new business submitted as urgent for consideration at the end of the meeting. 3 Declaration of Interest Members should declare any financial and non-financial interests they have in the items of business for consideration, identifying the relevant agenda item and the nature of their interest. 4 Minute of Previous Meeting 4.1 Minute of the Meeting of Cabinet on 10 March 2026 submitted for approval 5 - 16 Private Minute Addendum of the Meeting of Cabinet on 10 March 2026 submitted for approval 4.2 Action Log 17 - 18 4.3 Minute Volume Index 5 Public Reports 5.1 Inspection of Tynewater Primary School and Nursery, report by Chief Education Officer 19 - 28 5.2 Inspection of King's Park Primary School and Nursery, report by Chief Education Officer 29 - 38 5.3 Education Performance Report Quarter Four 2025/26, report by Chief Education Officer 39 - 62 5.4 Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities Performance Report Quarter Four 2025/26, report by Chief Officer Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities and Deputy Chief Social Work Officer 63 - 76 5.5 Adult Social Care Services Performance Report Quarter Four 2025/26, report by Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer 77 - 116 5.6 Corporate Solutions Performance Report Quarter Four 2025/26, report by Chief Officer Corporate Solutions 117 - 178 Page 2 of 356
Page 3
5.7 Place Performance Report Quarter Four 2025/26, report by Executive Director Place 179 - 236 5.8 Midlothian Council Performance Report Quarter Four 2025/26 and Balanced Scorecard, report by Chief Executive 237 - 276 5.9 Traffic Calming Options for Newlandrig, report by Executive Director Place 277 - 288 5.10 Waste Services – Twin Streaming Progress Report, report by Executive Director Place 289 - 294 5.11 Protective Services, Business Regulation Food and Safety Service Plan 2026/2027, report by Executive Director Children, Young People and Partnerships 295 - 356 6 Private Reports No items for discussion 7 Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will be held on 25 August 2026. Page 3 of 356
Page 4
Page 4 of 356
Page 5
1-1 Minute of Meeting Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item No 4.1 No 4.1 Cabinet Date Time Venue Tuesday 10 March 2026 11:00am Council Chambers, Normandy Court, Dalkeith and MS Teams Present: Councillor Parry (Chair) Councillor Alexander (Virtual) Councillor Cassidy Councillor McKenzie Councillor McManus Councillor Scott In attendance: Councillor Pottinger (Virtual) Councillor Virgo (Virtual) Kevin Anderson, Executive Director Place Derek Oliver, Executive Director Children, Young People and Partnerships (Acting) Saty Kaur, Chief Officer Corporate Solutions Rebecca Hooton, Chief Officer Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities and Deputy Chief Social Work Officer Michelle Strong, Chief Education Officer Nicola Thorburn, Acting Democratic Services Team Leader Louise Middleton, Democratic Services Officer Page 5 of 356
Page 6
1 Welcome, Introductions and Apologies The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting of Cabinet. 2 Order of Business The order of business was as detailed within the agenda. 3 Declarations of interest No declarations of interest were received at this stage of the proceedings. The Chair reminded Members of the Cabinet that they could declare an interest as relevant agenda items come up for discussion. 4 Minutes of Previous Meetings 4.1 The Minute of the meeting of Cabinet held on the 20 January 2026 was unanimously approved as a correct record. The Private Minute Addendum to the minute of the meeting of Cabinet held on 20 January 2026 was unanimously approved as a correct record. 4.2 The Action Log was noted, and it was agreed that the actions recommended for closure can be closed. 5. Reports Agenda No. Report Title Presented by: 5.1 Inspection of Rosewell Primary School Chief Education Officer Outline of report and summary of discussion The Chief Education Officer presented the report for information which outlined the outcome of the Education Scotland inspection of Rosewell Primary School. Cabinet is asked to: i. Note the content of the 3rd February 2026 inspection report. ii. Congratulate the headteacher pupils, parents and staff connected with Rosewell Primary School on the key strengths highlighted in the report. The Chair thanked the Chief Education Officer for the report and invited comments or questions. Councillor Scott congratulated the headteacher, pupils, parents and staff on an excellent report. On their last visit to Rosewell Primary School Councillor Scott met with very confident pupils who asked extremely challenging questions, so the Inspectors findings are of no surprise. Councillor Scott noted they were pleased to learn that the senior leader’s approach to reading is ensuring consistency of high- quality teaching and learning experienced across the school. Page 6 of 356
Page 7
Cabinet congratulated the headteacher, pupils, parents and staff connected with Rosewell Primary School. Decision Cabinet noted the report and its recommendations. Agenda No. Report Title Presented by: 5.2 Education Performance Report Quarter Three 2025/26 Chief Education Officer Outline of report and summary of discussion The Chief Education Officer presented the report highlighting the key achievements and challenges throughout and thanked the staff who contributed to the successes this quarter. The Chair thanked the Chief Education Officer for the report and invited comments or questions from Cabinet. Councillor Scott congratulated the Chief Education Officer and the staff on the Primary 1, 4 and 7 figures and Secondary figures, which show a continued improvement over the 3 quarters for literacy, numeracy and that overall attendance has improved. Councillor Scott added that the Youth Cabinet is working well and it is good to hear their enthusiasm and commitment in finding out from their fellow pupils how school life can be improved. Councillor Scott noted their disappointment that the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) is still in dispute regarding the implementation of the Digital Campus. Equipping our children with the skills they will need in the future is imperative and young people are being affected now. Smaller secondary schools do not have the capacity to offer the same wide range of courses as the larger schools, as well as a lack of maths teachers. There have been complaints from Parents regarding the need for transport to other schools or the lost study time due to travelling. Councillor Scott felt that Midlothian’s children are being held back due to a lack of resolution and shared their commitment to the Digital Campus and its implementation following the millions of pounds that Midlothian Council have invested in digital technology. Midlothian has been ahead of the field, and it is a great shame that this is being held back. Councillor Scott highlighted the growing capacity requirement in some of Midlothian’s schools and added that existing school capacities do not consider that more space is required for our Additional Support Needs (ASN) pupils. This is an area we need to look at in the future, with a view to modelling a true working capacity for schools that will give all our young people the space they need to thrive. In terms of Exclusions, Councillor Scott added that these are always a last resort, and it is a chance for children and staff to reset. To allow breathing space and to look at what has happened, but also what needs to be done in the future. It should not always be seen as punitive. Page 7 of 356
Page 8
The Chair supports Councillor Scott’s comments on the local challenges in relation to the Digital Campus and asked the Chief Education Officer for more information on the national dispute. The Chief Education Officer advised that the local professional associations are in dispute with Midlothian Council in terms of the implementation of a Digital Campus. The Digital Campus has always intended to be a senior phase offering. When the Council first went into dispute in March 2025 and explored how some of the issues could be resolved, part of the resolution was providing reassurance through a robust operating model. However, the Chief Education Officer believes that the dispute lies with the national terms and conditions for teachers which are silent in terms of digital delivery. The Trade Union position is that due to digital delivery not being explicit in the national terms and conditions, that learning cannot happen beyond the classroom. The Chief Education Officer maintains that, although digital may be silent, we have a duty to prepare our young people for the world they are going into. The Chief Education Officer added that outdoor learning is not explicit in the national terms and conditions for teachers, but it is an accepted and adopted approach that all schools must adhere to. The Chief Education Officer highlighted that this situation is not unique to Midlothian, and some places that have had a strong online learning offer in place for years are now finding themselves in dispute with the trade unions. It was hoped that by respecting the decision locally not to support members with digital delivery it could be outsourced and there has been a positive response to the advert for six teachers to deliver online. However, in terms of the national terms and conditions there are still questions to be answered on the legality of outsourcing. The Chief Education Officer agreed with Councillor Scott’s comments and added that it is a sad time for Midlothian in terms of investment and denying children the opportunities they need. The online offer would help young people who have barriers that prevent them attending school. There is a meeting later today and the Chief Education Officer will continue to champion the digital delivery. The Chair thanked the Chief Education Officer for the update and provided reassurance that Cabinet is fully supportive of the implementation. Decision Cabinet noted the report. Agenda No. Report Title Presented by: 5.3 Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities Performance Report Quarter Three 2025/26 Chief Officer Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities and Deputy Chief Social Work Officer Outline of report and summary of discussion The Chief Officer Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities and Deputy Chief Social Work Officer presented the report highlighting the key achievements and challenges throughout the quarter and thanked the staff involved in delivering services and supporting families in this busy and challenging time Page 8 of 356
Page 9
The Chair thanked the Chief Officer Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities and Deputy Chief Social Work Officer for the report and invited comments or questions. Councillor Scott noted that this report highlights the needs in our communities with rising referrals together with more children being placed on the Child Protection Register and how Children’s Services are trying to support our families. Councillor Scott acknowledged that this was challenging as many problems are structural in nature and require a society wide solution. Councillor Scott added that they met with some parents of neurodiverse children last week and while there are some ways the Council can help, they wanted a diagnosis, they did not want to wait extraordinary times for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), and they wanted to be listened to. In terms of disability services, Councillor Scott highlighted that the hard work on referrals and the Family Centre Care has now recruited two new Social Workers and was pleased to hear that Inspectors in December 2025 were satisfied with the ongoing improvement plan. Councillor Scott noted their agreement with the need to increase our Midlothian residential placements rather than external residential placements to keep our young people here in their own communities where possible. Councillor Parry agreed and highlighted how the statistics show the financial impact of one placement. Cabinet congratulated the Chief Officer Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities and Deputy Chief Social Work Officer on an excellent Q3 report despite all their challenges. Decision Cabinet noted the report. Agenda No. Report Title Presented by: 5.4 Adult Social Care Services Performance Report Quarter Three 2025/26 Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer Outline of report and summary of discussion The Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer presented the report highlighting the key achievements and challenges throughout. The Chair thanked the Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer for the report and invited comments or questions. Councillor McManus noted that in the backdrop of the financial pressures it is still good to see where Midlothian are meeting, exceeding or almost meeting targets and celebrate the successes. Councillor McManus thanked the Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer and their teams for their work. Page 9 of 356
Page 10
The Chair queried the table on page 97 of the meeting papers and asked for more information on what “Financial or Material Harm” encompasses. The Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer advised that this is mostly seen in younger adults (under 65 years old) and examples are that benefit money could be taken from them from someone else coming through their house, often linked to drug or alcohol misuse and they are unable to safeguard themselves. In general, with older people it is more electronic harm or embezzlement. Work is ongoing to determine which age category is most at risk. In terms of Corporate Appointeeship, the Council currently manage benefits of approximately 150 people, and a significant number of these people will have experienced financial harm. Decision Cabinet noted the report. Agenda No. Report Title Presented by: 5.5 Place Performance Report Quarter Three 2025/26 Executive Director Place Outline of report and summary of discussion The Executive Director Place presented the report highlighting the key achievements and challenges throughout. The Chair thanked the Executive Director Place for the report and the residents of Midlothian who have been patient while we work through some of the issues highlighted. The Chair invited comments or questions. Councillor McKenzie noted that they were driving on the new stretch of road towards Carrington that had been resurfaced and that this was a great piece of work. Councillor McKenzie added that it is important for the Council to remember it’s rural areas as those roads are well used. Councillor McKenzie advised that they had read the 2025 quarter three report by way of a comparison and highlighted that it is good to see the steady progress for 2026 and that these improvements are having positive impacts on people’s lives. Councillor McKenzie extended a further message of thanks to the former Chief Officer Place, Derek Oliver, for their service and getting things done to implement necessary changes, adding that Educations gain will be housings loss. Councillor Alexander highlighted the great work that has been done on the roads, noting that this will be showcased when the Tour de France comes to Midlothian. Councillor Alexander also highlighted the number of new electric vehicles in the fleet (14%), the new green bin and the investment into parks and play areas. Councillor Cassidy asked about the Pothole Pro and whether this is saving in tar. Councillor Cassidy extended thanks to the staff in cleansing who kept things going despite challenges with sickness and vehicles. Councillor Scott asked if there are specific regulations in terms of battery storage in town centres. The Chair added that they had written to the Executive Director Place in relation to this, asking if, in conjunction with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Page 10 of 356
Page 11
Service (SFRS), an audit could be undertaken of vape shops in Midlothian to assess the stock levels and risk that might pose. The Executive Director Place advised that they have written to the SFRS in relation to this and they are working with the Local Area Commander. Beyond the SFRS assistance, the Council will be looking at their own regulations, and a scoping exercise is ongoing. The Chair asked if vape shops only currently require a retail licence. The Executive Director Place confirmed that is the case. As vapes and other battery devices are becoming more of a fire risk, Councillor Alexander asked whether the SFRS are looking at ways to mitigate these risks to ensure people safety. The Executive Director Place advised that the work with SFRS is to understand exactly what can be done to mitigate the risks, and following the recent fire incident in Glasgow, what can be imposed. Councillor Alexander highlighted the ongoing case within the Planning Committee in relation to battery storage and that this must be reconsidered following the horrendous fire in Glasgow because of a small vape battery. Is there anything the Scottish Government and Westminster can put in place to ensure there are more safety parameters for battery storage, particularly close to communities. Decision Cabinet noted the report. Agenda No. Report Title Presented by: 5.6 Corporate Solutions Performance Report Quarter Three 2025/26 Chief Officer Corporate Solutions Outline of report and summary of discussion The Chief Officer Corporate Solutions presented the report highlighting the key achievements and challenges throughout. The Chair thanked the Chief Officer Corporate Solutions for the report and invited comments or questions. Councillor Cassidy advised that they were a regular visitor of the library and that they were full of children which was heartening to see. Councillor Cassidy thanked the Librarians and Council for keeping these services open. The Chair agreed, noting that they have spent many hours in Loanhead Library, starting with Bookbug and evolving through the years. Councillor Alexander added that it was exciting to see many more facilities in these community hubs. The Chair highlighted the average sickness absence days on page 183 of the meeting papers and noted its significance in terms of a comparison for next year given the high sickness levels public organisations are seeing, particularly over the festive period. Decision Cabinet noted the report. Page 11 of 356
Page 12
Agenda No. Report Title Presented by: 5.7 Midlothian Council Performance Report Quarter Three 2025/26 Executive Director Place Outline of report and summary of discussion The Executive Director Place presented the report, which advises a summary of actions that are in line with the Single Midlothian Plan and that in turn compliments the reports presented today from each of the service areas. There are five areas which are off target in quarter three and these relate to invoices and complaints which Officers have already covered in their reporting. The Chair thanked the Executive Director Place for the report and invited comments or questions. No questions submitted. Decision Cabinet noted the report. Agenda No. Report Title Presented by: 5.8 Care Inspectorate Report – Inspection of Newbyres Village Care Home Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer Outline of report and summary of discussion The Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer presented the report for noting which advises of the outcome of the unannounced inspection, the areas for improvement that will be included in the improvement plan and the overall improvement in Grades from 2025. The Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer highlighted that the result of this inspection is an improvement on the previous inspection and is the third inspection in a row where there has been an incremental improvement. The one adequate grade, which is in relation to leadership, is not reflective of where we want to be but there is stable management in place and this area is a work in progress, and it is hoped that this upward trajectory continues. The Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work extended thanks to Ann Morrison, who is the Manager of Newbyres and has worked tirelessly to improve things. April McIntosh, Service Manager has spent a significant amount of time in Newbyres, as has Fiona Kennedy, Interim Head of Service who oversees Newbyres. Cabinet is requested to note the outcome of the inspection of Newbyres Village Care Home. The Chair thanked the Head of Adult Services & Chief Social Work Officer for the report, commended the three improved inspections and invited comments or questions. Page 12 of 356
Page 13
Councillor McManus added that the history of Newbyres has not seen a consistent increase in service, so this result is to be commended. Councillor McManus advised that they recently attended a funeral of someone from the Newbyres Community and was heartened to hear that the care home and staff were thanked for the quality of care received in the service. Councillor Scott added that the Gorebridge community are always keen to see this report and they will be pleased to see that the residents are well cared for. Councillor Cassidy added that a family member had spent time in Newbyres and a number of staff attended the funeral in their own time. Councillor Cassidy acknowledged that the community and staff are very invested in the service which is an asset to Midlothian. The Chair asked the Head of Adult Services & Chief Social Work Officer to pass on Cabinet’s thanks for their hard work. Decision Cabinet noted the report and its recommendations. Agenda No. Report Title Presented by: 5.9 Policy and Procedure for Supporting Young People with Additional Support Needs to Transition to Adult Life Chief Officer Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities and Deputy Chief Social Work Officer Outline of report and summary of discussion The Chief Officer Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities and Deputy Chief Social Work Officer presented the report for decision. The report outlines the details of the proposed Policy and Procedure for Supporting Young People with Additional Support Needs to Transition to Adult Life, which will have a positive impact for young people and their parent/carers in Midlothian at this critical point in their lives. The policy clearly outlines the transition process in Midlothian including the responsibilities of individual services. The policy aims to ensure continuity, equity and accountability, whilst managing expectations. Cabinet is requested to: • Note the information included in this report. • Approve the new ‘Policy and Procedure for Supporting Young People with Additional Support Needs to Transition to Adult Life’. The Chief Officer Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities and Deputy Chief Social Work Officer thanked Leigh Thomson, Practice Development Worker Transition, for leading on this piece of work. Special thanks were also given to the young people who created the image for the front of the policy which will be used in all publications and events that support transitions. Page 13 of 356
Page 14
The Chair thanked the Chief Officer Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities and Deputy Chief Social Work Officer for the report and invited comments or questions. Councillor Scott noted the information in the report and moved to approve the new policy. Councillor Scott extended their thanks Leigh Thomson, Practice Development Worker Transition and the Chief Officer Children’s Services, Partnerships and Communities and Deputy Chief Social Work for all the hard work that has gone into the new transitions policy. Councillor Scott added that it is good to see that young people are at the centre of this Policy and that it was developed by talking to all the right people - the young people themselves, their families and multi-agency partners. Councillor Scott had no doubt this will have a positive impact for young people, their parents and carers in Midlothian at this critical point in their lives. Knowing what to expect as you negotiate the challenges of growing up can be difficult enough, but for young people with physical and or intellectual disabilities, autism or mental health it can be much harder. As you move into adulthood it is essential that the correct support and plans are in place to help you. The report was moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor McManus. Decision Cabinet approved the report and its recommendations. Agenda No. Report Title Presented by: 5.10 Client Transport Integrated Transport Policy Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer Outline of report and summary of discussion The Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer presented the report for decision which seeks Cabinet approval for the incorporation of key amendments and additions to the Integrated Transport Policy. The updated policy reflects lessons learned from recent experience, providing greater clarity for service users, supporting informed operational decision-making, and empowering staff to deliver efficient and effective transport services. Cabinet is recommended to approve the revised Integrated Transport Policy. The Chair thanked the Head of Adult Services & Chief Social Work Officer for the report and invited comments or questions. Councillor Scot moved to approve the revised Integrated Transport Policy and highlighted that this policy is the cumulation of a lot of hard work by Council Officers, in particular the Martin MacDonald, Project Manager, Louise Scott, Project Support Officer and Donna McNeil, Operations and Technical Manager. We have heard in recent Council Meetings the concern about how transport costs have risen enormously over the past few years. A great deal of work has been done so that there is clarity on what services are being offered, how they are Page 14 of 356
Page 15
allocated, the need for reviews and that Personal Travel Budgets will be introduced where appropriate. The policy covers Home to School Transport, Walked Routes to School Assessment, ASN transport, Children’s Services Transport and Adult Social Care Transport. We have retained the 2 miles for Secondary Pupils, although it can go to 3 miles. There is no doubt that there are changes, but to ensure that those in most need have access to the services, these changes are necessary but will be reviewed annually. Councillor McManus seconded the report, adding that it provides greater clarity and consistency for staff in their operational transport decisions. The report was moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor McManus. Decision Cabinet approved the report and its recommendations. The public part of the meeting terminated at 12:15pm. Councillor Virgo left the meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 21 April 2026. Page 15 of 356
Page 16
Page 16 of 356
Page 17
Cabinet Action Log Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item No 4.2 Date of Meeting Item No and Title Action Action Owner Expected completion date Comments 1 04/03/20255.5 Adult Social Care Services Performance Report Quarter Three 2024/25 Arrange for a communication to the public to advise what is being built at Polton Street, Bonnyrigg and arrange a site visit for Councillors Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer December 2025 Work on the model for the housing component of the site and the use of the old schoolhouse building is being finalised. The relocation of Highbank Intermediate Care Home is scheduled to take place in March 2026. It had been hoped that this move could take place before the end of 2025, but some additional work was required. Communications are working with the HSCP to develop a Communication Strategy for all aspects of the bed-based review, and it is anticipated that Elected Members and senior officers will be offered a visit of the new facilities at Polton Street as soon as it is practical to do so. Communication and engagement with the local community is also planned. Page 17 of 356
Page 18
Page 18 of 356
Page 19
Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item No 5.1 Inspection of Tynewater Primary School and Nursery Report by Michelle Strong, Chief Education Officer Report for Information 1 Recommendations Cabinet is asked to: (i) Note the content of the Tynewater Primary and ELC inspection report published on 31 March 2026. (ii) Congratulate the headteacher, pupils, parents and staff connected with Tynewater Primary School and Nursery on the key strengths highlighted in the report. 2 Purpose of Report/Executive Summary The report outlines the outcome of the Education Scotland inspection of Tynewater Primary School and Nursery. 31 March 2026 Report Contact: Julie Fox, Quality Improvement Manager Julie.Fox@midlothian.gov.uk Page 19 of 356
Page 20
3 Background/Main Body of Report 3.1 In January 2026, a team of inspectors from HMIE and the Care Inspectorate visited Tynewater Primary School and Nursery. The inspection findings were published on 31 March 2026 in a report for the primary school and one for the nursery. These reports highlight the strengths of the setting, as well as the aspects for improvement. The reports are attached in Appendix B and are available on Education Scotland’s website and is available from this link. 3.2 Education Scotland is responsible for inspecting education settings throughout Scotland. They do so using core quality indicators. This was a short model inspection over 3 days, evaluations noted below. Primary School QI 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment Very Good QI 3.2 Raising attainment and achievement Very Good Nursery • Curriculum Satisfactory • Learning, teaching and assessment Satisfactory • Wellbeing, inclusion and equality Satisfactory 3.3 Strengths The inspection team found the following strengths: • The respectful, happy and motivated children who are proud of their school and nursery. They show confidence, kindness and respect and demonstrate the school values as they interact well with one another. • The headteacher and staff team who know their children and families very well. Together they create a warm, caring and inclusive learning ethos which is supporting all children to be ready to learn. • The strong and collaborative teamwork of staff in the school. Together, they focus on providing high-quality learning, teaching and assessment which is leading to consistent experiences and improved outcomes for children. • The consistently high levels of children’s attainment and achievement over time across the school. Staff use data about children’s learning very effectively which results in children making very good progress in their learning. • Staff in the nursery develop strong, trusting relationships with children and their families. This supports almost all children to settle well. 3.4 Areas for Improvement The main areas for improvement suggested by the inspectors are: • In the nursery, staff need to review the curriculum to ensure it meets the needs and aspirations of children and families. This should support staff to plan for children’s learning more effectively. • Continue to develop how staff in the nursery use their knowledge of children’s wellbeing. This should enable them to better provide universal and targeted support for all children. • In the school, staff should continue to develop approaches to track children’s progress across all areas of the curriculum. Page 20 of 356
Page 21
3.5 Conclusion The inspectors concluded: “We are confident that the school and nursery have the capacity to continue to improve and so we will make no more visits in connection with this inspection. Midlothian Council will inform parents/carers about the school’s progress as part of its arrangements for reporting on the quality of its schools.” 4 Report Implications 4.1 Resource There will continue to be access to any requested or required additional support from Midlothian Council’s Education Service Quality Improvement team to ensure improvement continues. 4.2 Digital There are no Digital implications. 4.3 Risk Education Scotland’s team of Inspectors visit a sample of education settings every year to find out how they are performing. A report is published which informs parents about the key strengths of the setting and its capacity for further improvement. Following the publication of the report further visits may be made to the setting, by the Education Authority to assist improvement and monitor progress. Monitoring, review and evaluation of progress by central officers in the Education Team is the control measure in place to reduce the risk of failure of settings to demonstrate their capacity to improve. 4.4 Ensuring Equalities (if required a separate IIA must be completed) The School Improvement Plan will be screened for equalities implications. 4.5 Additional Report Implications See Appendix A Appendices Appendix A – Additional Report Implications Appendix B – Link to report Page 21 of 356
Page 22
APPENDIX A – Report Implications A.1 Key Priorities within the Single Midlothian Plan • Getting it right for every Midlothian child • Improving opportunities in Midlothian A.2 Key Drivers for Change Key drivers addressed in this report: Holistic Working Hub and Spoke Modern Sustainable Transformational Preventative Asset-based Continuous Improvement One size fits one None of the above A.3 Key Delivery Streams Key delivery streams addressed in this report: One Council Working with you, for you Preventative and Sustainable Efficient and Modern Innovative and Ambitious None of the above A.4 Delivering Best Value Noted within. A.5 Involving Communities and Other Stakeholders A link to the published report has been made available to Elected Members, parents of children currently attending Newbattle High School and other interested parties. A.6 Impact on Performance and Outcomes The setting will continue to improve its work in line with the school improvement plan and central officers in the Education Team will continue to challenge and support the setting in relation to developing and implementing a range of quality improvement strategies. A.7 Adopting a Preventative Approach The Education (Scotland) Bill aims to take preventative action in order to close the attainment versus deprivation gap by implementing key policies and programmes which are designed to target support to children and young people from disadvantaged communities. Midlothian is highly committed to closing the poverty related attainment gap. Page 22 of 356
Page 23
A.8 Supporting Sustainable Development The School Improvement Plan allows for sustainable development and improvement. APPENDIX B Report attached and available on Education Scotland’s website and available from this link. Page 23 of 356
Page 24
Page 24 of 356
Page 25
© Crown Copyright 31 March 2026 Dear Parent/Carer In January 2026, a team of HM Inspectors of Education visited Tynewater Primary School and Nursery Class. During our visit, we talked to parents/carers and children and worked closely with the headteacher and staff. The inspection team found the following strengths in the school’s work. • The respectful, happy and motivated children who are proud of their school and nursery. They show confidence, kindness and respect and demonstrate the school values as they interact well with one another. • The headteacher and staff team who know their children and families very well. Together they create a warm, caring and inclusive learning ethos which is supporting all children to be ready to learn. • The strong and collaborative teamwork of staff in the school. Together, they focus on providing high-quality learning, teaching and assessment which is leading to consistent experiences and improved outcomes for children. • The consistently high levels of children’s attainment and achievement over time across the school. Staff use data about children’s learning very effectively which results in children making very good progress in their learning. • Staff in the nursery develop strong, trusting relationships with children and their families. This supports almost all children to settle well. The following areas for improvement were identified and discussed with the headteacher and a representative from Midlothian Council. • In the nursery, staff need to review the curriculum to ensure it meets the needs and aspirations of children and families. This should support staff to plan for children’s learning more effectively. • Continue to develop how staff in the nursery use their knowledge of children’s wellbeing. This should enable them to better provide universal and targeted support for all children. • In the school, staff should continue to develop approaches to track children’s progress across all areas of the curriculum. Page 25 of 356
Page 26
© Crown Copyright We gathered evidence to enable us to evaluate the school’s work using two quality indicators from How good is our school (4th edition). Quality indicators help schools, local authorities and inspectors to judge what is working well and what needs to be improved. Following the inspection of each school, the Scottish Government gathers details of our evaluations to keep track of how well Scottish schools are doing. Here are HMIE’s evaluations for Tynewater Primary School Quality indicators Evaluation Learning, teaching and assessment very good Raising attainment and achievement very good Descriptions of the evaluations are available from: How good is our school (4th edition) Appendix 3: The six-point scale We gathered evidence to enable us to evaluate the ELC’s work using three quality indicators from the Quality improvement framework for the early learning and childcare sectors. Quality indicators for the nursery class Evaluation Curriculum satisfactory Learning, teaching and assessment satisfactory Wellbeing, inclusion and equality satisfactory Descriptions of the evaluations are available from: How good is our school (4th edition) Appendix 3: The six-point scale A more detailed document called Summarised Inspection Findings (SIF) will be available on the HMIE website at: Reports page | Inspection reports | HMIE Page 26 of 356
Page 27
© Crown Copyright What happens next? We are confident that the school has the capacity to continue to improve and so we will make no more visits in connection with this inspection. Midlothian Council will inform parents/carers about the school’s progress as part of its arrangements for reporting on the quality of its schools. Simon Gallon HM Inspector On behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland Page 27 of 356
Page 28
Page 28 of 356
Page 29
Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item No 5.2 Inspection of King’s Park Primary School and Nursery Report by Michelle Strong, Education Chief Operating Officer Report for Information 1 Recommendations Cabinet is asked to: (i) Note the content of the King’s Park Primary and ELC inspection report published on 28 April 2026. (ii) Congratulate the headteacher, pupils, parents and staff connected with King’s Park Primary School and Nursery on the key strengths highlighted in the report. 2 Purpose of Report/Executive Summary The report outlines the outcome of the Education Scotland inspection of King’s Park Primary School and Nursery. 28 April 2026 Report Contact: Julie Fox QIM, Julie.fox@midlothian.gov.uk Page 29 of 356
Page 30
3 Background/Main Body of Report 3.1 In February 2026, a team of inspectors from HMIE and the Care Inspectorate visited King’s Park Primary School and Nursery. The inspection findings were published on 28 April 2026 in a report for the primary school and nursery. The report highlights the strengths of the setting, as well as the aspects for improvement. The reports are attached in Appendix B and are available on Education Scotland’s website and available from this link: King's Park Primary School | Inspection Report | His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in Scotland 3.2 Education Scotland is responsible for inspecting education settings throughout Scotland. They do so using core quality indicators. This was a full inspection model inspection over 5 days, evaluations below. Primary School QI 1.3 Leadership of change Very Good QI 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment Good QI 3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, inclusion and equality Very Good QI 3.2 Raising attainment and achievement Very Good Nursery • Curriculum Very Good • Learning, teaching and assessment Good • Wellbeing, inclusion and equality Very Good 3.3 Strengths The inspection team found the following strengths in the school and nursery; • The very effective leadership of the headteacher who is supported well by the depute headteacher and staff. Together, they have developed a clear vision for improvement and are ambitious for all children. As a team, staff are providing strong leadership to the school and nursery which is helping children to achieve positive outcomes. • Children across the school and nursery who are articulate, well behaved and confident. They are motivated to learn, take on leadership roles enthusiastically and make a positive difference to their school and local community. • The welcoming, caring and inclusive ethos which is underpinned very effectively by children’s rights. Working collaboratively, staff and children establish positive relationships and a strong sense of belonging across the school and nursery. Children feel included, achieve and are supportive of each other. • In the school, children make consistently strong progress in attainment and achievement. Children make positive progress from their prior levels of attainment in literacy and numeracy. 3.4 Areas for Improvement The following areas for improvement were identified and discussed with the headteacher and a representative from Midlothian Council; • Staff in the school and nursery should continue to develop consistently high- quality approaches to learning, teaching and assessment across the curriculum. They should ensure that all children are challenged appropriately in their learning. Page 30 of 356
Page 31
• Senior leaders and teachers in the school should continue to build on effective approaches to tracking children’s progress. They should streamline these approaches. This should allow staff to identify successes and next steps in children’s learning more efficiently. 3.5 Conclusion The inspectors concluded: “We are confident that the school and nursery have the capacity to continue to improve and so we will make no more visits in connection with this inspection. Midlothian Council will inform parents/carers about the school’s progress as part of its arrangements for reporting on the quality of its schools. 4 Report Implications (Resource, Digital and Risk) 4.1 Resource There will continue to be access to any requested or required additional support from Midlothian Council’s Education Service Quality Improvement team to ensure improvement continues. 4.2 Digital There are no Digital implications. 4.3 Risk Education Scotland’s team of Inspectors visit a sample of education settings every year to find out how they are performing. A report is published which informs parents about the key strengths of the setting and its capacity for further improvement. Following the publication of the report further visits may be made to the setting, by the Education Authority to assist improvement and monitor progress. Monitoring, review and evaluation of progress by central officers in the Education Team is the control measure in place to reduce the risk of failure of settings to demonstrate their capacity to improve. 4.4 Ensuring Equalities (if required a separate IIA must be completed) The School Improvement Plan will be screened for equalities implications. 4.5 Additional Report Implications (See Appendix A) See Appendix A Appendices Appendix A – Additional Report Implications Appendix B – Links to report Page 31 of 356
Page 32
APPENDIX A – Report Implications A.1 Key Priorities within the Single Midlothian Plan • Getting it right for every Midlothian child • Improving opportunities in Midlothian A.2 Key Drivers for Change Key drivers addressed in this report: Holistic Working Hub and Spoke Modern Sustainable Transformational Preventative Asset-based Continuous Improvement One size fits one None of the above A.3 Key Delivery Streams Key delivery streams addressed in this report: One Council Working with you, for you Preventative and Sustainable Efficient and Modern Innovative and Ambitious None of the above A.4 Delivering Best Value Noted within. A.5 Involving Communities and Other Stakeholders A link to the published report has been made available to Elected Members, parents of children currently attending Dalkeith High School and other interested parties. A.6 Impact on Performance and Outcomes The setting will continue to improve its work in line with the school improvement plan and central officers in the Education Team will continue to challenge and support the setting in relation to developing and implementing a range of quality improvement strategies. A.7 Adopting a Preventative Approach The Education (Scotland) Bill aims to take preventative action in order to close the attainment versus deprivation gap by implementing key policies and programmes which are designed to target support to children and young people from disadvantaged communities. Midlothian is highly committed to closing the poverty related attainment gap. Page 32 of 356
Page 33
A.8 Supporting Sustainable Development The School Improvement Plan allows for sustainable development and improvement. APPENDIX B Attached and available on Education Scotland’s website and available from this link King's Park Primary School | Inspection Report | His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in Scotland Page 33 of 356
Page 34
Page 34 of 356
Page 35
© Crown Copyright 28 April 2026 Dear Parent/Carer In February 2026, a team of HM Inspectors of Education visited King’s Park Primary School and Early Learning and Childcare. During our visit, we talked to parents/carers and children and worked closely with the headteacher and staff. The inspection team found the following strengths in the school’s work. • The very effective leadership of the headteacher who is supported well by the depute headteacher and staff. Together, they have developed a clear vision for improvement and are ambitious for all children. As a team, staff are providing strong leadership to the school and nursery which is helping children to achieve positive outcomes. • Children across the school and nursery who are articulate, well behaved and confident. They are motivated to learn, take on leadership roles enthusiastically and make a positive difference to their school and local community. • The welcoming, caring and inclusive ethos which is underpinned very effectively by children’s rights. Working collaboratively, staff and children establish positive relationships and a strong sense of belonging across the school and nursery. Children feel included, achieve and are supportive of each other. • In the school, children make consistently strong progress in attainment and achievement. Children make positive progress from their prior levels of attainment in literacy and numeracy. The following areas for improvement were identified and discussed with the headteacher and a representative from Midlothian Council. • Staff in the school and nursery should continue to develop consistently high-quality approaches to learning, teaching and assessment across the curriculum. They should ensure that all children are challenged appropriately in their learning. • Senior leaders and teachers in the school should continue to build on effective approaches to tracking children’s progress. They should streamline these approaches. This should allow staff to identify successes and next steps in children’s learning more efficiently. Page 35 of 356
Page 36
© Crown Copyright We gathered evidence to enable us to evaluate the school’s work using four quality indicators from How good is our school (4th edition). Quality indicators help schools, local authorities and inspectors to judge what is working well and what needs to be improved. Following the inspection of each school, the Scottish Government gathers details of our evaluations to keep track of how well Scottish schools are doing. Here are HMIE’s evaluations for King’s Park Primary School and Early Learning and Childcare Quality indicators Evaluation Leadership of change very good Learning, teaching and assessment good Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion very good Raising attainment and achievement very good Descriptions of the evaluations are available from: How good is our school (4th edition) Appendix 3: The six-point scale We gathered evidence to enable us to evaluate the ELC’s work using three quality indicators from the Quality improvement framework for the early learning and childcare sectors. Quality indicators for the nursery class Evaluation Curriculum very good Learning, teaching and assessment good Wellbeing, inclusion and equality very good A more detailed document called Summarised Inspection Findings (SIF) will be available on the HMIE website at: Inspection reports | His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in Scotland Page 36 of 356
Page 37
© Crown Copyright What happens next? We are confident that the school has the capacity to continue to improve and so we will make no more visits in connection with this inspection. Midlothian Council will inform parents/carers about the school’s progress as part of its arrangements for reporting on the quality of its schools. Fraser Gillan HM Inspector On behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland Page 37 of 356
Page 38
Page 38 of 356
Page 39
Improving Outcomes for Learners through an Empowered System Education Services encompasses Early Learning and Childcare (ELC), Primary Schooling, Secondary Schooling, Special Schooling, Additional Support Needs, Digital Learning, Education Psychology and Community, Lifelong Learning and Employability (CLLE). Vision and context Children, Young People and Partnerships (CYPP) Directorate Vision The Children, Young People and Partnerships Directorate comprises Education, CLLE and Children’s Services. The Directorate vision is: All children, young people, adults and communities in Midlothian are supported to be the best they can be. This will be achieved through a nurturing, respectful and collaborative approach that promotes wellbeing, equity, inclusion and lifelong learning. Education Priorities The Education Service Improvement Plan is informed by the outcome of quality assurance activities and links to the outcomes determined by the Getting it Right for Every Midlothian Child Board and national priorities. The Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000, as amended 2016, placed new duties on education authorities, and the Education Service Improvement Plan includes identified areas for improvement to fulfil these duties. As a result, the Education Service Improvement Plan not only reflects the key priorities in the Midlothian Single Plan but also aligns closely with the key national priorities. The Q4 period in our schools and ELC settings continued to focus on raising attainment through four key areas - Learning, teaching, assessment & curriculum; Attendance & engagement; Relationships, wellbeing & care and Inclusion, equity & targeted supports and risks. Education Q4 25/26 Performance report Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item No 5.3 Page 39 of 356
Page 40
Links to the Education Service Improvement Plan can be found here: Education Service Improvement Plan Summary & Education Service Improvement Plan 2025/26 Throughout 2025/26 education services, schools and settings are focused on a single priority: For academic session 2025/26 the priority remains raising attainment and achievement. Work will be focused around: • Inclusive Learning, teaching, assessment & curriculum (iLTAC) • Wellbeing, Support and Partnerships (WSPs) Page 40 of 356
Page 41
Aligned to the Service Plan, priorities for 2025/26, key actions are: All learners receive their entitlement to high-quality universal provision (staged intervention levels 1 & 2) which promotes engagement and improved outcomes. • An effective assistive technology offer tackles digital inequity and reduces barriers to accessing learning. • A skilled and confident workforce promotes leadership at all levels to deliver excellent learning, teaching & assessment for all learners, making best use of digital technology and in line with professional standards. All ELCs, schools and ASGs produce an agreed 3-18 curriculum rationale that engages all learners in appropriate pathways that prepare them for learning, life and work. this quarter: Midlothian schools and ELC settings offer a relevant, progressive and motivating strengths-based 3-18 curriculum, that enables all learners, including those with ASN, to move on to highly skilled, sustained positive destinations. Professional Learning and Guidance • Almost all (90%+) non-teacher staff continue to rate our in-service day offer as meeting their needs. • We continue to offer a comprehensive professional learning menu to all staff. Some of this offer is available on our Professional Learning website (Google site available to Midlothian Google account holders only) • Findings from the QI 3.1 quality improvement visits to schools (August to January) have informed our next steps in professional learning. • Dyslexia guidance along with a Professional Learning offer is currently being rolled out with school staff and parent councils. • All ASGs have a draft curriculum rationale and will work to finalise this by June 2026. Almost all schools are making progress with updating individual school curriculum rationales. Workstream 1: Inclusive Learning, Teaching, Assessment & Curriculum (iLTAC) Page 41 of 356
Page 42
Let’s Talk About PL: All planned Let’s Talk About sessions for this quarter have been delivered. • Let’s Talk about Sessions this quarter have focussed on Differentiation and Pace and Challenge as the Universal offers. Bespoke in school sessions have looked at High Quality Assessment, Inclusive Classrooms, Working walls and Learner Conversations. • Staff attending from host school provide positive evaluation data however numbers attending from out with the host school remain limited for bespoke sessions. • Mechanisms for gathering three month follow up data are now in place to gather the impact of the sessions on teachers and learners. It is expected that for the bespoke sessions individuals school level standards and quality reports in May will reveal further impact data on staff and learners. Developing a Digitally Skilled Workforce • As of March 2026, 488 teachers are now engaging in a generative AI tool in education pilot, negotiated through the Equipped for Learning project. This is an increase of 44 teachers since 30 August 2025. • All school leaders in primary and secondary schools are engaging with an AI research product to explore how this technology can reduce workload for leadership teams and streamline school improvement work. This has now been extended to middle leaders. • The Equipped for Learning project was part of an international showcase of good practice at Bett 2026, held in the ExCel Centre, London in January 2026. • 314 support staff have now been equipped with a 1:1 staff iPad, ensuring the workforce has access to technology and training to ensure best use. • All primary age pupils have undertaken a three-week package of in-class digital support, designed to support them to use technology safely and with purpose. 97.8% of pupils strongly agreed they had learned something new. Teacher feedback: ‘The class really enjoyed the sessions and the digital skills explored. As a class teacher I am not fully confident in all things digital, so the sessions were also useful for me! It was great to have digital support in class for the learners.’ P6 teacher I cannot emphasise enough how well structured and resources these sessions are - a huge help for teacher workload and very enjoyable and engaging for children. Just a great mix overall. P5 teacher Page 42 of 356
Page 43
• Since October 2025, 114 pupils have completed a three-week block of tuition in how to use assistive technology and software to access and personalise learning, an increase of 33 on last quarter. Strengthen Leadership of inclusive LTAC (Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Curriculum) • The raising attainment team continues to work alongside teachers and school leaders to improve inclusive learning, teaching and assessment across all ASGs. This has led to strengthening collaboration with Early Years team to develop Early Number sense as well as working with ASGs and individual schools to improve strategies to improve writing progress. Feedback from writing professional learning shows positive response rate at over 98%. • Midlothian has been selected as one of 5 local authorities developing effective pedagogy in maths classrooms and our Raising Attainment teacher (Numeracy) has successfully piloted the work with 2 cohorts of primary and secondary practitioners, with early positive impacts on learner engagement and participation. • The Spatial Reasoning research project undertaken by the University of Glasgow showed positive results for learners in P4-P7 who had participated (over 60 classes within 16 schools). Initial results showed above average improvement in learner progress compared to the national cohort as well as a high baseline. • Our Secondary DHT LTA Network (with primary representation) collaborated to focus on supporting middle leaders with looking at more inclusive LTA approaches, sharing approaches to Universal Support within local secondary schools. • Connection between primary and secondary LTA Leads is supported by joint planning for meetings and focussed on local levels supports for implementation of our Midlothian iLTA Framework. • LTA Leads supported Leaner Voice Groups to gather school level reflections on A Midlothian Learner 2.0. Feedback focussed on strengthening digital learning, reference to meta skills and opportunities to learn outdoors. • Dyslexia guidance along with a Professional Learning offer is currently being rolled out with school staff and parent councils. There has been a 26.8% increase in the number of young people that have been registered on SEEMiS as having a dyslexia diagnosis since August 2025. Most schools have engaged in the support and moderations sessions with positive feedback indicating that the new process was easier to understand and reduce workload: “The report will save a huge amount of time and effort for SFL and is much more 'pick up able' for class teachers. Hopefully, it will be easier for parents to understand too. “Good to have consistency across schools, and for parents to see that there is a Page 43 of 356
Page 44
policy/flowchart to follow. Support running alongside identification in the flowchart is useful - often families feel that the support won’t be put in place until AFTER the identification so this would support any related conversations” • Parents and pupils have also given positive feedback on the new dyslexia guidance: ‘The work that they’re all doing is truly transformational for dyslexic children like my son and I am sure, if the resources remain as they are, you will be making a positive difference to the educational attainment outcomes for many dyslexic children across Midlothian. Moderation • Over 300 practitioners attended Local Authority Moderation sessions in March 26 on Numeracy and Maths. • The numeracy moderation sessions centred on a shared understanding of standards at national benchmarks and teacher expectation reflections. • From 141 evaluations key takeaways included: utilising appropriate supports, breadth of assessment evidence and assessing in multiple contexts. • Participants valued the shared professional dialogue with colleagues on reaching a shared understanding of what achievement of a level looks like, ensuring judgement is consistent with national standards. • 66 colleagues in ASN settings also carried out their own moderation exercise with very positive feedback at the end of two sessions. “I feel the asset-based assessment is a useful concept to try and understand more about. I enjoyed speaking with colleagues in different schools about how they try to plug gaps and the way in which they teach.” MACO Expansion (Midlothian Aligned Curriculum Offer) • All primary age pupils have undertaken a three-week package of in-class digital support, designed to support them to use technology safely and with purpose. 97.8% of pupils strongly agreed they had learned something new. Teacher feedback: • All Lead Teachers focus on FA (Foundation apprenticeship) attainment. This is ensuring robust support and challenge for both schools and students. Seven learners (3%) have withdrawn from FA programmes due to leaving or returning to school, this is well within the maximum 10% drop out rate. • The MACO expansion has facilitated significant growth in both cohort and student number across all schools, demonstrated in the tables below. Page 44 of 356
Page 45
• Cohort Growth: Number of FA Frameworks Delivered Number of Cohorts Session 24/25 7 14 Session 25/26 9 21 Coursing for Session 26/27 10 30 • Student numbers supported through MACO delivery: Total Number of FA Students Total Number of Midlothian Only SCP Places Total Capacity Built through MACO Session 23/24 147 0 147 non-MACO Session 24/25 216 106 322 learners Session 25/26 275 137 412 learners Coursing for Session 26/27 390 spaces 182 spaces 572 learners Page 45 of 356
Page 46
Curriculum Pathways • The DYW (Developing young workforce) Partnership Influencing group has held its initial meeting and will reconvene quarterly. All Lead Teachers are engaging with these partners with a strong commitment to curriculum co-design. • Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC) updates are regularly shared with Head Teachers. There are 16 Midlothian staff in regular attendance at CIC curriculum area and context for learning groups, covering almost all curriculum areas and a Steering group has been established. • All MACO Lead Teachers are beginning to plan the development of 3-18 curriculum pathways. This will dovetail with ASG progressions in Construction and Engineering and Creative Industries. • The DYW Partnership Influencing group has been re-established to bring the voice of employers to the table for curriculum making. Quality Improvement • The Quality Improvement Framework is being updated based on learning from QI activity in schools this year. • The QI 3.1 (Ensuring Wellbeing, Equality & Inclusion) visits to all schools are concluded. The findings of these visits have informed our next steps in professional learning, quality improvement approaches and further development of universal and targeted support for learners. • Our recent inspections have shown improved grades with the 4 primary schools inspected this session being evaluated as ‘very good’ and ‘good’ across the QIs inspected. Page 46 of 356
Page 47
Insight Analysis Leavers 2024/25 (Published Feb 2026) Page 47 of 356
Page 48
Insight Analysis Leavers 2024/25 (Published Feb 2026) Page 48 of 356
Page 49
Placeholder Aligned to the Service Plan and priorities for 2025/26, key actions are: • Culture, relationships and systems ensure that children, young people and staff feel valued and supported to succeed. • Collaboration, partnerships and shared learning at ASG level leads to an improved in learner outcomes through a data-informed allocation of resources. A skilled and confident workforce promotes leadership at all levels to deliver excellent learning, teaching & assessment for all learners, making best use of digital technology and in line with professional standards Key Achievements United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Parental Engagement • There is now a structure in place for strengthening pupil voice in our decision-making. All schools have a pupil representative body. These feed into the local authority pupil representative groups and the Midlothian Youth Cabinet which meets regularly with our political leaders. This structure will be reviewed with stakeholders in May 2026 and further improvements made for 2026-2027 school year. • Parent Council Chairs meet with the Education Chief Operating Officer and senior managers four times per year. This supports consultation with parent/ carer groups across all of our schools. • The QI 3.1 (Ensuring Wellbeing, Equality & Inclusion) visits to all Enhanced and Improvement schools showed that there were supportive relationships in almost all schools. The provision of universal and targeted support for learners and the tracking and monitoring for impact of these, was improving across our schools. Strengthen Rights-Based Relational Approach All schools have engaged in professional learning and self-evaluation on their rights-based, relational approach. Feedback from schools has been used to inform next steps for professional learning and support. We have introduced professional learning in therapeutic interventions in schools as part of our targeted offer to children presenting with needs relating to mental health and wellbeing. Workstream 2: Wellbeing Support and Partnerships Page 49 of 356
Page 50
Staff Support and Wellbeing • Our Service Plan 2026-2027 includes a commitment to pilot a staff wellbeing and support offer. This builds upon the focus on wellbeing integrated into professional learning and piloting of reflective spaces and supervision groups by the Educational Psychology Service. • Our strategic group focussing on Relationships and Behaviour in schools will continue to meet and focus on the recommendations of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Report. Delivery with Partners The multi-agency GIRFEC Steering Group has created a draft Practice Framework and Single Child’s Plan template to refresh and promote the values, principles and practice of GIRFEC across all our services. Consultation has taken place with staff in Health, CLLE, Children’s Services and Education. Universal training is being developed for delivery to all staff in August and three Network training sessions are being developed for GIRFEC coordinators from each service from August to December 2026. Initial design for pilot project complete. An online, Request for Support, process is now established. The pilot originally planned to run in the Newbattle Associated School Group from October to March has been further delayed. Attendance Our attendance levels have improved compared to similar months in the last school year. Our data systems allow us to identify particular cohorts of young people where attendance has dropped and target support. The Attendance toolkit is used by schools and partners with young people and families to deepen insights into attendance issues and develop plans to increase attendance and engagement in education. We continue to pilot new ways of working to strengthen collaboration with young people to overcome barriers to attendance. Feedback from these projects will inform learning for schools to take into session 26/27. Neurodiversity (ND) Pathway Our new professional learning offer ‘My predictable day’ continues to be very positively received in schools with greater predictability in environments, relationships and activities making a tangible difference to children with neurodivergence. We continue to work with families, agencies and 3rd sector partners to explore ways of strengthening supports for those families of children on the ND waitlist. Page 50 of 356
Page 51
Key Challenges Additional Support Needs (ASN) The growing number of children with complex ASNs continues to place pressure on the ASN budget, the availability of space within our ASN provisions and ASN staffing allocation. Staff Absence The Education Service receives regular data from the HR team showing staff absence trends. This is used to inform next steps in schools. Continuing high levels of staff absence and the lack of available supply staff continues to have a significant impact on service delivery. Supply Cover Requests - Totals for 2025/26 YTD (13/08/2025-17/04/26) # Days requested # Days Covered # Days uncovered Fill rate Teachers 4060 3248 812 80.00% Early Years Practitioners 1559 1171 388 75.11% Learning Assistant 510 63 447 12.35% Total 6129 4482 1647 73.12% Page 51 of 356
Page 52
School Buildings and Capacity The Midlothian 0-18 yrs population continues to grow with capacity limits close to breaching in a number of our schools. As part of the Council approved Learning Estate Strategy, several projects are underway to deliver new schools and additional capacity, such as Mayfield Learning Community Campus, Penicuik High School refurbishment and extension, a replacement for Beeslack CHS and a Shawfair Campus. Due to sustained market volatility, some delays are affecting programmes for delivery, this is a national issue for authorities. Capacity breaches are closely monitored across the Learning Estate, and suitable mitigations for any breaches will be delivered. All schools now have an up-to-date Suitability and Condition survey which are graded in terms of quality. These grades are reported as part of the annual Core Facts Return to the Scottish Government. Any issues that were flagged in the surveys are now being actioned as part of the Council’s Asset Management Strategy. Digital Delivery The ongoing dispute between the council and trade unions prevented delivery of a senior phase online offer in 2025/26. Delivery for 26/27 is looking unlikely at this time. Page 52 of 356
Page 53
Primary Attendance and Exclusion for the year to 31st March Primary attendance for the session up to 31st March was 93.82%. The National primary average for the past 3 years is 92.29%. Of the 6.18% absence, 4.02% is authorised absence compared to 4.6% National 3 year average (pre-approved appointments, sickness absence etc) 2.14% is unauthorised absence compared to 2.5% National 3 year average (unauthorised holidays, absence without reason etc) and 0.02% are exclusion based absence. A breakdown of reasons for exclusion is included; there have been 76 primary exclusion incidents for the session up to 31st March. Workstream 2 – A Deeper Look into Attendance and Exclusion 2% 22% 7% 31% 6% 2% 9% 4% 6% 8% Damage to property Fighting General or persistent … Insolent or offensive … Physical assault Refusal to attend class Spitting Threat of physical … Threat to school property Verbal abuse of pupils Verbal abuse of staff Reason for Exclusion Page 53 of 356
Page 54
Secondary Attendance and Exclusion for the year to 31st March Secondary attendance for the session up to 31st March was 86.47%. The National secondary average for the past 3 years is 88.20%. Of the 13.53% absence, 7.56% is authorised absence compared to 4.6% National 3yr avg (pre-approved appointments, sickness absence etc) 5.91% is unauthorised absence compared to 2.5% National 3yr avg (unauthorised holidays, absence without reason etc) and 0.05% are exclusion based absence. A breakdown of reasons for exclusion is included; there have been 158 secondary exclusion incidents for the session up to 31st March. Workstream 2 – A Deeper Look into Attendance and Exclusion Page 54 of 356
Page 55
CLLE supports skills for learning, life and work across Midlothian to meet our Statutory duties and contract requirements. In Q4: • 2,019 people engaged across 242 CLLE opportunities, bringing the annual total to date 6,464 participants. • 29 home visits supported young people not in positive destinations. • 167 participants are from SIMD 20% areas and 935 from SIMD 40%. • 244 qualifications were achieved through CLLE programmes. • 24 community groups received support with governance, planning, or funding. Employability Services (All Age & Parental Support) No One Left Behind (NOLB) – All Age Employability • 317 people supported in Q4 (73 new starts). • Outcomes: o 14 moved into work o 2 Modern Apprenticeship o 30 achieved work-related- qualifications o 4 began volunteering • No One Left Behind (NOLB) has delivered targeted, sector-based pathways aligned to local labour market demand, combining industry- relevant training with recognised, work-related qualifications and meaningful work experience opportunities. Participants have been supported throughout by dedicated 1:1 key workers, providing personalised guidance, removing barriers to progression, and ensuring individuals are supported to move towards and sustain positive destinations in employment, education, or training Communities, Lifelong Learning & Employability (CLLE) Page 55 of 356
Page 56
Impact Statements “Thanks so much for all the support you have given my daughter so far. The service provided has been extremely helpful. I can't believe that with your support my daughter has managed to attend an interview for college. There is no way she would have been able to do this a few months ago. It's incredible to see the change, all down to your tailored support. She still has a way to go but we're so happy as a family to see her moving forward in the right direction. Thanks again” Parent of participant “Thank you so much for coming to the celebration, it meant a lot to me that you came because you’re the reason I was even there. Not only did you get me onto the programme but if i hadn’t been working with you I never would’ve done it. I’ve grown so much in my confidence & finally feeling like a person who wants to live. This is the first programme I’ve worked with that felt real, like they genuinely want better for me.” Case Study • A 19-year-old Midlothian resident was referred to the programme by Penicuik Jobcentre. At the point of referral, they were experiencing multiple personal challenges and barriers to employment but demonstrated strong motivation and a willingness to work hard to make positive changes and improve their life circumstances. They expressed a clear interest in pursuing a trade but was unsure how to get started. They wanted to improve their quality of life and were keen to move away from the negative trajectory they felt they were on.A clear action plan was devised and the individual demonstrated strong engagement and learning ability, successfully completing their REHIS and CITB tests. They were supported to apply for their CSCS card, enabling them to begin applying for employment. They have now secured several interviews with different employers. Ongoing support is available as required to help them transition into employment and sustain a positive destination. “I never actually knew how many things you guys help with, like when I was told about this, I thought it would be rubbish, but you have really changed things for me.” Page 56 of 356
Page 57
Parental Employability Support (PES) – Child Poverty Funding • 259 parents were supported in Q4 (75 new starts). 15 are currently undergoing assessment for allocation to keyworkers. • Outcomes: o 27 entered employment or self-employment o 86 qualifications achieved by 42 parents (REHIS, first aid, CSCS, SIA, PEFA, mental health, rural skills) o 1 progressed to FE/HE o 20 in long term paid placements; -11 moved into permanent jobs • Parental Employability Support (PES) has provided sector-based training opportunities, equipping parents to gain practical, job-relevant skills and recognised qualifications in sectors such as agriculture, farming, construction and security. A SIA Door Supervisor training course specifically for women was a highlight to try and encourage women into this industry. Rural Skills training and tractor training have been key highlights this quarter. Impact Examples “The rural skills course was very beneficial. It gave me an opportunity to use machinery under instruction that would not have been otherwise available to me. This has given me an understanding and confidence that I did not previously have. I plan to take this training further to help develop my skills and career and gain volunteering experience within a farming setting” “Thanks to you I am now full of confidence and well on my way to employment! My CV is fantastic now and I have applied for 3 jobs. Gaining my door supervisor licence was an experience I won't forget! You went above and beyond to help me in every way!” "My life has changed massively since I started the placement at TT. Pulling myself out of crippling depression was a long hard struggle. There were many factors involved that helped me on the road to recovery, but I can honestly say that getting involved with TT was the single biggest positive factor that helped me to get well. I consider myself to be exceedingly lucky to now be working for TT and will be forever grateful for the opportunity to get involved.” Page 57 of 356
Page 58
Case Study - Security Industry Authority (SIA) Training for Women The security sector continues to experience growth, with employment opportunities readily available, enabling parents to progress quickly into roles that can be flexible around family commitments. PES offered the SIA Door Supervisor training programme in partnership with VERG Ltd for female parents. As part of the course, two local employers—G4S and JSL Security Services—delivered presentations outlining career opportunities within the sector and recruitment pathways. Women only make up seven percent of the workforce in security across Europe despite being recognised as having skills to deal with conflict and solve problems in a calm manner; resulting in better outcomes. “I just wanted to say thank you for allowing me to retake the SIA course. I passed, got my licence, and have now secured a job as a security officer in retail. You kept me up to date and encouraged me to push myself” Adult Learning • 82 adults participated in paid courses (e.g. National 5 Maths, PDA in Sociology). • 67 community adult learning courses with 278 participants in wellbeing, mental health, languages and arts. • 44 ESOL learners (including Afghan -specific classes). • 10 literacy learners, mostly 1:1. • 3 digital skills courses with 20 participants Family Learning • 17 children and adults engaged in family activities (craft, cooking, wellbeing) this quarter. School holiday periods are our busiest times for family learning. • In partnership with Hawthornden Primary School, Lasswade Area Home School Practitioners, Senior Early Years Practitioner and Children & Families, CLLE have delivered courses to support family wellbeing e.g. Raising Children with Confidence, Raising Teens with Confidence. Page 58 of 356
Page 59
Community Capacity Building • Engagement with 61 community groups in total up to and including Q4. • Support provided to 12 groups for Large Grant monitoring and reporting. • CLLE supported 15 Community Councils with governance and operations. • Neighbourhood statistical profiles have been produced to support new Living Well Plans in five communities as part of our partnership working with Community Planning. Poverty & Inclusion Work • CLLE supported the establishment of 10 community diners in partnership with third sector and public health • CLLE supported in partnership a funding bid to CPAF securing £99,000 over two years towards Community Diners • CLLE is working with trusted partners to support cash first and Midlothian Pantry Network funded by the Cost-of-Living Task Force • CLLE is supporting consultation work to establish the key priorities for reducing both child and household poverty and identify actions for the new Single Midlothian Plan 2027 to 2030. • CLLE is continuing to support the Poverty Peer Researchers (now “Make a Difference” group to make next step in their journey. External Funding • CLLE has submitted report to CMT on NOLB funding and Fairer futures community diners. • NOLB will have an additional element of funding to support removing travel barriers for accessing work. Amount and conditions of funding still to be provided. • Local Growth Fund will be allocated locally in 2026/27 only to allow transition from UKSP. Existing People and Skills projects will be able to continue until end March 2027 if they meet new interventions. Challenges and risks • Recruitment and staff vacancies • Funding landscape, internally and externally, in period of change. Page 59 of 356
Page 60
CLLE 2025/26 in numbers Page 60 of 356
Page 61
Pentana Performance Dashboard Page 61 of 356
Page 62
Page 62 of 356
Page 63
“All children, young people, adults and families in Midlothian are supported to be the best they can be. This is achieved through a nurturing, respectful and collaborative approach that promotes wellbeing, equity and inclusion.” Community Priorities Single Midlothian Plan The Community Planning Partnership (CPP) draw together public, voluntary and private sector bodies, and local communities to deliver a shared plan to improve the lives of local people based on evidence. In Midlothian, the plan is called the Single Midlothian Plan (SMP). This is a shared partnership plan of how we will meet the needs of our local communities and brings together all the priorities for Midlothian into one place. In Midlothian, the Getting It Right for Every Child Board (GIRFEC) is one of the subgroups of the SMP, and one of the main drivers for the effective delivery of services to children. The GIRFEC Plan also known as the Integrated Children’s Service Plan 2023-2026, is a statutory three-year plan devised by the local authority and health. The plan develops key outcomes and priority actions which are designed to improve the lives of children, young people, and families. The plan has 12 shared priority themes, outcomes and actions which sit within 4 subgroups: 1. Children & Young People’s Rights 2. Children & Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing 3. Whole Family Wellbeing 4. Information Sharing and Commissioning The GIRFEC Board has now had 3 sessions to plan the new Integrated Children’s Services Plan 26-29. Each session was well attended by a range of partners. A small team is now collating the final input into the new plan that will be presented to the GIRFEC Board for approval in May. Children’s Services Q4 25/26 Performance Report Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item No 5.4 Page 63 of 356
Page 64
Progress and Achievements Every month this year we are sharing a Corporate Parenting corner which is an opportunity for corporate parents to share practice which evidences how they are upholding their duties. The first of these in January was delivered by the painting and decorating team, who kindly painted our new base for the RISE service. In February we celebrated Care day, the theme this year was connection. Our unaccompanied young people have established a group called Smart36 which meets twice a week, to provide peer support to one another, below is a picture of what connection means to them. Leaders and staff across the service shared what connection meant for them and how they support ongoing connection for our care experienced young people. In March our Corporate parenting corner came from the disability team in Children's Services. The team arranged a day to support a young person visiting significant locations that were significant in their care journey. This helped the young person understand their past and reconnect with significant people. . Also, in March we celebrated Kinship Care Week with a disco, bouncy castle, party treats, games and music. Our families shared that it was a great event and that allowed our children to play and have fun together. All the work is captured on our Midlothian Promise page which you can access via the following QR code. ‘Realign, Reconnect and Rebuild'’ Children’s Services came together for a two‑day conference on 27th & 28th January 2026, with a shared focus on realigning, reconnecting and rebuilding our service. Hosted at Dalkeith Miners Club, the event was well attended by colleagues from across Children’s Services, reflecting a strong collective commitment to learning and improvement. Page 64 of 356
Page 65
Over the two days, staff took part in a range of keynote sessions and workshops designed to refresh practice, deepen knowledge, and support staff wellbeing. The conference provided valuable time and space for reflection, collaboration and renewed momentum as we continue to strengthen how we work together to support children, young people and families. World Social Work Day Children’s Services came together with adult services to celebrate World Social Work Day on 17th March 2026. This was well attended by children’s, adults and justice professionals to celebrate social work and the positive impact of the work we do. Improvements to the Children’s Services Building In an effort to make the Children’s Services building brighter and more welcoming, over Q4 staff volunteered their own time to decorate areas of the building, creating a trauma informed environment for children and families. Rooms used for family time and meetings have been thoughtfully updated to be more child-friendly, with sensory boards that support engagement and emotional regulation. Under-the-sea, space and jungle themes have been introduced to key areas adding colour and warmth while helping to create a calming, safe, and inviting space for everyone who visits. Feedback from families using the refreshed spaces has been positive. Page 65 of 356
Page 66
BASW Amazing Social Worker The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Amazing Social Workers is a campaign to recognise individual and collective achievements in social work. We are proud to share that this year, Sorcha Brown, a social worker in the duty team was recognised under BASW’s Amazing Social Workers Newly Qualified Social Worker category: Amazing Social Workers profiles: Week 3 | BASW This national recognition is a well-deserved acknowledgement of Sorcha’s practice, professionalism and impact so early in her career. Family Wellbeing Service Referrals to the Family Wellbeing Service continue to increase, alongside a growing complexity of need among the families supported. The planned move to new modular units at Hawthorn Family Learning Centre will create additional capacity to expand and enhance the service model. This will enable the delivery of more group-based interventions, allowing the service to support a greater number of families without requiring additional resources. We continue to receive positive feedback from families and partners about the positive impact the Family Wellbeing Service have on children’s health, education and family life. 8 16 12 14 11 22 15 17 17 5 12 21 0 5 10 15 20 25 Referrals to FWS Page 66 of 356
Page 67
As part of our effort to reduce child poverty, Children’s Services fund three income maximisation projects, including a dedicated project worker within the FWS. The identified project worker supports families directly to increase household income and reduce debt, strengthening overall financial resilience. In 2024 the financial gain of families who were supported by Income Maximisation via the FWS was £30,448.31. In 2025, this figure has increased to £166,867.99. This uplift indicates that families supported by FWS are accessing substantially more income and debt relief, directly contributing to the Council’s child poverty objectives. The scale of increase strongly suggests that having a dedicated income maximisation worker embedded within FWS is effective and enables timely, trusted support for families who may not otherwise engage with financial advice services. Page 67 of 356
Page 68
Disability Service Demand on our Disability Service has continued, as the number of children and young people seeking a Section 23 assessment has increased. There has been focus upon providing earlier intervention with the launch of the Waiting Well parenting group and the Connected and Understanding Behaviour (CUB) group. The team have worked hard to continue to link with parents, providing vital signposting and early intervention. Links with Saltersgate School have continued to be promoted, with positive feedback on the impact of this. Collaboration has been undertaken with community resources to ensure that they can meet the needs of this group of children. We continue to promote a proportionate response - those with the most need, receive the greater support. There are challenges within our Finance department currently which is resulting in some delays of payments, however the team continue to support parents as we work through these challenges to try and avoid any gaps in support. Demands continue to reflect the significant level of need and challenge that increasing disability, and Neurodiversity presents for all our communities and services. Practice Team The practice team continues to support children, young people and their families in a range of circumstances. During this quarter across the service we have had 192 children cared for away from home and fifty children on the child protection register. Given the current workforce pressures it has been really positive to see the team come together and support each other and to see newly qualified workers learning from their more experienced colleagues. To continue to build on this we are developing a range of development sessions, with the aim of sharing good practice and the experience of workers from within the team. Page 68 of 356
Page 69
We continue to support children and young people in conflict with the law and we are currently linking with colleagues in Justice Services to support children and young people who may be subject to diversions from prosecution. We also consider how best to support children following an initial police report, as part of our early and effective intervention approach (EEI), as described in the chart below. As can be seen, support does not necessarily come from Children’s Services, with Education being the main source of support following a referral for EEI. During this period there has been a slight drop in the number of referrals compared to the previous quarter. Early and Effective Intervention - Children and young people in conflict with the law January – March 2026. Key • Children’s Services - Referrals to social work team in children’s services. • Education - Referrals sent to Education as disposal for offence. • Joint SCRA/PF - Referrals to both SCRA and the Procurator Fiscal • Recorded Police Warning - Police record the warning given at the time of the charge. • WFWS - Whole Family Wellbeing service • Pitchin’ In - Police Scotland football related course. We have significantly fewer referrals to Children’s Hearings due to children allegedly committing offences that other local authorities, due in no small part to our effective early intervention and positive working relationships with partners. 0 5 10 15 20 January February March TOTAL Early and Effective Intervention Jan - March 2026 Childrens services Education RPW WFWS SCRA/PF Pitchin in Page 69 of 356
Page 70
Sycamore Centre The Sycamore Centre is our Bairns Hoose, delivered by the Sycamore Partnership, which is a collaboration between Midlothian, East Lothian and Edinburgh Councils alongside colleagues from NHS Lothian, Police Scotland and other key partners. It provides a safe, non-stigmatising environment for child victims and witnesses of abuse to access forensic interviews, justice, and recovery services under one roof, reducing the need for multiple, traumatic interviews. We are a Scottish Government Bairns Hoose Affiliate and as such during this quarter we submitted out funding application for 2026-27. We have applied for £450 000 from the affiliate fund to allow us to further develop aspects of the Centre including our recovery support service (in collaboration with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services); the installation of a live link to court to avoid children having to attend in person; updated recording equipment. Ther are also plans for Edinburgh University to continue their evaluation with the establishment of active learning sets as we continue to develop the service. We have also applied for test of change funding of £24 000 to allow for play therapist support for children having to attend the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People for medicals. The outcome of the funding application will be reported in Q.1 2026/27. Page 70 of 356
Page 71
Family Centred Care (FCC) In February 2026 we held our Foster Carer Appreciation brunch. This provided us with an opportunity to say thank you to all our foster carers for their ongoing commitment to the children and young people that they care for. Inspection improvement work has continued with briefings recently held across the service to launch the updated Unplanned Ending and Continuing Care policies Page 71 of 356
Page 72
Residential Services In March 2026, Caroline Guiney retired after 7 years leading Children’s Residential Services and an impressive 22-year career with Midlothian Council. Throughout her time in the service, Caroline has overseen significant achievements, supported countless young people and families, and guided the team through both successes and complex challenges. Her leadership, compassion and commitment have left a lasting impact, and she will be greatly missed by colleagues and young people alike. Outstanding Contribution Award Midlothian Council Community Action Partnership was recognised at the recent annual award ceremony which took place on Monday 2nd of March in the House of Commons. Claire Brookes, our Promise and Corporate Parenting lead in Midlothian received an ‘outstanding contribution award’ at the ceremony, which applauded her efforts in revitalising the partnership work in local communities which has helped to reduce alcohol related anti-social behaviour. Page 72 of 356
Page 73
Challenges and Risks Workforce Children’s Services is continuing to experience staffing challenges which are impacting capacity across the service. In response, additional arrangements have been made to ensure we continue to deliver our essential statutory functions. A plan is in place to support staff during this period, with a clear focus on prioritising key areas of risk, maintaining oversight of vulnerable children, and sustaining practice. Alongside this, targeted recruitment activity and workforce planning are underway to address vacancies and stabilise services as quickly as possible. Referrals Referrals in Q4 have slightly increased from the previous quarter but remain significantly lower than the 23/24 data following the change in how referrals are processed. Whilst rates of referral have been fairly stable over the year, a growing proportion of referrals present with increased complexity and levels of risk meaning that even where referral volumes are lower than historical peaks, the time, skill and multi‑agency coordination required per case is increasing, which has implications for overall service demand and throughput. Current data indicates that around 50% of referrals are re-referrals, meaning the child or family has previously been known to Children’s Services. This is a significant proportion but should be interpreted with care as this does not automatically indicate service failure or that previous interventions were ineffective. In some cases, children and families have complex, long-term needs or experience changing circumstances, and it is appropriate that services are re-engaged when new concerns arise. Equally, the level of re-referrals highlights the importance of understanding whether support is sufficiently sustained, coordinated across services and aligned with the needs of children and families once cases close to social work. 1218 referrals to the duty service Page 73 of 356
Page 74
To develop a clearer and more informed picture, the service will undertake a focused audit of re- referrals in the next quarter. This work will explore: • the reasons for re‑referral, • timescales between case closure and re‑referral, • whether concerns are new, recurring, or escalated, • and how effectively continuity and step‑down support are operating. The findings will help inform service planning, partnership working, and expectations around demand going forward. Children Protection Registrations and Children who are Looked After Quarter 4 has also seen a decrease again in the number of children subject to Child Protection measures from a high in Q3. The complexity of this work is being felt particularly acutely right now given our staffing challenges. We are fortunate to have some highly skilled and experienced Children’s Practitioners across our service who provide additional support and scaffold children and their families. To further strengthen practice and support staff, Child Protection development sessions for all relevant staff are planned in Q1. 193 196 211 224 206 214 219 204 204 202 209 192 0 50 100 150 200 250 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 23/24 24/25 25/26 CP Register & LAAC - By Quarter CP LAAC 554repeat referrals in 12 months (48%) Page 74 of 356
Page 75
We saw a slight decrease in the number of looked after children in Q4 by 17 children/young people. This is a result of support and progress that have allowed children to return home to their parents and/or come off legal orders. We have encouraged social workers to think of creative ways to support children to remain at home – taking the lead from families in terms of what would best support them. External Resources and Budgetary Challenges It is significant to note that there remains ongoing pressure in where we place children who are looked after. Although the majority of our care experienced young people live with kin we have limited resources in respect to foster carers and internal residential care. This means a growing number of our Midlothian children are being cared for in external residential care. External provision generally requires children and young people to live out with Midlothian, disrupting education, reducing family contact and weakening continuity with trusted professionals and nurturing relationships. External placements have placed significant pressure on the Children’s Services budget. Significant work is ongoing to address this challenge. We have recently recruited two planning officers to support work to increase ability to meet the needs of these children and young people in Midlothian. Page 75 of 356
Page 76
Quarter 4 – Children’s Services Partnerships and Communities Pentana – Performance Dashboard Page 76 of 356
Page 77
Adult Services protect and improve the wellbeing of the people and communities of Midlothian. We help people get the right support, in the right place, at the right time. Social work services in Midlothian are delivered jointly by Midlothian Council and Midlothian Integration Joint Board. Adult social work and social care services, including Justice Social Work, are delegated to Midlothian IJB. Adult Social Care contributes to the Midlothian IJB Strategic Commissioning Plan, the strategic aims of both NHS Lothian and Midlothian Council, and contributes to the work of the Community Planning Partnership through the Single Midlothian Plan. Adult Social Care Services Q4 25/26 Performance Report Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item No 5.5 Page 77 of 356
Page 78
Commissioned Services – Care Inspectorate Grades Care Inspectorate Grades Good or Above Target = 90% Actual = 100% Exceeds target Performance Detail: Narrative: There has only been one inspection in this quarter. Improved inspection outcome for the ‘The Action Group’ means that none of the adult service providers have grades that are below the ‘good’ rating. Learning Disability/Physical Disability/Carers Page 78 of 356
Page 79
Finance Expenditure Against Budget Annual Budget = £31.06m Projected Expenditure = £34.17 Below target Performance Detail: Narrative: • The information included in this report is up to period 12 and is not the final position for FY25/26 • There has been an increase in the financial commitment in Learning Disability in this quarter. There have been a several unplanned emergency placements for 24/7 care which have resulted in additional expenditure • There is a delay in invoice processing and therefore variations for services not delivered may be understated resulting in slight over commitment. Page 79 of 356
Page 80
Care Package Reviews Number of Reviews Within 2 years Target = 90% Actual = 92% Exceeds target Performance Detail: Narrative: Reviewing care packages continues to be a priority. Capacity in the team has impacted on this target area. The team is currently looking at reprioritising its workstreams to ensure that reviews are being undertaken in a timely fashion. Page 80 of 356
Page 81
Physical Disabilities and Long-Term Conditions PD/LTC interventions recorded as outcome achieved Target = 85% Actual = 89% Exceeds target PD/LTC referral screening episode concluded within 3 working days Target = 90% Actual = 93% Exceeds target Narrative: • Q4 interventions recorded as outcome achieved has been impacted owing to clients declining assessment and other clients getting transferred to another waiting lists i.e. practitioner has identified that case needs to be seen by OT and not practitioner. Outcomes may therefore be achieved by OT Carers Number of Adult Carer Support Plans completed by HSCP (accumulative) Target = 100 Actual = 98 Below target Number of Adult Carer Support Plans completed by VOCAL (accumulative) Target = 700 Actual = 921 Exceeds target Narrative: • VOCAL continue to exceed targets for completion of Adult Carer Support Plans due to sustained demand for carer support in the community. Midlothian Local Area Coordination (Enable Scotland) working partnership with Royal National Institute for Deaf (RNID) In Midlothian our Local Area Coordination team work in partnership with a variety of different organizations. By doing this they can continue to build their knowledge of local networks, community links, agencies and services which enables them to connect individuals in their local communities and highlight the services that will be useful to them. One area of strong partnerships working has been with the RNID Coordinator. The Local Area Coordinators met with the RNID Coordinator to discuss possible ways that they could work together to offer a drop-in service for people with hearing loss. The RNID Coordinator already had some of the drop-in services within Midlothian and this was proving to be successful. As people could come along and get information on hearing loss and tinnitus, have basic repairs done to their hearing aids, and to look at how to access support and services within their own area, if someone thought they were having difficulty with their hearing then the RNID Coordinator could also do a mini hearing test on site for them. The Local Area Coordinators already ran two café drop-ins, the Café Connect (Dalkeith Art Centre) on the first Thursday of the month and Linking Loanhead (Library) every two weeks on a Wednesday, and thought these would be ideal to link the RNID Coordinator in with these. This has been successful, people that come along to see the RNID Coordinator will be seen by us also and offered a hot drink and the chance to sit and have a chat with others, this has been good as it gives people attending the opportunity to meet others and have a chat as for some people they may not see many other people and be experiencing social isolation. Page 81 of 356
Page 82
St Joseph’s Services – Community Activities St. Josephs Services who provide a range of supported living and visiting support services to people with Learning Disabilities across Midlothian. In addition to their core service provision St. Josephs organise a number of independently funded community activities. These are open to individuals they support, individuals supported by other providers and the wider community. These activities, listed below, help ensure reduce the social isolation that people with Learning Disabilities can experience and helps them make connections with the wider community. • Every fortnight on a Tuesday St. Joseph’s arranges a Tuesday Club at Steading, Rosewell, 2pm-4pm. This is a free group, and our aim is to create a safe space for people in the Midlothian community to express their creativity, as well as making meaningful connections. Each session is kept varied, from entertainers, to anything arty and musical. This is an open group just turn up and join in the fun. • Every fortnightly on a Wednesday there is a Gardening Circle, Sycamore House, 2pm-4pm. Again, this is free and St. Joseph’s are actively encouraging people to come along and learn some new skills with our gardening gang. They often have visits from the Royal Botanic Gardens and Midlothian Climate Action group support us too. This is a free group and at present our people we support are developing our garden, growing crops and actively engaging in our community with other projects. • Every other fortnight on a Wednesday St. Joseph’s hold a Pie and Pint, The Anvil, Bonnyrigg, 12pm-2pm. Open to everyone it’s about meeting up, reducing isolation and making connections in the community. Individuals simply pay for your own Pie and whatever you are drinking on the day. The chef does specially prepare pies for us to come; however, this isn’t limited to the menu if wanted, and he can also blend special dietary requirements. • The All-Inclusive Beginners Community Line Dancing is held every Thursday, The Steading, Rosewell, 2pm-3pm £3 per class. This group is much loved. The sessions are tailored to be seated and non-seated, enabling everyone to join in. It’s taken by our line dance instructor and is a highly attended class. Page 82 of 356
Page 83
Care at Home and Learning Development performance measures % of care at home staff qualified for their post Target = 90% Actual = 90% Meets target % of SVQ programmes completed by care at home staff Target = 95% Actual = 95% Meets target against number commenced Number of weeks waiting for a package of care in the community Target = ˂6 wks Actual = 52 wks Below target (Longest Wait) Health and Social Care specific LearnPro modules working / Target = 100% Actual = 100% Meets target accessible that relate to registered professional practice All Health and Social Care specific LearnPro modules with Target = Yes Actual = Yes Meets target up to date content that relate to registered professional practice Percentage of compliant/completed mandatory LearnPro Target = 100% Actual = 100% Meets target modules that relate to registered professional practice. Percentage of staff successfully completing external course Target = 100% Actual = 100% Meets target Narrative: % of care at home staff qualified for their post, and % of SVQ programmes completed by care at home staff against number commenced. There is an increase in the number of staff qualified for their role in in care at home. Staff within the Care at home service continue to work through their SVQ programmes with some recent successful completions of carers with their SVQ 2 and SVQ 3 qualification. However, we have had some carers retire who were fully qualified and new carers appointed who are not all qualified but are working towards their qualification, therefore this does affect the qualification rates of staff in the service. The senior team within the service are all undertaking training with various qualifications including BA in Health and Social care and SVQ 4 Management. Our Care practitioners have completed the Professional Development Award in supervision which has increased confidence and competence in supporting staff. We have undertaken significant consultation with care the care at home team about how well supported and supervised they feel now, and this satisfaction has improved with 72% of care staff consulted advised they had good regular supervision. However, we would like to increase this % further up to at least 90% and we have several actions to work towards this. Care at Home & Learning Development Page 83 of 356
Page 84
Number of weeks waiting for a package of care in the community The reported number of 52 weeks is the longest wait. However, this is not the experience of most people. As the data does include this outlier number, a more representative assessment would be to consider the median. The median wait time is 9 weeks. The overall number of weeks that people in the community are waiting for a package of care has not reduced much in Q4 as the priority focus remains on facilitating timely hospital discharges. However, the service has halved the number of weekly hours on the Community Care at Home waiting list since the same time last year, demonstrating the effectiveness of the additional Unscheduled Care funding of two social workers who are working through the list and reviewing each person face to face. The majority of clients on the waiting list have been reviewed and either matched with a package of care or removed from the waiting list as they no longer required support. However new clients continue to be referred and added to the waiting list on a daily basis. Our long-term aim is to reduce waiting times to a maximum of 6 weeks, and our medium-term aim is to achieve a longest wait of 26 weeks. This continues to prove challenging. The service will also be working with people that are not urgent (Priority 3), and whose support needs could be delivered in another way. This cohort will be signposted to other community-based support and removed from the waiting list. Health and Social Care specific LearnPro modules working / accessible that relate to registered professional practice All Health and Social Care specific LearnPro modules with up to date content that relate to registered professional practice. Percentage of compliant/completed mandatory LearnPro modules that relate to registered professional practice. Percentage of staff successfully completing external course There is no real update on the above four performance areas as they are all on target and a robust framework and regular monitoring remains in place. The learning and development team continue to monitor attendance and review non-attendance at courses and this continues to stay stable. Ensuring plenty of communication and regular updates prior to the course taking place proves successful as well as advising line managers if staff do not attend courses. Number of Telecare referrals allocated within timescale (3 days) Target = 90% Actual = 99% Exceeds target Percentage of clients referred for telecare have equipment Target = 90% Actual = 49.52% Below target installed within timescales (1 week) Number of Telecare referrals allocated within timescale (3 days) This performance indictor of Telecare referrals referred within 3 days continues to be above target as these are meticulously allocated as soon as the referrals come in. Page 84 of 356
Page 85
Percentage of clients referred for telecare have equipment installed within timescales (1 week) This indicator of Midcare equipment installed within 1 week continues to be off target. This is due to a considerable amount of Midcare staff time devoted to the analogue to digital switch over. Also, there has been significant long term sickness in this small team of 4 so it has had significant impact on performance. We expect to see a considerable improvement in performance for 20/27. Page 85 of 356
Page 86
Care home review completed within 6 weeks of admission Target = 60% Actual = 95% Exceeds target to a care home • This includes data from Highbank where it has been necessary to implement a programme of care home review due to the length of stay for some clients as a consequence of lack of care home placements. • Community Care Assistants in the partnership are no longer tasked with Care home review, it has been possible to maintain the performance target within the staffing establishment available within the social work practice teams. • There has been a programme of Care Home review audit started, and this will be progressed going forward. • Older People Service Manager has now completed care home visits to all Midlothian Care home and continues to work closely with the Care home support team. Maximising occupancy is a target for improvement in the next quarter. Improvements in length of time it takes managers to assess for beds and provide admission dates. Quality assurance collecting data to evaluate. HSCP Care homes – Care Inspectorate Grades – Newbyres Village (48 permanent residents) Performance Detail: Target = Improvement at next inspection- Improvement planning in place. The inspection completed in January 2026 has demonstrated an improvement in one grade. How well do we support people's wellbeing? 4 - Good How good is our leadership? 3 - Adequate How good is our staff team? 4 - Good How good is our setting? 4 - Good How well is our care and support planned? 4 – Good Older People’s Service Page 86 of 356
Page 87
Improvement plan is almost complete, there were 2 areas for improvement identified by the Care Inspectorate, these have been included in the plan. Remaining improvements to be identified by the Nursing team relating to management of skin care and other clinical targets. Most staff have now received Restore 2 training. Overall there has been a reduction in medication errors due to the implementation of significant improvement plan with additional audit, staff training, support and supervision. In Q1 2026 the Medication improvement plan will be audited. Budget- from Period 12 YTD budget- £2,583,651.22 YTD actual – £2,597, 326.32 YTD variation- £13,675.10 There are significant grip and control measures relating to expenditure, specifically, on agency staffing costs. All agency requests are authorised by Heads of Service and are tracked by finance team on a weekly basis. Agency spend at Newbyres Village Q4 • Newbyres Village has improvement planning in place to support improvement in grades in all areas but specifically in management / leadership / staffing and skin care of residents. • Unannounced Care inspection in January 2026 with 2 areas for improvement identified. 1,346.07 598.22549.36 4,193.67 4,530.72 1,440.17 3,379.26 6,923.00 4,176.97 4,867.29 0.00 1,000.00 2,000.00 3,000.00 4,000.00 5,000.00 6,000.00 7,000.00 8,000.00 £ Agency Spend Q4 (Newbyres Village) Page 87 of 356
Page 88
• There is an improvement plan in place to improve management and safe delivery of medications also, this has reduced the rate of medication error in the care home. • Pharmacy services are supporting Newbyres with ordering and booking in of medications. Performance Indicator All residents at NBV have an up-to-date activities plan within 8 weeks of admission Quarter 4 – All residents admitted in quarter 4 have had their activities plan in place within 8 weeks of admission. – Compliance 100% • A full programme of Activities is arranged by the activities staff at NBV. There have been staffing shortages in this team due to sickness absence but activities programming has progressed with support from staff from the care home. • There were significant issues relating to the provision of nurisng care in Q3. 2 out of 3 nursing staff had left NBV to take up new posts. The service had to be supported by the district nursing service. Recruitment has now been completed and 2 new Band 6 nurses have started. • Newbyres continues to provide accommodation and care for 48 individuals. A room has successfully been adapted for a client with care needs relating to bariatric needs. The client spend over 2 years in hospital and has now moved into their room at NBV and reports that they are settling in well and getting to know the staff who provide care and support. • Staff at Newbyres continue to provide an inclusive activities programme for groups and individuals. Page 88 of 356
Page 89
HIGHBANK INTERMEDIATE CARE- (40 BEDS- INCLUDING 3 RESPITE BEDS) Grades of Good and Above Target = 80% Actual = 100% Exceeds target • How well do we support people's wellbeing? 4 - Good • How good is our staff team? 5 - Very Good • How good is our leadership? 5 - Very Good • How well is our care and support planned? 4 – Good • How well is our care and support planned? 4 – Good The Care Inspectorate have advised that they do not plan to complete inspection at Highbank care home until after the intended move to the new build (Midlothian Life). Anticipated move date June 2026. All planning is being managed by Project Board and all actions are up to date. Currently progressing consultations with GP regarding changes to boundaries. Potential risk relating to renewal of Local Enhanced Service. Budget- YTD budget- £2,036,142.07 YTD actual- £2,121,554.23 YTD variation- £84,412.16 No performance indicators identified for Highbank Q4. UPDATE • Highbank – Planning is at an advanced stage for the move to the new facility in Polton Street, Bonnyrigg – MIDLOTHIAN LIFE. • Sickness absence percentages are improving as a consequence of weekly monitoring and tracking with care home management, Human Resources and Service Manager reducing costs relating to agency spend • Locum numbers have improved in Q4 resulting in a significant decrease in agency spend • Overall decrease in projected budget overspends. • Project Board meeting weekly to progress moving to new site activity • SMT and Finance have agreed staffing model for new facility and the recruitment of domestic and laundry staff for the new site is being progressed. There are currently 10 beds closed at Highbank in preparation for the move to Midlothian Life. These beds will constitute the 10 rehabilitation flats. The Head of Primary Care and Older People has appointed the Chief Allied Health Professional to lead on the planning relating to the rehabilitation service at Highbank. Working group will be formed. Digital recording system is being investigated currently, it is planned that a paper will be submitted to the Digital Oversight Meeting. Should this be authorised a further paper to SMT/ELT seeking authorisation and approval of ongoing running costs. Staffing visits to the new site are being arranged in preparation for the move. Page 89 of 356
Page 90
Quarter 4 Update Jan 2026 Feb 2026 March 2026 Average social delays (SW) 7 in acute 7 in MCH psychiatric wards 6 acute 7 in MCH psychiatric wards 6 acute 7 in MCH psychiatric wards Referrals to SW for SW assessment and hospital discharge 41 40 36 Community Care Assessments completed 18 9 17 Average from screening to allocation to SW (days) 1.7 days 1.12 days 1.28 days Care home reviews completed 7 KPI of 10 weeks (50%) 4 KPI of 10 weeks (100%) 5 KPI of 10 weeks (100%) CCA tasks completed within 2 weeks of referral referrals 4 Completed within 2 weeks 2 referrals 4 Completed within 2 weeks 3 referrals 5 Completed within 2 weeks 2 53.85% for Q4 Newbyres Care Village Re Care home reviews • Downturn in December 25 and January 26 related to inherited cases from Dementia team and a change in process of long stay residents at Highbank. • Improvement planning continues within the Hospital in reach team. The additional staff employed with budget from Unscheduled care moneys have allowed for a revision of staff deployment. Highbank • 2 Social Workers- Assessment, review of care home placement and discharge planning. • A weekly discharge planning Multidisciplinary team is held each week and has management leadership to ensure that discharge planning is managed appropriately and timeously. Page 90 of 356
Page 91
Acute hospital sites • 3 social workers – Assessment and discharge planning is completed. • All cases are screened and allocated within 24 hours and assessments are completed within 72 hours of hospital admission. • Redcross have established supportive discharge project (Service Manager) • Improvement planning and development of Standard Operating Procedures continues. Midlothian Community Hospital • 2.5 Social Workers • Completion of assessment and discharge planning for all referred clients. • Transformation work has progressed well and there has been significant flow to discharge noted. Social workers attend Multidisciplinary meetings and weekly DOCA to manage delayed discharge. • All clients clinically ready for discharge are now being counted as delays at MCH from Q1 2026. Moves to care homes summary Q4 Jan 2026 Feb 2026 Mar 2026 MCH to Highbank 0 2 0 MCH to care home 1 3 6 Acute to Highbank 7 4 6 Acute to care home 0 1 3 Highbank to care home 8 3 3 Page 91 of 356
Page 92
Package Of Care / Discharge 2 Assess discharge where Social Worker allocated including for Self-Directed Support Options 1 or 2 or CCA Input Jan 2026 Feb 2026 Mar 2026 MCH to Home 1 0 0 Acute to Home 2 1 2 Highbank to Home 2 1 2 Total 5 2 4 Target for Q1 2026/27 • Improvement plan to be completed and submitted to SWAG • SW planning session to be arranged with in reach team • SOP’s relating to deployment of SW staffing including USC staff for MCH, Acute and Highbank • SOP for duty system in the in-reach team to be completed. • SOP for delay update formatting to be completed. • KPI to be implemented relating to panel application completion. Overall aim is to reduce complaints relating to charging policy at Highbank. Older People’s Team- update The Older People’s social work team continue to work effectively to support clients to identify and achieve their outcomes. Due to multiple workstreams and changes in leadership it has not been possible to complete improvement planning. This will be progressed in Q1 2026 with the support of planning officer who has now been recruited. The team has changed over the past year with an almost entirely new staff group including a number of newly qualified workers who have almost all completed their Newly Qualified Social Worker activities in conjunction with Learning and Development and Supervision from Team Leader. Staffing update Q4 • One social worker on secondment to the mental health team. It is anticipated that this will be made permanent releasing the post to recruitment • Agency SW has been employed to support management of community and care home reviews • Acting team leader has been appointed • All MPM’s have been completed Page 92 of 356
Page 93
• One social worker has applied to complete MHO training • One social worker is a qualified MHO • One social worker has completed first Link worker role. • Student placement was facilitated in the OP team. Staffing Mitigation 1. An alignment between the older people’s team, dementia team and in reach team was reactivated to ensure that workflows, screening and staff management could be completed. 2. Floating Team Leader was appointed. 3. Older Peoples Team Leader (Acting Up) has been recruited internally within this alignment. 4. Authorisation to recruit a locum social worker until March has been approved 5. Support from Team Leader Group to provide supervision, assistance with screening and day to day operational support has been implemented 6. Sickness absence being managed. 7. Fixed term post filled by one Social Worker (Older People’s Team Leader) until end of September 2026. Most recent waiting list data below showing improvement in median wait times as of Total people waiting for SW allocation End of Q4 44 Workflows completed by Older People’s Team Social Work Q4 Jan 2026 Feb 2026 March 2026 CC Assessments 11 3 17 Adult Carer Support Plans 2 1 3 Care home Reviews Data not found 11 15 Community Reviews Data not found 4 7 Care home reviews (joint OP and Dementia Team)- outstanding 72 Community reviews (OP team)- outstanding 12 Page 93 of 356
Page 94
Dementia Team SW – update • Dementia Team currently has 4FTE Social Workers and 2FTE CCA’s • No long-term sickness currently. • Floating Team Lead currently providing professional supervision to Dementia Team Social Workers. • SW staff to attend team meetings as part of the OP service. • Improvement planning to be completed. • Dementia Framework being developed (Service Manager) • Review of Post Diagnostic Support being completed nationally – Clinical Psychiatric Nurse leading. Total people waiting for SW allocation End of Q4 41 Workflows Completed by Dementia Team Social Workers Jan 2026 Feb 2026 March 2026 CC Assessments 19 12 22 Adult Carer Support Plans 4 2 2 Care home Reviews 5 13 9 Community Reviews 4 0 3 Day Services Review • Planning Officer leading on Day Care Review. Project Brief has been completed. • Options Paper is being written. • Referrals and Screening Daycare Panel has been established. • Mosaic processes and workflows being developed to manage day care referrals, waiting lists and allocations. • Workshop with relevant stakeholders arranged in April 2026. ‘A Vision of Daycare’ • Quality assurance is currently being reestablished with day care providers and reporting framework developed. Joint Older Peoples Planning Group • We have established a new terms of reference (SWAG governance outstanding) • Focus groups have been established on hot topics. • Development planning to be progressed when Older Peoples Planning Officer is in post. • Reporting framework to be reestablished. Page 94 of 356
Page 95
Midlothian Care Homes Update Q4 Springfield Bank – Multi Agency Meeting convened after a number of significant incidents relating to residents. Improvement planning developed and has now been reviewed by Service Manager and the Care Home Support Team (clinical). Quality Assurance has provided care plan audit and statutory care review audit for a number of residents files and care plans. Further Multi Agency Meetings planned, and Springfield Bank are currently taking admissions of ‘low dependency’ clients. Service Manager recommendation – no further ASP intervention ongoing monitoring, support and Quality Assurance. Drummond Grange- Multi Agency Meeting Convened after concerns relating to care, ASP Service Manager leading. Aaron House- New Manager potential to explore development of dementia pathway and associated beds. Pine Villa- new manager. (update in Q1 2026/27) No other changes known in Q4 Care Home Quality Assurance Reporting templates have now been implemented. Reporting framework to be developed for Q1 2026/27. • All monthly reporting up to date • Incident reporting generally up to date but improvements required • Occupancy levels being tracked with a view to gathering data to improve • Hospital admissions and escalations associated with avoidance of admission where possible being tracked to inform improvement work. • Regular meeting with Care inspectorate to arranged to enable collaboration for assurance purposes • Collaborative care homes meetings continue, currently on a quarterly basis. • Additional CPN has now been established in the CHST • Hospital discharge pathways for complex dementia care is still a significant issue. Improvement planning relating to Care Homes to be completed when planning officer is in post. Page 95 of 356
Page 96
% of people subject to a Community Payback Order and effectively participate Target = Data only Actual = 90% Adult Support and Protection The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 was introduced in October 2008. It provides duties, powers and measures for the support and protection of adults who may be at risk of harm. Under section 3 (1) of the Act an "adult at risk" is a person aged sixteen or over who meets all of the following criteria (commonly referred to as the ‘three-point test’): • unable to safeguard their own wellbeing, property rights or other interests • are at risk of harm, and • because they are affected by disability, mental disorder, illness or physical and mental infirmity, is more vulnerable to being harmed then those not so affected. Social Work staff undertake specific training to become a Council Officer and work to identify, minimise and manage risk, and ensure that all suspicions, disclosures or incidents of actual harm are acted upon. An adult is someone aged 16+ although for individuals between the age of 16 and 18 years of age there will be discussion with Children Services colleagues to identify if the matter would more appropriately be managed under child protection procedures. On receipt of a referral related to concerns that there is an adult at risk of harm it is screened to ensure that the relevant information is available and an investigation, often referred to as the Duty to Inquire (DTI) will be undertaken, there is a local aim that the investigation will be completed within 21 days, however there are a number of factors which impact this including being able to speak to the adult to gain their views. An investigation can be undertaken with or without the use of investigative powers and us of the latter can be a reason for delay. Image 1 shows the volume of work during quarter four and previous quarters. Image 1 Images 2 and 3 show the breakdown of referrals across age groups and type of harm. 292 238 279 221 238 232 248 257 137 129 139 116 131 91 111 139 Q4 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q1 25/26 Q4 24/25 Q3 24/25 Q2 24/25 Q1 24/25 ASP Referrals Inquiries started Justice and Protection Services Page 96 of 356
Page 97
Image 2 Image 3 Primary Harm Count % Financial or Material harm 34 25% Physical harm 25 18% Self Neglect 19 14% Psychological/emotional harm 18 13% Neglect and Acts of Omission 17 12% Domestic Abuse 12 9% Self Harm 5 4% Sexual harm 4 3% Hoarding 3 2% Total 137 100% Age Group Count % 16-17 1 0.73% 18-24 11 8.03% 25-34 8 5.84% 35-44 13 9.49% 45-54 18 13.14% 55-64 19 13.87% 65-69 10 7.30% 70-74 17 12.41% 75-79 10 7.30% 80-84 15 10.95% 85 plus 14 10.22% unknown 1 0.73% Total 137 100% Page 97 of 356
Page 98
Financial or Material harm continues to be the most prominent type of harm referred (25%). This highlights that identifying and intervening in cases of financial harm remains a strength for the service. Self-neglect is also a prominent type of harm, accounting for 14% of all ASP Inquiries in the quarter. To ensure that the adult is protected from ongoing harm, taking a person-centred approach to safety planning and decision making is key to minimise or reduce the risk. At all times Council officers will seek to address the risk in line with the principles of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007. If risks remain at the completion of the Duty to Inquire, and the three-point test has been met, an Adult Support and Protection Case Conference must be convened; this is a multi-agency forum for shared decision-making. A Protection Plan is put in place at each case conference and is reviewed at least once to ensure that it is having a positive outcome or if additional action is required. During this quarter, 2 protection plans were commenced. During the whole of 2025/2026 there were 8 adults assessed as being at risk of harm being supported through a protection plan. A range of legal measures that agencies can take to mitigate and manage identified risks and include the use of Protection Orders which are sought through an application to the Sheriff Court. Protection Orders must be in line with the principles of the Act and therefore must be the least restrictive option that will provide benefit to the adult. There were no Protection Orders required in Q4, which has been consistent for the last 3 quarters and reflects that people are being supported without the need for legal measures and that interventions taken as part of ASP are the least restrictive. A procedure has been developed to gather feedback from adults supported under the ASP process. The feedback form can be completed by the adult, or they have the option to provide feedback verbally to the Health & Social Care Practitioner within the ASP Team, who is independent from the process. Work is ongoing to embed feedback within the ASP Process to ensure that adults are enabled to inform service improvements. Justice Justice Social Work services provide all statutory and associated functions identified in S.27 Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. The core work includes the preparation of a variety of assessment reports, including Justice Social Work Reports and pre-release reports for serving prisoners involved in the Parole and Pre-release process. The service works with men and women aged 16 and over, subject to Community Payback Orders, Parole, Life and Non-Parole Licences, Extended Sentences and Supervised Released Orders. The Justice Service also provide a range of early intervention and prevention strategies including bail services, structured deferred sentences and groupwork services for both men and women at risk of becoming involve in the Justice System. The interventions are informed by effective practice research and underpinned by the ideals of reparation, rehabilitation and reintegration and aim to support those who have involved in offending behaviour to achieve a positive destination. The impact of our interventions is measured through ongoing risk assessment and feedback from those who have completed their Order or Licence. The main community-based sentence is a Community Payback Order (CPO), which can have up to ten requirements. Supervision and Unpaid Work continue to be the most frequently imposed requirements as shown in image 4, and during this reporting period the Courts imposed 40 Community Payback Orders. Page 98 of 356
Page 99
Image 4: Engaging effectively with people At the end of Q4 the Justice Service team were supervising 232 people who were subject to 263 CPOs. Justice Social Work staff use a trauma- informed and person-centred approach to develop effective working relationships with people. Disengagement from community-based supervision can indicate an increased risk of reoffending as the person’s lifestyle may be more chaotic. This can be due to a number of factors for example, increased substance use, unstable housing or home situation or poor mental health. To manage this risk it is important that Social Work staff recognise signs of dis-engagement and take early and preventative action which focuses on rebuilding trust and supporting re-engagement. It is also important that those subject to community interventions are held accountable for their engagement and robust action is taken to non-compliance; this can ultimately result in the Order being returned to Court for breach action. During the breach process staff continue to offer opportunities for the person to re-engage. On 31st March 2026 12% (n=28) of people, subject to a CPO, were in breach of their Order and it had been returned to Court. Of these 28 people, 6 had re-engaged on the Order. In total 90% (n=210) of people were engaging effectively on their Order. For comparison over previous quarters, refer to image 5. 2 2 4 8 7 66 2 3 0 5 10 Jan-26 Feb-26 Mar-26 Supervision only Unpaid Work only Both Page 99 of 356
Page 100
Image 5 Feedback At the end of each intervention every person is offered the opportunity to complete an exit questionnaire and self-assessment. Seventeen self- assessment questionnaires were completed in the reporting period. It is positive that 100% of respondents reported that they felt listened to and valued. The majority of those who responded experienced the service as being positive and rated the service they received as being good or excellent based on trustworthiness and the level of care and support provided (Image 6). 232 228 219 233 228 215 274 251263 265 253 265 264 252 304 294 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Q4 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q1 25/26 Q4 24/25 Q3 24/25 Q2 24/25 Q1 24/25 Clients Open CPOs Engaging Page 100 of 356
Page 101
Image 6: Page 101 of 356
Page 102
Quotes from service users You were good with communication… Accessibility had been good. Discussions have been helpful, and I will take away a lot from the work we have done. Have a broader perspective of myself. I … have grown since being released and on licence. You did as much as you could. You could not have done more for me than you did. You did everything. The service was good because the balance worked between me, my workers, and the challenges I faced building by life were made easier as a result. The support that I was offered was over and above, just brilliant. Coming here was never a chore and I always learned something and wanted to demonstrate to my worker the changes I had made. That came from the relationship and trust [worker] and I had. Want to thank you for all of the help. I was previously made subject to a CPO with supervision feel it was much more helpful this time There is nothing to improve. I made a choice which resulted in me being here. Relationship building and the importance of knowing your worker well for a trusting relationship has been key. The exercises in relation to emotions and controlling how I handle things were lifechanging…... Me and my worker had a good relationship and I have since unpaid worker in the community and it has been positive. I found it more difficult working with duty workers as I don't trust or open up easily. Done well with talking me through m ups and downs and to speak about where I have went wrong or have I achieved any my goals Page 102 of 356
Page 103
Welfare Rights Team During Q4 the Welfare Rights Team received approximately 100 calls to the advice line increase in the volume of referrals and during Q4 with 246 new referrals, an increase of 12 % from Q3. During Q4 the Welfare Rights Officers worked with 204 clients. Referrals are received from a number of resources, see image 7. The highest proportion noted as being ‘other’ and this is due to incomplete recording of referrals onto the system and we will address this to ensure accurate reporting for 2026/27 onwards. The breakdown of people referred, by age, is shown in Image 8. Analysis of referral reasons indicates the increase correlates with the continuation of the roll out of devolved benefits by Social Security Scotland, in particular: launch of Pension Age Disability Benefit (replacing Attendance Allowance for people over state pension age in Scotland). The migration of people in receipt of legacy benefits to Universal Credit is now complete. Image 7 Self-Referrals - support with pension age related benefits and appeal representation Other – External Agencies, Family Members, Neighbours 19 23 25 137 0 50 100 150 200 Health Social Work Self Referrals Other Number of Referrals Welfare Rights Referrals Q4 25/26 Page 103 of 356
Page 104
Image 8 The total amount of additional income generated for individuals through the work of the team during the reporting period was £1,025179.65; this is an increase on Q3 of £233,597.14. Image 9 shows the total financial gains for Q4 broken down by benefit type. Image 9 8 11 19 19 32 18 25 70 2 0 20 40 60 80 0-15 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-59 60-64 65-70 71+ Missing DOB Number of Referrals Number of Referrals Received in Q4 2025/26 by Age Group £0.00 £1,006.74 £1,276.86 £2,263.00 £2,634.60 £5,339.06 £7,059.30 £14,882.40 £15,678.13 £28,641.90 £35,994.44 £39,092.10 £147,728.70 £313,129.82 £410,452.60 £0 £100,000 £200,000 £300,000 £400,000 £500,000 Carer Support Payment Pension Credit - Savings Credit Other - Benefit Attendance Allowance Housing Benefit Pension Credit - Guarantee Credit Pension Age Disability Payment Scottish Adult Disability Payment –Daily Living Benefits Gained for Clients by Benefit Type in Q4 2025/26 Page 104 of 356
Page 105
Public Health Health assessment carried out by the health inclusion team since April 2025 Target = 130 Actual = 140 Exceeds target Number of actions collaboratively achieved with other areas Target = 12 Meets target of the organisation involving early intervention/prevention Health Inclusion Team The Health Inclusion Team have carried out 15 Health assessments in Q4 bringing the total for the year to 140. This exceeds our target goal. Figure 1: New and returning clients each month Public Health Page 105 of 356
Page 106
Weight stigma The weight stigma pilot project ended on the March 31st. This was a jointly funded pilot between Midlothian HSCP and NHS Lothian Public Health. The aim of the pilot was to increase skills and confidence of staff and volunteers in Lothian to have conversations on obesity and address the issues of weight stigma. To date 19 sessions have taken place, reaching 193 staff. The training has targeted Primary Care teams, including GPs, School nursing and Health Visiting teams, Allied Health Professionals and Active Schools. Feedback from the sessions has been positive with 93% giving the training 4 or 5 stars. There has been some issues getting evaluations back and we have 63 evaluations to date. We were keen to understand what people might do differently because of the training and we have had very positive responses: • “It made me challenge my thoughts more on why I was hesitant when addressing the subject, when I wouldn’t hesitate to address a heart condition for example. Made me rethink my tone, body language and generally language used whilst approaching parents”. School Nurse • “Change language, consider bias and ask permission is main take home”. GP • “Look at equipment and find a central place for large BP cuffs”. GP • “Think more about the art of how to approach these conversations and avoiding over-simplified advice while ignoring what matters to the individual” Practice Nurse. Page 106 of 356
Page 107
Percentage of all Adults with Incapacity reports (AWI) allocated to MHO Target = 80% Actual = 78.95% Below target within 12 weeks Midlothian Adult Mental health bed occupancy rate Target = Yes Actual = Yes Meets target (8 beds - 7 acute and 1 IPCU) maintained at/or below 100% Percentage of all individuals who did not wait longer than Target = 90% Actual = 90.91% Exceeds target 3 weeks (21 days) from point of referral to drug and /or alcohol triage 1. AWI: Q4 has seen an increase in urgent referrals for AWI which has had a slight impact on performance of meeting the 12 week standard, the MHO team has ensured on going prioritisation of cases, to ensure reports are competed in timely manner within the expected timeframe. 15/19 AWi cases were allocated within the 12 weeks with overall target of 78.95%. 2. Bed performance. Midlothian continues to have in the main sustained bed performance, it is not uncommon for Midlothian to have variation throughout the year and there is no specific indicators or reasons for why this happens it is within normal cycle patterns, in quarter 4 Midlothian has continued to be largely below 90% bed occupancy except for brief period January into February, over the month of March Midlothian's bed performance in Acute has remined below 67%. 3. Midlothian treatment service continue to meet the 90% A11 heat target for Quater 4 90.91%, 20/22 individuals referred to the service were assessed and started on treatment within 21 days, 2 individuals were assessed but due to complex alcohol presentation were not commenced on treatment until 22-28 days. Albeit there was a clinical delay the SUS treatment service continues to meet the A11 performance target. Mental Health 18+ and Substance Use The services offer holistic assessments, What Matters to You care planning, goal setting and treatment, and coordinates multi-agency support and follow up. Providing individual person-centred care and treatment, and support to enable them to actively participate in this process. Strives together for the maximum benefit to the individual by optimising recovery for the individual, improved mental health and wellbeing, in the least restrictive and intrusive manner. Adult Mental Health Service & SUS Page 107 of 356
Page 108
Apr-25 May-25 Jun-25 Jul-25 Aug-25 Sep-25 Oct-25 Nov-25 Dec-25 Jan-26 Feb-26 Mar-260 5 10 15 20 SUS Treatment Service Referrals 25/26 Drugs Alcohol 42.4 39 34.4 9 4.4 5.5 JAN-26 FEB-26 MAR-26 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 Dementia SW WL Average People Waiting Average Wait (weeks) 7 8 9 19 21 23 JAN-26 FEB-26 MAR-26 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 Mental Health Social Work WL Average People Waiting Average Wait (weeks) 2.8 4.9 5.8 17.9 9.4 5.3 JAN-26 FEB-26 MAR-26 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 Dementia CCA WL Average People Waiting Average Wait (weeks) 15 13.8 15.8 6.7 10.6 10.3 JAN-26 FEB-26 MAR-26 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 Mental Health Guardianship WL Average People Waiting Average Wait (weeks) Page 108 of 356
Page 109
Substance Use Service (SUS) Treatment Service The SUS treatment service A11 waiting time, where each individual referred for either substance use or alcohol use is triaged and commenced on treatment if appropriate within 21 days of referral. The service maintains the 90% performance target over quarter 4. Overall, the services continue to provide direct access to timely and appropriate treatment that best met an individual’s needs, psycho-social support and peer led support for those affected by their or another’s drugs and/or alcohol use. New developments/successes: Over quarter 4 there has been a significant investment by the service into reviewing all our current protocols and standard operating procedures to ensure that the service is ready for final submission for 25/26 implementation of the MAT standards. In addition, we have completed and submitted our progress report to the Scottish Government Mat Implementation group, and we are pleased to report as indicated in our progress report that Midlothian SUS services continue to meet the expected outcomes for 25/26. Report hyperlinked below: MAT STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN: QUARTERLY/MONTHLY PROGRESS UPDATE This progress update sets out quarterly or monthly progress against the delivery of the MAT Standards Implementation Plan, as well as the related quarterly reports required for the Drug and Alcohol Waiting Times and the Treatment Target. Integration Authority Midlothian HSCP Period covered January 26 – March 26 (Q4) This update us submitted by the lead officer/postholder nominated to ensure delivery of this Implementation Plan: Name Position/Job Title Contact details Nick Clater Head of Adult Services and Chief Social Work Officer Nick.Clater@midlothian.gov.uk Karen Darroch Service Manager MH 18+ and Substance Use Service karen.darroch@nhs.net Page 109 of 356
Page 110
Further success this quarter Midlothian SUS social care staff continue to thrive in working with individuals through tier 2 trauma informed practice and we have been working with the mosaic team to have this recognised within mosaic for future reporting and complement the recognition of the commitment of the social care staff to deliver trauma informed practice. In addition, the social care staff in collaboration with the wider team continue to provide dedicated support to individuals to support them through there recovery and if required support individuals to access rehabilitation services both locally and wider residential placements. The service continues to work alongside the Scottish Government additional rehabilitation funding framework to ensure that our most high-risk vulnerable individuals receive the support they require to best support them in their personal recovery. The service plans to do an analysis over the last three years to demonstrate the increase of the uptake in rehabilitation and financial support that has been provided to mitigate risk and support recovery for our vulnerable clients. Treatment services continues to meet the National A11 for over a year of the HEAT target of 90%, where each individual who is referred to the service is triaged, reviewed and treatment started where appropriate within 21 days, Q4 90.91% 20/22 individuals seen within 21 days 2 individuals seen within 22-28 day’s complex alcohol referrals. Page 110 of 356
Page 111
Mental Health Wait Times Mental Health Assessment refers to assessments by Mental Health Social Workers not Mental Health Officers (MHO). The workforce for specifically Mental Health Social Work is 1.5 wte. assurance can be given the service continues to meet the needs of high-risk priority individuals in a timely manner. However regrettably the waiting list has increased in its wait time, this is due to the 1 wte social worker has commenced the MHO training, currently 9 individuals awaiting Mental health input with 23 weeks wait. There are 8 Mental Health Officers within the mental health team. The mental Health service set a realistic performance target of 12 weeks from the point of request to the allocation of an AWI case. The mental Health team has seen an increase of urgent applications which has had an impact on the wait times, the service is currently 78.95% 15/19 individuals report allocated within 12 weeks. New developments and successes Mental Health social work/MHO team continue to allocate new guardianship applications while prioritising hospital discharges to prevent delays and support bed performance. • We have recently supported MHO to retire and return part time as well as compete a financial review to support the employment of a further full time MHO. I am pleased to say at recent recruitment we welcome another MHO to our team. Dementia Team The Midlothian Dementia service comprises 4 Social Workers and 2 Community Care Assistants. Currently in Midlothian social work waiting times continue to be monitored within the agreed performance target of being allocated to a Social Worker within 6.9 weeks and/or Community Care Assistant within 13 weeks. New developments/success Waiting list times have improved as well as average overall wait times. Over Quarter 4 social work assessments are provided within 5.5 weeks and CCA within 5.3 week wait, continued improvement from Quarter 3. Page 111 of 356
Page 112
SPOTLIGHT: Midlothian’s Dementia Implementation and Evaluation Framework 2026–2029 The Mental Health 18+ and SUS and Strategic Development Manager for Mental health 18+ and SUS have led on the development of Midlothian’s Dementia Implementation and Evaluation Framework 2026–2029 sets out how Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership will deliver on Scotland’s Dementia Strategy: Everyone’s Story (2023–2033) locally, aligned with the National Delivery Plan. This framework is the first of its kind in Lothian and Midlothian is leading on the response to the increasing dementia prevalence, projected population growth, It establishes a clear implementation, governance, and evaluation structure to ensure delivery of the five national dementia outcomes. The Framework provides a single, integrated structure for delivering Scotland’s Dementia Strategy which is explicitly designed to translate national ambition into defined local objectives, measurable indicators, and accountable delivery across the full dementia pathway. The Framework expects to demonstrate the achievement against each objective, including earlier diagnosis, improved post diagnostic continuity, reduced inequality of access, increased advocacy and anticipatory care planning uptake, and a skilled, confident workforce. Crucially, the objectives function as the primary assurance mechanism for Midlothian HSCP. They provide a clear line of sight from national strategy, through local action, to measurable outcomes and future commissioning decisions. This is a welcomed and positive work stream for Midlothian and has engaged a wide range of stakeholders across the HSCP and third sector. This including those with Living experience and their carer’s. The HSCP recognises their perspectives are integral to the development of local objectives, evaluation, and future service delivery and improvement to provide the best person-centred care for those living with Dementia and their carer’s. Page 112 of 356
Page 113
The winter period remains a difficult time for staff due to issues both in and out of the workplace. While the HSCP continues to fulfil its commitment to iMatter, our belief is that staff experience must go beyond the annual iMatter survey to engage at a deeper personal level with individuals, teams, and services. Evidence of this can be seen with the ongoing reflective practice and new support offered to areas caring for service users with complex needs and/ or undergoing change. During the fourth quarter nine group support and reflection sessions were delivered. Areas involved included residential care services, Highbank, and Newbyres, the learning disabilities team at Cherry Road, and Midlothian Community Hospital staff. Areas of concern included violence and aggression from service users, death and dying of residents, relational dilemmas and communication breakdown, and psychological distress secondary to uncertainty and change. While each of these circumstances can be expected as part of the human experience in community care environments, our aim is to offer staff a safe place in which they can be listened too, have their experiences validated, and their coping strategies explored. Approximately fifty members of staff participated. Feedback included, “I didn’t realise this was how others were feeling.” “It’s good to be able to look for solutions.” “I know there isn’t anything that can be done, but I feel that my concerns have been heard.” “I’m proud of our team.” During the past three months three specific projects have been progressed. These aim to offer practical skills to increase resilience during times of stress, promote the importance of gender equality, and focus on the value of addressing our own health needs. The first of these projects, The Power of Touch hand massage training, was funded by NHS Lothian charity and Highbank Residential care. It aims to support staff and service users through the use of therapeutic touch. Therapeutic touch is holistic, it promotes deep relaxation, reduces anxiety, which can in turn accelerate healing. It is widely used to improve wellbeing and reduce stress. A simple hand massage can induce deep relaxation by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers cortisol (stress hormone) and increases endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. It physically reduces muscle tension, improves blood flow, while encouraging positive neurological, psychological, and physiological change. Two groups have now completed the training (The Power of Touch (Hand Massage) - Training Feedback – Results) and commenced practice within areas such as Highbank residential care and No 11 mental health services. While still early days, feedback has been highly positive. Staff Wellbeing Page 113 of 356
Page 114
The 4th of March was an extra busy day at Midlothian Community Hospital. We saw newly qualified nurses visit the site to find out more about the work of the HSCP, provided soup for around 40 staff at our monthly soup stop, and marked International Women’s Day which is celebrated on Sunday the 8th of March. This year the theme was ‘Give to Gain’, encouraging generosity and collaboration. Staff were encouraged to participate by giving cards to the important women in their lives, celebrating their successes, calling out stereotypes, and challenging discrimination. We were delighted to extend the welcome across the partnership and were pleased to see the community researchers of Communities and Lifelong Learning. Previously known as Back to Basics, the 'Essentials to Work Well' campaign is about the small, simple actions that make a big difference to how we feel each day, from eating well and staying hydrated, to moving more, taking breaks, and checking in with ourselves and others. Midlothian HSCP kicked off the project by promoting and delivering the first event at Midlothian Community Hospital. Staff were encouraged to come and participate in the Essentials to Work Well session by engaging with the information and resources and taking part in the various quizzes and competitions. Approximately 50 staff participated on Wednesday 1st April. Those who were unable to take part will have further opportunities to engage with the material and access resources as we promote other activities such as walking later in the year. Page 114 of 356
Page 115
Challenges within Substance Use: Third sector psychosocial drugs and alcohol service sadly has closed; mitigations were required to be put in place to support the closure of the service until the new provider commenced. This was supported by Midlothian HSCP through ensuring essential provision remained through the SUS service providing naloxone and IEP, along with Midlothian HSCP supporting the temporary employment of two staff to work across the ADP to support the clients being supported by the service until new service has fully commenced. Albeit this was a challenge the services continue to meet these challenges to ensure that our clients and patients continue to receive the care, support and treatment they require to support them in their recovery journey and support mitigation of risks. Challenges within Mental Health: • The service continues to have a shortage of social worker availability primarily due to one of the social workers training to do their MHO training, therefore this continues to impact on the waiting list social work waiting list. Further consideration will be given into the MH social work role as part of the wider social care and OT review. • wider challenges continue with availability of community resource, finding appropriate care at home or appropriate supported accommodation for our service users continues to be a challenge. • Over Q4 we have seen and exceptionally higher demand in guardianship orders and although the team are proactive in addressing this need, prioritisation is key to maintain the workload and ensure staff wellbeing is the priority. Challenges within Dementia: Community Care Assistants no longer completing assessments or adult carer support plans which had initial knock-on effect to allocation times, however, has since resolved and waiting lists have had general improvement. Challenges within Justice Services: The prison population (nationally) continues to be a significant pressure. Midlothian Justice is involved in working groups and forums that facilitate discussions with Scottish Prison Service, Scottish Government, Social Work Scotland and Health. Further emergency legislative measures are being considered to manage this emerging situation. Challenges and Risks Page 115 of 356
Page 116
Pentana Performance Dashboard A full review of quarterly performance data is available via Pentana (Browser login link – https://midlothian.pentanarpm.uk/login Page 116 of 356
Page 117
Corporate Solutions Q4 Performance Report 2025/26 High Level Annual summary Library memberships continues to grow with an 8% increase from last year to 40,521 memberships this year. This year a total of 7,800 events, clubs, activities and workshops were held across our libraries, (7,874 across 2024/25) A total of 95,165 event attendees this year across all libraries. Key achievements during 2025/26 Our Libraries A total of 808,119 library visits across the year, a 5% increase from last year and a 9% increase from 2023/24. 618,146 physical library visits, an increase of 2% from last year. 189,973 virtual library visits, an increase of 14.5% from last year. A 16% increase in new child library memberships. Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item 5.6 Page 117 of 356
Page 118
Over the year our Contact Centre received a total of 142,268 calls, a reduction of 5% compared to the annual figure for 2024/25 and 8% reduction compared to 2023/24. Over the year 38,881 emails were received and handled by our Contact Centre, a 17% reduction from 2024/25. A 17% reduction in complaints received for Corporate Solutions with 135 complaints responded to across the year. Communications and promotions This year we received 1,512,200 visits to our website, a 4% increase from last year. This number is based on customers who accepted analytic cookies, therefore, we expect figures to be much higher. Our Communication and Marketing team continued to support services across the Council by promoting key initiatives on our social media platforms, news releases, website and community radio channel. 21 key promotions/campaigns took place this year. Our Customers Page 118 of 356
Page 119
Our People Policies, a range of policies were updated or drafted this year to ensure our workforce is supported by clear, modern and legally compliant frameworks: Staff Debt policy developed Neuro-inclusion policy drafted Menopause policy updated Job evaluation policy updated Wellness@Midlothian programme A total of 99 health and wellbeing events held, an increase of 4% compared to last year with a total of 1,217 attending events. Our Workforce Workforce planning training delivered Wellbeing Charter launched, setting out the Council’s commitment to employee wellbeing, ensuring our employees have access to resources, support and services to create a healthy and safe working environment. TRANSFORMATION BLUEPRINT Page 119 of 356
Page 120
Year on year reduction in support for long term employee absence cases, 502 supported this year 1,220 Occupational Health referrals made Continued year on year reduction of the gender pay gap at 1.37% Continued year on year increase in the number of females in the top 5% of earnings to 132. Continued year on year reduction in staff turnover rates to 8.03% 1,253 Physical Health referrals made Page 120 of 356
Page 121
Full completion of Windows 11 upgrade programme. Digital Completion of the roll out of Xerox printing devices across corporate and education estates. 604 Business solutions support calls resolved 9,954 service desk support calls resolved 734 Front Office calls resolved 650 Laptops replaced as part of our laptop replacement programme. TRANSFORMATION BLUEPRINT Page 121 of 356
Page 122
Invoicing and payments 114,554 invoice transactions were processed this year with an average processing time of 10.3 days for those calculated as part of SPI (11.3 days in 2024/25) 15,173 direct payments to bank accounts to cover free school meals during the holiday periods, Ukrainian Host payments and Economic Development Business Grants. 3,125 internally generated payments were processed including grants, corporate appointees, salary deductions and treasury activities. Digital Learning • Education telephony system project completed • A SysCloud backup solution for Google Classroom implemented • Our school estate was upgraded from Office 2016 to Office 2024. Commissioning of the Microsoft Azure platform, underpinning future digital services, improves resilience and reduces reliance on legacy on premises infrastructure. Corporate Resources Parent Portal pilot implemented across all schools. This project marks a significant step in improving communications and engagement between schools and parents through digital channels. Continued roll out of the Customer Services Platform with 41 implementations to date and ongoing system integrations with the Whitespace waste management system. Year on year reduction in ‘Green slip’ transactions to 6.4% this year from 12.1% in 2023/24 and 8.1% last year. Increase in purchasing card transactions to 24.3% from 14.8% last year. Our Business Applications team continue to enhance our core systems, ensuring they remain up to date, reliable and aligned with business need. This year, the team successfully delivered a series of key upgrades and implementations across several platforms. Our Records Management Policy was reviewed, updated and published this year. Page 122 of 356
Page 123
Legal and Procurement 66 legal commercial transactions completed this year by our in-house legal team. (45 in 2024/25) The legal court team responded to 385 individual legal queries. (257 in 2024/25) Continuous Improvement Statutory Gaelic Language Plan finalised and submitted to Gaelic Board for official approval Publication of statutory Equality Outcomes 2025-29 and ongoing mainstreaming of equality throughout the organisation via policy and Integrated Impact Assessment support Ongoing development of Customer Complaint and Feedback Management portal page on Mid-Hub and the establishment of a tracking process to manage SPSO correspondence. Review of existing corporate complaint response templates to incorporate appropriate reference to Child Friendly Complaints and inform the subsequent integration with the complaints management system. Procurement 15 new Tenders awarded on Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) this year. 365 new suppliers registered this year of which 51 Midlothian based. 98 regulated procurement exercises undertaken (78 in 2024/25) Page 123 of 356
Page 124
Corporate Solutions is transforming services with a forward-thinking approach, promoting excellence, empowering the workforce, and driving impactful initiatives to build a modern, innovative, and responsive organisation. Corporate Solutions is an integral part of the Council, encompassing various critical services such as Human Resources, Digital, Customer Engagement, Legal & Governance, Corporate Resources, Transformation PMO, and Continuous Improvement. Corporate Solutions is dedicated to delivering forward-looking services that cater to both internal and external stakeholders, with an emphasis on ensuring organisational compliance, developing the workforce, and advancing transformation initiatives. Corporate Solutions supports the entirety of the Council's operations, playing a pivotal role in the execution of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy. By focusing on service redesign and placing the citizen at the centre of its efforts, Corporate Solutions aims to create a modern, efficient, and responsive organisation. Transformation and opportunities Transformation Blueprint (2023-2028) In addition to its operational responsibilities, Corporate Solutions contributes significantly to the Council's transformation goals and opportunities. The Transformation Blueprint (2023-2028) outlines the key areas that need addressing to balance the Council’s financial position, prepare for upcoming challenges, foster continued growth, and adapt to unforeseen changes. The Blueprint aligns with the Council’s three strategic aims, as defined in the Single Midlothian Plan: • Improving health and learning outcomes for individuals and communities. • Eradicating poverty among children and households. • Achieving significant progress towards net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Corporate Solutions Q4 2025/26 Performance report Page 124 of 356
Page 125
Approved by the Council in 2023, the Transformation Blueprint sets the course for the next five years, guiding the organisation through reprioritisation and redesign efforts to meet future demands and foster sustainable progress. Transformation Blueprint Objectives 1. Support the Council to address the 5-year funding gap outlined in the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2. Follow the Money to ensure that the services we commission, contracts we manage and digital solutions we use deliver value for money. 3. Develop an organisational workforce that is flexible ensuring that all staff have the necessary skills to work effectively supported by digital technologies fit for a 21st century workforce. 4. Design a workplace for the future delivering services in a holistic and integrated way. 5. Drive forward multi-agency transformation to deliver systems-level change resulting in joined-up service delivery which improve outcomes. The Council’s Transformation Blueprint provides the framework for opportunities to change the way services are improved and delivered to be more efficient. Corporate Solutions has a particular focus on delivering digital first approaches, embedding automation to improve customer access to services and hybrid working. We will continue to work to address the inequalities that our communities face, respond to the demands of being the fastest growing local authority in Scotland, and deliver our vision of being a great, green place to grow. Page 125 of 356
Page 126
Aligned to the Transformation Blueprint, Customer Engagement priorities are set out below: • Continued rollout and implementation of Customer Service Platform • Reviewing service delivery across all Contact Centre teams • Increased use of e-Resources in libraries • Community library redesign for hub model • New mobile library service and One Stop Shop • Active promotion of library space, for Council and partner services, and enable out of hours access for communities • Rollout of the Hub and Spoke delivery model with libraries providing and facilitating increased local service provision • Refreshed Customer Engagement Strategy including revised communications and engagement plan • Increase income within Registrars through alternative ceremony offer Communications and Marketing: • Promoting the council's vision, strategy and plans such as a Great Green Place to Grow, Transformation Blueprint and wellbeing ambitions to internal and external audiences. • Raising awareness of the ways that people can take part to influence how public services operate e.g. public consultations such as Midlothian Local Development Plan, town centre regeneration projects, and school catchment area consultations. • Supporting service redesign and the delivery of change, e.g. supporting the shift to the new customer service platform which will enable citizens to do much more online. • Promotion of behavioural change, for example by encouraging residents of Midlothian to recycle more or travel more actively or improve their health and wellbeing. • Deliver timely, accurate and consistent information during a public emergency/crisis, minimising misinformation, maintaining public trust, and supporting organisational response efforts. Customer Engagement Page 126 of 356
Page 127
Key achievements: Library services Our library service continues to transform and thrive in response to the needs of our communities. This quarter overall figures for library visits remain high with a 6% increase in total visits (both physical and virtual) compared to the same period last year and a 9% increase compared to the previous quarter. The number of total visits across the year continues to grow at 808,119, a 5% increase from last year with 770,877 visits and a 9% increase from 2023/24, demonstrating sustained growth and engagement across our library network. Overall figures for the year show a total of 618,146 physical visits were made to our libraries, an increase of 2% from last year 2024/25 and a 5% increase from 2023/24. There were 175,355 physical visits to our libraries during the quarter, representing a 12% increase compared to the previous quarter and a 5% increase compared to the same period last year. This continued upward trend highlights the long term recovery and growth of in person visits, as our libraries increasingly establish themselves as valued, accessible community hubs. They are not only spaces for reading and learning, but also spaces for social connection, digital access, and community activities that support residents of all ages. Page 127 of 356
Page 128
Focus this year continued on the promotion of our eBook service which plays an important part in our service provision for customers with sight impairment, as well as for those who love to listen to a good book. Our eResource provides a wide range of eBooks, Audiobooks, eNewspapers and eMagazines. This year has saw a slight decrease in eBook issues but a 15% increase in audiobook issues. In total 189,973 virtual library visits were made this year, a 14.5% increase compared to last year 2024/25 and a 24% increase compared to 2023/24. This quarter 50,606 virtual visits were made, a 10% increase compared to the same period last year. Our online catalogue continues to increase in popularity and provides a flexible, inclusive and efficient way for our customers to engage with library resources. A higher percentage increase in virtual visits compared to physical visits demonstrates a shift in the way our customers are accessing the service with more customers using digital spaces such as our web pages, library catalogue, eResources and social media to access library services. Library memberships also continues to grow, with 40,521 total memberships up to the end of quarter 4. This represents an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. New child library memberships has increased by 16% this year compared to last year. Every Child A Library Member (ECALM) This year we showcased and promoted the exemplary work we do on the Every Child A Library Member ECALM project at a Parliamentary Reception, an event held to celebrate Scottish Libraries. The ECALM project is a great example of joint working between library services and our Registrars. To date 433 babies have been signed up for library memberships as part of the birth registration process, with other family members registering at the same time. Midlothian’s work on this universal offer for children’s library membership in Scotland is the gold standard across the country. Our first baby, (Emma Burton, pictured right) registered in 2026, was also the first to sign up for a library membership and two days later attended her first Bookbug session, held at Newbattle Library. Page 128 of 356
Page 129
Library events This year a total of 7,800 events, clubs, activities and workshops were held across our libraries, which has remained consistent with 7,824 events held during 2024/25. Quarter 4 saw the largest number of events with 2,282 due to higher numbers of primary school class visits around World Book Day. This covers regular events and specific activities for both adults and children and standalone events. A total of 95,165 people attended events this year. Key activities and events across quarter 4: Space themed STEM events Following last quarter’s successful launch of our popular Stargazing telescope kits, Midlothian Libraries helped young people and families to become Cosmic Explorers this quarter with space themed STEM events. After a successful bid to the Reading Agency, our libraries partnered with the Royal Observatory Greenwich to deliver sessions of their Cosmic Explorers space education sessions to primary 6 and 7 pupils at schools identified as doing space projects through requests via our School Library Project Box Service. Staff used the session content to explore and promote our lendable telescopes and liaised with the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh (ASE) who suggested activities that could be used for our school’s sessions, including providing templates for children to build their own planisphere. Page 129 of 356
Page 130
Our space themed activities culminated in a Star Party on the 3rd of March, where astronomers of Astronomical Society of Edinburgh, supported by library staff, delivered a guided star gazing session at the football pitch at the Loanhead Centre. Through the powerful advanced telescopes ASE members brought, people who attended were able to look at the Moon, Jupiter, and the constellations in detail and have their questions answered about all things astronomical. We had over 300 people attending over a couple of hours and the feedback from families who participated was overwhelmingly positive, demonstrating the appetite for science activities in Midlothian. RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch This quarter 5 new loanable ‘Birds and Beasties’ kits were launched in January in time for the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch. Our kits contain a pair of junior binoculars, a bug magnifying jar and three books on birds, minibeasts and woodland animals. Esmae, Violet and Troy from Paradykes Primary School starred in a social media promotion and all kits were reserved as soon as the post went live. Page 130 of 356
Page 131
Libraries apprenticeship programme Our apprenticeship programme with Secondary 5 and 6 pupils at Dalkeith Library finished this quarter, providing participants with a practical experience in both digital skills and library service delivery. Pupils engaged in projects including social media analysis and campaign planning, as well as the digitisation of local studies materials, developing an understanding of audience engagement, communication, and heritage preservation. Overall, the programme was well received, with pupils demonstrating increased confidence, improved teamwork, and a stronger awareness of the role of libraries in supporting their communities. School library sessions this quarter Danderhall Library had a significant number of class visits from Danderhall Primary School this quarter, with 1,188 children, from nursery through to primary 6. The primary 2 and 3 pupils were read some thrilling stories and for the primary 6 pupils, information literacy sessions were held about how to search for information in books and how to navigate the Dewey Decimal system. The sessions were tied in with their class topic on Scottish wars, and they were set a challenge of answering questions using the books in the library. Across the year, our Libraries have continued to flourish. Below are some key library branch highlights throughout the year: Dalkeith Library Dalkeith’s Library Natter corner continues to be busy this year with a range of excellent events run by the Edinburgh Craft Club including clay earrings and lino print tea towels. The Dalkeith Reminiscence Group meet regularly to discuss a wide range of topics. Dalkeith Men’s Shed continue to meet in the library, and this year have gifted a handmade bird feeder. Library Assistant, Margaret, was delighted to welcome her grandson Arran to his first Bookbug session. The 3rd Dalkeith Rainbows visited and spent some time in the library garden potting up Cups of Kindness, one to take home and one to gift to the library team. Page 131 of 356
Page 132
Danderhall Library A number of new groups were launched in Danderhall Library this year, including a Digital Skills group designed to help with technical queries and build digital confidence. A new all-age craft group was launched where people can bring in their own projects or join in with the current craft. Coding and Dungeons and Dragons clubs were launched covering all things coding and fantasy with fantastic collaborative adventures. A Korean club was launched, in partnership with Rev Dr JunSoo Park, where children meet to learn about Korean culture and language. For adults, a new Reminiscence group was set up and, making use of the Lend and Mend service, a new Knit and Knatter and Sewing Group was set up. All of these groups provide an opportunity to use all the services available in the library and are a place for community and friendship for all ages. Page 132 of 356
Page 133
Gorebridge Library This year, Gorebridge Library was the first library in Scotland to have a Virtual Expert Remote Advice (VERA) machine installed as part of a project by Dalkeith’s Citizens Advice. The VERA provides information and support from a range of local services and partners. A new partnership with Newbattle High School has launched where pupil support utilises the library on a Wednesday afternoon as part of a wider outreach programme. The Lend and Mend Hub has been really popular over the year, a demonstration of the embroidery machine provided some ideas for Christmas gifts with one participant returning to embroider personalized napkins. The Hub was also used for some last-minute Christmas projects. The Reading Spark Coding project was also a huge success with children learning how to code, an excellent STEM project. Page 133 of 356
Page 134
Lasswade Library Following some taster sessions held during the October holidays, the Lasswade Library Code Club was re-launched, offering coding to a wide range of ages and experiences. Partnering with NHS Lothian, the library hosted more flu vaccination clinics this year, providing an accessible space for delivering vaccines and information. The 49th Rosewell Scouts were welcomed to the library as part of their Book Lovers badge. They had a scavenger hunt around the library to discover how the library works and how they can find information. For the inaugural Reading Schools Week, the library welcomed two classes from St Mary’s RC Primary School, some of whom had never been to the library before, many of which have since joined. Page 134 of 356
Page 135
Loanhead Library Loanhead continues to host a range of services, events and activities. The Knit & Knatter remains well-attended and is a sociable, intergenerational activity where members work on individual and shared projects, offering peer-support and skills sharing. The Chatterbooks group continues to be well attended with lots of discussion and children having an input on themed topics and creative writing. A highlight was a “wordless art” session where the children used art to express how the book they were reading made them feel. The weekly reminiscence group meetings continue to provide a supportive and inclusive environment for older adults with sessions encouraging conversation and memory sharing through themed discussions and resources. A new World Book Day Costume Swap initiative was launched for World Book Day where old fancy-dress costumes were given a new lease of life donating and swapping, helping reduce waste and spread a little community magic. Page 135 of 356
Page 136
Newbattle Library Newbattle launched a new Visually Impaired Support Group, providing support, information and good company. The group are a lively bunch of all ages, who share experience of their sight loss journeys, and offer help and support to each other. Working alongside Changeworks a session was delivered to help people reduce their energy bills and cut carbon with many of the attendees receiving further advice and support and free heated blankets following the session. A new partnership has started with Simba Baby Loss Charity and a craft group have started to meet in the library. The group craft items for baby boxes that are then gifted to parents. With much appreciated funding from McSence, a number of family film shows were arranged and shown at the library. Page 136 of 356
Page 137
Newtongrange Library Local History Month was celebrated in Newtongrange with a display of photos showing the village in the past. The library was the host to LEGO Coding sessions using LEGO Spike Prime kits where participants designed, built and coded a variety of LEGO cars and robots, learning basic coding concepts and problem-solving skills, enabling their models to move, dance, and even respond to colour. The 100th birthday of Newtongrange Primary School was celebrated with a special commemorative display. As part of the project, children from the school worked with members of the Village Voices group who shared their personal memories of attending Newtongrange Primary School, offering valuable first- hand accounts and comparisons between school life then and now. The pupils created a series of informative and creative posters celebrating the school’s history which was displayed in the library, allowing the wider community to engage with and enjoy the centenary project. Local author John Duncan came to speak with the Village Voices group about his new book, titled Heroes of the Great War: Newtongrange & Easthouses 1914- 1918. The group thoroughly enjoyed chatting about it. Page 137 of 356
Page 138
Penicuik Library Due to the refurbishment work in Penicuik High School, a new partnership between the school and library was set up with S1 to S3 classes visiting daily to work and select books. A new Bedtime Bookbug session was launched in Penicuik Library. This session features a twilight song, story and rhyme and children were encouraged to come in their pyjamas and bring a teddy. The Penicuik Book Group is thriving this year, so much so, that a waiting list in now needed to accommodate members. This year, a new partnership was formed with HomeLink for their Stay and Play project which was very well attended. The group is no longer able to meet however library staff will now run the sessions instead. Roslin Library A revamp of the junior section has made the best use of the limited space with Roslin and is pictured below. Page 138 of 356
Page 139
Library Service priorities across the year This year our library services have actively promoted the use of our library spaces for Council and other partners when we can. We support our communities through a wide range of initiatives, working hard to provide information, access to events and services and the provision of books and activities promoting fun and the joy and benefits of reading. Cost of Living Supports As our communities continue to navigate the pressure of the cost of living crisis, our libraries continue to demonstrate that they are far more than just books. They have become warm, trusted spaces where people can access support, connect with services and find practical help when it matters most. Our four Warm and Well-coming Hubs in Danderhall, Lasswade, Loanhead and Newbattle Libraries provide a warm welcome, free soup, tea and coffee. Free coat collection points continue in Dalkeith and Loanhead Libraries and this year saw the launch of a new collection point in Penicuik Library. The school uniform swap in Loanhead Library is still being used regularly by parents in Midlothian helping with the cost of school uniform. Working closely with our communications team, quarter 4 saw the launch of two videos promoting the Warm and Well-coming Hubs in Lasswade and Danderhall Libraries. The videos show the services available in each branch and starred our Customer Service Team Leaders. This year Virtual, Expert, Remote, Advice machines (VERAs) were installed in Danderhall, Gorebridge, Lasswade and Loanhead and Penicuik Libraries. This project, operated by Dalkeith Citizens Advice Bureau, is the only one of its kind in Scotland. The VERAs provide a large, easy to use touch screen that offers immediate access to information and support from a range of services, including Midlothian Council, Scottish Welfare Fund, Women’s Aid, VOCAL, and Citizens Advice. There is also a benefits checker available, so that users can check their own benefit entitlement. There has been really positive feedback from customers using VERA is access information with the library seen as a safe space with services supporting to combat poverty, isolation and loneliness. Partnership working is key and the Cost of Living Crisis Working Group helps as a place to share information, focus activity and hear what is happening from service across Midlothian. Page 139 of 356
Page 140
Lend and Mend Hubs Our Lend and Mend Hubs, started in Gorebridge Library from funding by the John Lewis Circular Future Fund, coordinated by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) and expanded to Danderhall and Loanhead Libraries, through some additional funding from the Place Based Investment Fund. These hubs offer free access to sewing machines, repair sessions, and craft workshops to support sustainable living and help with the cost-of-living crisis, reflecting our ongoing commitment to delivering inclusive, practical services at the heart of communities, helping residents save money, reduce waste, and build confidence through learning and collaboration. This year, the next element of the project was launched with our three hubs now providing the opportunity to ‘Lend’ a number of items. There is now free access to borrow tools for home maintenance, or home improvement tasks, sewing machine and cake tins. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with the sewing machines proving to be the most popular item to borrow so far. The Hubs in all branches continue to be well used with knitting and sewing groups in action as well as customers dropping in to use the facilities, sometimes just briefly, and sometimes for much longer projects. One of our customers spent most of the day making an amazing dress, another customer visits frequently to make dog accessories, customers feedback is that they love the space offered here, and the sense of community when other people are using the hub. Page 140 of 356
Page 141
Library Natter Due to its success, the Library Natter project was extended using remaining funding from the initial bid. The partnership, with The Edinburgh Craft Club was extended and a further six adult crafting sessions will be hosted, taking the project up to June 2026 and offering 60 free workshop spaces for a variety of sessions from lino printing to necklace making. So far, four workshops have taken place and hosted 40 budding crafters who all learned new skills and made new friends and connections. The sessions have been invaluable in helping local residents connect with like- minded people whilst taking some time for themselves. Feedback from recent workshops have included: “Relaxing and reinvigorating session. Didn’t know how much I need some ‘me’ time.” “I love these workshops! I would not be able to afford to attend the sessions Amy runs from her workshop. It is amazing to have access to these for free, I have loved every creating new things and having such a great teacher.” “A beautiful spread, something I would never have dared to try. After attending mental health sessions this morning, this was much a much-needed pick me up. Wonderful to be among other people. What a gift to an otherwise bleak day. Thank you.” Page 141 of 356
Page 142
Schools Library Service Midlothian Library Service provides project collections to primary schools, to supplement schools’ own resources, promote literacy and reading for information, and support the outcomes of the Curriculum for Excellence. This year, 27 of Midlothian’s 32 primary schools currently made use of the service. 170 project boxes were compiled on topics ranging from Rights and Parliament to Biodiversity and Space. 5,385 books were issued during 2025/26, a 16% increase compared with last year. Book Week Scotland This year’s theme of Book Week Scotland was ‘Friendship’ and our libraries hosted a wide range of events and activities for all ages. Events and activities included craft sessions, film showings for children and families, themed LEGO, creative writing workshops, themed Bookbug sessions, recipe swap, coffee mornings, quizzes, storytelling sessions, a session with the Kevock Choir and our annual bookmark competition in partnership with Midlothian Primary Schools. Read, Write, Count bags were delivered to every primary 1, 2 and 3 pupil in Midlothian and many of these gifting sessions took place in libraries. Some had parents invited along, highlighting the continued value of national reading initiatives in engaging the local community. Everyone enjoyed getting creative while exploring books and stories, making it an ideal way to promote reading for pleasure and supporting our ongoing work in promoting literacy and whole family engagement. The range of activities show the importance of libraries in connecting with their community. In total, 60 events were held across the service with 2,640 people attending (546 adults and 2,097 children) with the number of people attending events during Book Week Scotland increasing by 14% compared to last year’s figure. Scottish Book Trust The Scottish Book Trust launched a new website last year enabling all Bookbug sessions to be easily searched through the app whilst allowing session data to be recorded and reported to funders more efficiently. Midlothian library staff have fully embraced the new system this year. While the national completion rate sits at around 87%, Midlothian is leading the way with an outstanding 99% completion rate. Page 142 of 356
Page 143
Channel shift and customer contact Channel shift continued this year with the rollout of the Customer Service Platform (Granicus). This platform underpins the council’s move towards digital first and self-service interactions, reducing avoidable contact and giving residents quicker and clearer ways to access our services. This year, 29 implementations were completed ranging from Garden Waste direct debit sign up, various online licensing applications, school clothing and free school meals online application form and a homeless enquiry form. This quarter focused on enhancements to Waste and Recycling Services by supporting the introduction of twin stream recycling. A new online bin collection day checker, giving households an easy way to confirm which bin goes out on which week, was launched. Alongside this a new annual bin collection calendar was created allowing residents to view and download a full year’s schedule. As part of the wider programme to integrate Granicus with the Whitespace waste management system, further technical integrations were delivered this quarter to integrate bin collection day calendars to Whitespace with further integrations for missed bins, assisted collections and requests for new or replacement bins planned for next quarter. These integrations will reduce manual administrative work, improve accuracy, a better customer experience, and ensure operational teams receive complete and consistent information directly from customer submissions. New and improved digital forms were implemented this quarter including a school travel assistance form, allowing parents and carers to apply for school transport online and a garden waste bin sign up form was created to support upfront annual payments for the garden waste collection service. Improvements were made to postcode look up functionality across all forms. Service requests in a test phase and due to go live are: • MOT bookings • Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) requests • Remaining licensing application processes • Ongoing waste services in-cab technology integrations to Granicus Customer Services Platform providing real time reporting to Contact Centre • Mental health and wellbeing process for Children Services to allow children to request online help which will be piloted later in the year • New process being created for short term lets to replace, and in turn, reduce costs for the current system • New processes and forms to assist school placements. Page 143 of 356
Page 144
For Customer Services, the roll out and implementation of the Customer Services Platform continues to make improvements and lead to a better customer journey. As more service transactions are automated and rolled out through our Customer Services Platform, customer contact such as telephone, email and webform received directly to our Contact Centre has reduced this year. Although, quarter 4 saw a higher level of email contact than other quarters in the year, mainly due to the roll out of twin stream recycling, email contact has decreased across the year by 17% with 38,881 emails handled in total, compared to 46,908 last year and a 27% decrease compared to 2023/24. Changes made to customer forms which now go directly to the service, means quicker responses direct to customers. The number of webforms received via the contact centre has significantly decreased again this year by 89% with 403 received compared to 3,835 during 2024/25. This year calls received to our contact centre continue to reduce with 142,268 calls received, a 5% decrease compared to last year, and an 8% decrease compared to 2023/24. Similar to increased email contact during quarter 4, call volumes for quarter 4 have increased to 40,025 from 31,147 during quarter 3, due to the roll out of twin stream recycling. The percentage of contact centre calls answered within 120 seconds remained steady across quarters 1 to 3 this year, averaging 80%, however dipped in quarter 4 to 61% due to the increased contact received. As a result, the overall percentage of calls answered for the year was 75.5% which, despite quarter 4 performance, is a significant improvement from 64.5% last year. With work ongoing via our Customer Services Platform and the Revenues Improvement Programme, to implement e-billing and self-service, we expect call volumes to continue to reduce over time as more people move to self-service, resulting in a higher percentage of calls answered within our customer target response times. As a result of higher call volumes during quarter 4, call abandonment rates are off target this quarter at 12% compared to quarters 1 to 3, which largely met our Service Level Agreements of 5%. Overall for the year, call abandonment rates are off target at 7% but have improved from 11.8% last year. This abandonment rate calculates the total number of calls that come into the call queue and then leave the queue. There is no ability to analyse why calls are abandoned - callers may choose to hang up because they would rather not wait, or they have called at an inopportune time. Front-end messages are updated on contact centre lines to provide information to the customer waiting, for example, if a whole street of bins had been missed. Lines also have messages directing people online to carry out transactional activity. Our contact centre continually monitors customer demand and patterns of contact to ensure that they deliver the highest standard of service across both offline channels (such as email) and live calls. The team continues to invest in upskilling and cross skilling staff, while working closely with services across the council. This collaboration approach strengthens our ability to resolve enquires at the first point of contact and supports our commitment to providing excellent customer service. Page 144 of 356
Page 145
Customer feedback 135 complaints were received across Corporate Solutions this year, with 60 received during quarter 4. Overall complaint numbers have reduced by 17% compared to last year and 51% compared to 2023/24. For the year, the average time in working days to respond to stage 1 complaints was 3.71 days. 84 (86.9%) of complaints at stage 1 were complete within 5 working days and 11 responded to outwith the 5 day target relating to revenues, employment, customer services, blue badges and business services. 19 complaints were complete after escalation, of which, 14 were completed within 20 working days, showing the percentage of complaints escalated and complete within 20 working days off target at 73.68%. The 5 complaints completed outwith 20 working days related to revenues, business services and a replacement bus pass. 7 complaints were complete at stage 2 this year, of which, 6 were completed within 20 working days, showing the percentage of complaints at stage 2 complete within 20 working days off target at 85.71%. The one complaint responded to out with target was in relation to a blue badge. Communications and promotion Our communication and marketing team continue to support Council services by promoting key initiatives on our social media platforms, news releases, website and community radio channel. The team have provided updates on 21 key initiatives via quarterly performance reporting throughout the year ranging from consultations on changes to our school admissions policy, promotion of drop in sessions for public feedback on the plans for the A701 and A702 link roads, promotion of Midlothian First’s Community Falls Prevention event and continued campaigns supporting the cost of living. Key successes this quarter include: Twin streaming campaign, working with waste services and Zero Waste Scotland to communicate and promote significant changes to our recycling service in March 2026. In terms of website promotion, a new green bin web page was created and associated webpages updated. The web team supported Digital Services with online bin day collection calendar. Our waste and recycling webpages saw significant increases in visits, with pages viewed 320,000 times since January to launch date compared to 84,000 views over the three months previous. Media releases were issued to the local press and published on our site with 4,800 views, these were also printed in the Midlothian Advertiser, Midlothian View and Recycling News. An explanatory ‘how to’ video was created in house and uploaded to social media, posts were viewed around 66,000 times. The video was also uploaded onto our YouTube channel. A second video featuring Loanhead Primary pupils is currently being edited for future promotion. In terms of graphics, lamppost wraps were designed and put up in more than 120 locations across Midlothian. 21 social media posts, each on various platforms were created with a very high engagement rate. The best performing post reached 239,318 news feeds with 1,191 interactions. Page 145 of 356
Page 146
Parentsportal campaign launched to increase the percentage of parents and carers signing up to parentsportal.scot, the online tool to allow them to communicate directly with their child’s school at a time convenient to them. Media releases were issued to local media, Midlothian View, Edinburgh Evening News, Black Diamond FM and the Midlothian Advertiser. A short reminder was sent directly to parents and carers from each school, photos were taken featuring parents using the service and used within media releases and social media posts. 5 social media posts were posted around the Easter break with the top performing post reaching 20,905 views and 115 engagements. Second best performing reached 18,643 news feeds with 59 engagements. Between 1st of January and 22nd of February, before the campaign, the parentsportal page was viewed 254 times and during the campaign increased to 1,198 times. 32 of 37 Midlothian schools showed an increase in sign up percentages of between 0.54% and 41.92% after the campaign. Bus travel campaign to maximise the number of people providing feedback via a short survey on improving bus travel between Gowkley Moss and Straiton interchange. A media release was issued and published on our website which received more than 4,800 views. New photos of landmarks on the route were taken for social media and press use. 5 Social media posts were created on Facebook, X and Threads, linking the survey with reminders also on LinkedIn. The best performing post was on Facebook and reached 102,193 news feeds. The survey received 1,800 responses. Step count challenge campaign was launched to encourage Midlothian residents to sign up for the 4 week challenge. This was a partnership project between the Active Travel team and Walking Scotland. The aim of the initiative was to create a community event to bring people together while getting fit. Initially the challenge was open to residents of Danderhall and Millerhill to target new build areas, but this was later extended to the whole of Midlothian. The challenge offered participants prizes and incentives. Socal media posts ran for several weeks before the challenge started on council platforms. Posts were also shared on Facebook groups. A news release was issued to local media and a news story on the council website. Internal communications for staff were shared in the Staff weekly bulletin and staff screens at reception points. The challenge was also further promoted on Black Diamond radio. Flyers were produced for schools, libraires, leisure centre, miners club and community hubs. Walking Scotland visits were held at community councils and social groups in the area. Feedback was gathered about how people heard about the challenge to monitor how effective our communications campaign was with 21% hearing of the challenge via social media, 36.9 via Midlothian Council or Walking Scotland directly, 26.3% through a Midlothian school, 2.5% from family and friends, 7% through colleagues or work, 3.5% from a letterbox leaflet and 1.8% from an event. 57 teams across Midlothian signed up for the challenge with 259 participants. Midlothian Education Appeals Panel campaign to attract more candidates to volunteer with the panel. A dedicated recruitment page was created on the council’s website. A series of posters were designed in house with QR codes directly audiences to our website pages. Direct emails were sent to target audiences, primary and secondary school partnerships, community councils, Midlothian Sure start and Parental Employability Service. Volunteer adverts were placed on Volunteer Scotland, Midlothian Community Action and MyJobScotland websites. Internal communication was also sent out to staff via Mid-Hub. 9 new volunteer panel members were recruited. Page 146 of 356
Page 147
Tour de France campaign, promoting the successful local launch of the news that the Tour de France will cycle through Midlothian in July 2027. For this promotion, the team turned every page on our website to the distinctive Tour de France yellow and updated our Facebook home page image. Route maps, videos and further information was shared across all our social media channels to help launch the news and create excitement. Across Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Instagram and X, posts had more than 151,000 views within three days, with a further 1,800 visits to the news article on our website. A local media release was issued to Midlothian View, Midlothian Advertiser, Black Diamond FM and the Evening News. Midlothian Citizens Panel campaign to recruit new members and secure 200 registrations to the Midlothian Citizen Panel. This work was in support of Engage Scotland’s direct mailing to residents, which targets 600 registrations. The Midlothian Citizens’ Panel webpage on council website, which redirects users to Engage Scotland sign-up portal, was updated. Posters were designed in house with QR codes directing audiences to Engage Scotland and displayed over 50 council sites. Internal communications were sent to all staff via Mid-Hub. 19 social media posts were created across Facebook and LinkedIn channels. The Midlothian Citizens Panel website received 218 visitors, 767 readers viewed the Mid-Hub communication, 76,000 views so far have been received across all 19 posts with the top performing post receiving 12,229 views and 500 engagements. Over 150 registrations were made prior to direct mailing to residents which is 75% of the target reached. This is an ongoing campaign and continues over April and May. Cost of Living Campaign to increase usage of the councils cost of living webpages and raise awareness of supports available from Midlothian Council and national/local partners. News releases were issued promoting improvements to the Danderhall Pantry Service within the Midlothian Advertiser and Midlothian View, receiving 21,653 views on Facebook, with 1,130 engagements. A news release on the roll out VERA machines at our library was published online on Midlothian View and Black diamond FM which was viewed 10,691 times on Facebook. The launch of community diners was published in Edinburgh Evening News and Black Diamond FM with 26,637 views on Facebook and 1,837. Social media reel videos were posted showcasing what is available at Danderhall and Lasswade Warm and Well hubs, with 4,300 views on Facebook for Danderhall and 8,300 for Lasswade. 9 social media posts were created to signpost people to cost of living supports on our website, totalling 52,000 views. From January to March 710 visits were made to the cost of living webpages which is an increase of 116 visits from the same period last year. Page 147 of 356
Page 148
46,116 43,358 45,914 50,166 50,606 166,411 149,597 142,020 156,228 175,355 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of Library visits (quarterly) Virtual Phyiscal 37,382 38,069 39,330 39,657 40,521 398 375 700 369 394 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of Library memberships Child memberships - new Total 36,285 36,350 34,746 31,147 40,025 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of Contact Centre calls(quarterly) Customer Engagement – performance measures 75.5% of calls this year answered within 120 seconds (64.5% in 2024/25) 403 Contact Centre Webforms received this year (34 in Q4) 33,881 Email contact handled this year (11,316 in Q4) Social Media 29k Midlothian Council Facebook followers up 10% from last year 24.3k @midgov twitter (X), WhatsApp and Instagram followers 7,800 Library events held this year (2,282 in Q4) 5,773 Children’s library initiatives taken place this year (1,523 in Q4) (5,139 in 24/25) 2,485 Library customers supported with digital queries this year (921 in Q4) (3,057 in 2024/25) Library services Customer contact Page 148 of 356
Page 149
To achieve the Council’s strategic priorities, we recognise that people are our most important asset. Workforce is a key priority in the Council’s Transformation Blueprint. The Council aims to attract the best talent, grow our own talent ensuring there are clear progression pathways, ensure our workforce feel engaged, valued and motivated and importantly, empower our staff to enable them to reach their full potential. Our workforce vision is to work as One Council using our knowledge, experiences and sense of shared endeavour to collaborate and think creatively and innovatively so that our people can deliver life-changing impacts for our communities. Our ways of working mark a clear desire for cultural change and a shift towards a more agile and modern operating model. In order to ensure a thriving workforce, key areas of focus for 2025/26 are: • Continued investment in Organisational Development through focused programmes of work e.g. Managers Forum and Leadership Forum • Delivery of the Workforce Strategy 2024-2034 to: Plan: deliver an evidence and outcome-based workforce planning framework that is an integral part of the council’s approach to strategic planning. Attract: ensure the council becomes the employer of choice for the population of Midlothian, by deploying best practice in attracting the best staff. Train: enable the council to become a “Learning Organisation”, providing staff with business-focussed training and development to equip them with the skills and knowledge required to deliver their best. Employ: ensure Fair Work principles continue to be at the heart of management practice, ensuring staff are, and feel, valued and rewarded. Nurture: create a workforce and leadership culture focusing on the health and wellbeing of a demographically balanced workforce that reflects the community it serves. • Completion of workforce and succession plans in all services, with a particular focus in high-risk areas, aligned to the Workforce Strategy • Continued rollout of the Wellbeing Strategy with measures to demonstrate impact and visible contribution to reducing absence levels • Development and delivery of the Recruitment Strategy aligned to the Workforce Strategy Human Resources Page 149 of 356
Page 150
Key achievements: Wellness@Midlothian The rolling programme of Wellness@Midlothian initiatives continues to support the positive health and wellbeing of our staff. This year saw the official launch of our Wellbeing Charter setting out the Councils commitment to employee wellbeing, ensuring our employees have access to resources, support and services to create a healthy and safe working environment. Following on from the launch of our Wellbeing Charter, a staff wellbeing survey was launched with a total of 246 employees responding to provide detailed feedback on initiatives, activities and training they believe would enhance and support their overall wellbeing. Feedback related to training on stress management, mental health, free gym memberships, free fruit, free massage and fitness sessions, arts and craft activities and social activities with team members. Feedback received will be used to inform a health and wellbeing action plan for 2026 to 2028. This year 99 wellbeing events were held covering financial support, carer support, physical and mental wellbeing as well as information sessions. A total of 1,217 attended the events throughout the year. This is an increase of 4% in events held compared to last year. Quarter 3 saw the highest number of events during the year, with 49 events held as part of our dedicated Wellbeing month campaign. This quarter 24 events were held with 336 attendees, events included: Financial support for our employees: • 2 monthly webinars delivered by Money Advice Scotland • My money matters AVC webinar • 2 Affinity Connect pre-retirement planning courses held. Page 150 of 356
Page 151
Health and wellbeing events: • 4 on site Health check sessions delivered at Fairfield House, Gorebridge and Bonnyrigg Primary School and Eskdaill Court. 15 health checks were held across the year with 170 employees attending. • 3 Health walks delivered by Active Travel • 2 Wellbeing sessions held with the Children and Families team and at Gorebridge Primary School. Various promotional activities were delivered this quarter including Vivup, Physiotherapy, Employee Assistance Programme, My Money Matters, Capital Credit Union, library offering, Sport & Leisure offering, Macmillan Cancer Support services, Pharmacy First, Able Futures, PAM Ohio, NHS services, Social Security Scotland, Citizen Advice, Moneyhelper, Bowel UK, Mental Health Services and Intowork. Feedback received in relation to Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) plans showed an increase by 100 plans from May 2025 to March 2026 through continued promotion, with £64,461 paid through salary sacrifice, further promotions are agreed for future. In addition, a health and wellbeing calendar was added to Mid-Hub with health and wellbeing awareness days and contact information. The Health and Wellbeing page provides information on a variety of subjects including mental health; menopause; cancer and stress awareness which continue to be updated. Absence and case management The HR team continued to proactively work with managers and their teams, supporting them with absence management, helping to tackle and reduce sickness absence, complimenting the range of health and wellbeing support provided by the Council to all employees. The HR team provides training for managers in absence management processes and provides management information to enable managers to measure and manage the long and short term absence in their areas. Refreshed Maximising Attendance at Work training has taken place over the year with 263 employees attending the training course. These sessions have now become part of a rolling programme for managers and planning for future sessions is in place. In addition, this year our staff e- learning platform was also updated to incorporate a Maximising Attendance at Work course for managers. Over the last year this work has resulted in progression of absence cases, capability hearings and return to work as well as the more efficient management of employee relations cases to bring these to a conclusion. This quarter the number of long term absence cases supported by HR was 166, overall absence cases have seen a reduction year on year, with 606 cases supported in 2023/24, 521 during 2024/25 and 502 this year. This quarter 360 Occupational Health referrals were made in support of our employees and 1,220 referrals in total across the year, this is an 80% increase from 678 referrals made during last year. Referrals can be made for a number of different reasons, with the primary reason for referring staff to Occupational Health is to apply preventative measures to support their physical and mental health and wellbeing and identify any supports required to facilitate employees to remain in work. 330 Physical Health referrals were made this quarter, with 1,253 referrals made across the year, a 7% decrease from last year. Physiotherapy services offer up to 4 free sessions which can be accessed by the employee to receive treatment and advice for musculoskeletal injuries and various health conditions to improve movement and mobility. Page 151 of 356
Page 152
The HR team continue to work on various lengthy and challenging employee relations cases supporting staff and managers throughout the process to reach a successful conclusion. 48 cases are being supported this quarter with 84 cases supported throughout the year, an increase of 17% compared to last year. Investing in our workforce This year the HR team successfully achieved re-accreditation as a Disability Confident Employer. Disability Confident is a voluntary government scheme designed by employers and disabled people’s representatives to help employers recruit and retain people with disabilities and health conditions. Midlothian Council continues to be committed to challenge attitudes towards disability and improve understanding, while also promoting a positive work environment, where disabled people can have access to an inclusive recruitment process, be offered reasonable adjustments as required and have employee benefits available to support their health needs. In terms of our people policies, a range of policies were updated or drafted this year to ensure our workforce is supported by clear, modern and legally compliant frameworks: In conjunction with a short life working group on staff debt, a Staff Debt Policy was developed. The Staff Debt Policy will aim to ensure employee debts are identified, managed and fairly and consistently recovered, giving employees clarity, fairness and support when financial issues arise. A Neuro-inclusion Policy was drafted this year and consultation took place with Trade Unions. A Neuro-inclusion Policy aims to make the council a place where neurodivergent people are understood, supported, and able to participate fully, focusing on removing barriers, improving awareness and ensuring services and workplaces are designed with different thinking and communications styles in mind. The Council’s Menopause Policy was updated this year. The policy aims to support staff experiencing menopause by promoting understanding, reducing stigma and ensuring fair treatment at work. An update to our Alcohol and Drugs Misuse Policy was also completed. This Policy is designed to give clear guidance to staff on how to tackle issues in a supportive way in relation to any suspected misuse of alcohol or other substances in the workplace, setting out the expectations of managers and employees when faced with this situation. Our job evaluation policy was also updated during the year, and proposals were progressed for revision of the employee appraisal system and the review of pay and grading. As part of the Workforce Strategy, training on workforce planning was carried out with the Local Government Association and the Corporate Management Team (CMT) this year and further sessions took place to progress plans and look at future challenges in the workforce. Further training on workforce Page 152 of 356
Page 153
planning was delivered to the Leadership Forum members in February. This strengthens our collective understanding of how to align our future workforce with the council’s strategic aims and is a key element of building a modern, adaptable 21st century workforce, directly supporting the ambitions set out in our Transformation Blueprint. The Managers Forum continued this year with various online sessions focussing on health and wellbeing, health and safety risk assessments, financial management through Additional Voluntary Contributions, employee discount scheme, energy efficiency through the winter period, support for unpaid carers and Public Sector Equality Duty. This quarter a Manager Forum webinar was held on the recruitment onboarding process. The forums continue to provide a space for leaders and managers to share experiences as well as providing managers with best practice and guidance. As part of fair work commitments, a Listen and Learn exercise was carried out this quarter with Saltersgate School. 85 employees were met on a one to one basis. These focus groups strengthen our employees voice and encourage employees to engage and put forward views and ideas to help address any organisational challenges and contribute to improvements. 981 mandatory e-learning courses were accessed by staff this quarter. In total 17,319 courses were accessed this year which is similar to 17,174 accessing courses last year after staff were required to carry out refresher training on an annual basis. Courses that require to be completed include training on Bribery Act 2010, information security, procurement fraud, cyber security, records management and threat of terrorism. These courses aim to protect the council, its staff, and the public by fostering a culture of awareness, responsibility and compliance. This year saw the launch of ‘Vivup’, a new employee benefits portal to support the financial wellbeing of staff by introducing lifestyle savings and discounts on many major high street retailers. Page 153 of 356
Page 154
Workforce measures We track our employee turnover rates by expressing it as a percentage of employees overall when taking account of all leavers. Consideration of the levels of turnover across services, locations and particular groups of employees helps to inform workforce planning and resourcing. Compared to last quarter, staff turnover rates have slightly increased this quarter to 2.21% from 1.83%. Overall for the year, turnover rates have reduced from 8.6% in 2024/25 to 8.03% this year. The gender pay gap measures the average female pay (£21.15) versus average male pay (£22.46) within the organisation. The figures show that the Council has more male staff at higher rates of pay by 1.37% as of quarter 4. A reduction from 2.29% at the end of 2024/25. The pay gap continues to reduce year on year with this figure reflecting the smallest pay gap recorded over several years. The number of female employees in the top 5% of earnings has increased slightly compared to last year with 132 female employees in the top 5% of earnings at the end of this year and 130 during the same period last year. Overall sickness absence rates for all employees is slightly higher this year compared to last year with the average sickness days for the year 11.14 days compared to 10.91 in 2024/25. For Corporate Solutions the average number of working days lost due to sickness absence this quarter has increased this year to 10.62 compared to 8.26 in 2024/25. Of the FTE days lost, 75% was due to long term sickness, 13% self-certified and 12% short term absence. Work continues with each service area to review attendance levels and support those absent to return to work. A focussed piece of work will look at both long term and short term absence, better understand potential triggers and review the existing absence policy and processes. Page 154 of 356
Page 155
2.29% 1.76% 1.33% 1.13% 1.37% Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Gender pay gap between average hourly rate of pay for male and female (all employees) (cumulative) Scottish Average (1.5%) 10.91 2.76 4.86 8.17 11.14 6.67 1.20 2.03 4.34 6.34 12.56 3.38 5.99 9.67 13.01 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Average Sickness Absence days (cumulative) All employees Teachers Local Government workers 1.86% 1.78% 2.91% 1.83% 2.21% Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 % of staff turnover (quarterly) 758 2,497 1,814 16-30 31-50 over 50 Human Resources – performance measures 502 Long term absence cases this year (166 in Q4) 1,220 Occupational Health referrals via OHIO this year (360 in Q4) 84 HR cases handled this year (48 in Q4) 1,253 Physiotherapy referrals made this year (330 in Q4) No. of staff by age group 1,310 (26%) Employees with over 15 years of service 499 Leavers at end of Q4 (cumulative figure) 65.5% of employees are Midlothian Residents Employee Health and Wellbeing Workforce demographics 132 female employees in top 5% this year. (130 2024/25) • 99 wellbeing events held this year with 1,217 attendees • 17,319 employees accessing mandatory eLearning courses • 3,322 employees accessing non-mandatory eLearning courses Page 155 of 356
Page 156
Digital solutions underpin the Transformation Blueprint. Key work streams include: Delivery of the Council's Digital Transformation Strategy 2024-2029 to fully utilise digital tools, digitising and automating processes, introducing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ensuring that decisions can be made through comprehensive data and management information. Key priority areas that the Council will focus on over the next 5 years are: • Automate: For an Efficient, Modern Council • Reimagine: Transform Service Delivery • Data: Deeper Insights and Preventative Operations • Secure and Sustain: Protect and Preserve • Development of a data analysis capability and streamlining of performance and other standard reporting • Expanding digital automation efforts via Power Automate, to improve efficiencies and process quality • Continued rollout of compliance and cyber security protective measures, including attainment of Public Sector Network and Cyber Essentials certification, staff training and engagement and establishing a Security Operations Centre • Deepening the adoption of Microsoft M365 capabilities and applications to enable organisational efficiencies, collaboration and lay the foundation for future Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiatives • Delivering service improvements in frontline teams through the use of technology • Continue the roll-out of the Customer Services Platform solutions to promote channel shift • Equipped for Learning (EfL): support the EfL project to provide best in class, secure digital ecosystem for optimal learning outcomes • Developing Council telephony digital strategy and implementing upgrades to education estate • Ensure all digital aspects of Council operations are well supported and operational • Provide citizens with enhanced services and faster, more responsive support • Deliver improved outcomes for all residents of Midlothian by embracing modern service models Digital Page 156 of 356
Page 157
Key achievements: Digital projects and Infrastructure A range of improvements projects and service supports were undertaken through this year to facilitate a more efficient organisation and improve how we work: Infrastructure Infrastructure delivery focused on resilience, lifecycle replacement and preparation for future change. The new Education phone system project was completed this quarter, providing schools with a modern, reliable telephony solution that supports safeguarding, service continuity and effective communication. A SysCloud backup solution for Google Classroom was procured and implemented this quarter, ensuring that educational data stored within the Google environment is securely backed up and recoverable. This reduces the risk of data loss and supports educational learning continuity. This quarter, resilience at Fairfield House was enhanced through the addition of extra battery capacity to the uninterrupted power supply, providing approximately four and a half hours of runtime in the event of a power outage. This significantly improves the council’s ability to continue operating during local power disruptions. New hardware was installed across high schools to prepare for the migration from legacy Microsoft Server 2016 environments. In parallel, ongoing server upgrades are removing soon to be obsolete operating systems, reducing security risk and support costs. Migration to new infrastructure for corporate telephony was progressed ahead of the SWAN1 termination date, ensuring continuity of voice services. The infrastructure team also supported the rollout of the Security Operations Centre, providing the underlying systems and connectivity required to enable enhanced cyber monitoring and response. Other significant achievements across the year included the successful completion of work to equip Fairfield House for decant which supported all users to migrate to their new location. This included the migration of servers and digital systems from Midlothian House to Fairfield, which took place within minimal downtime and disruption. Ensuring that the desks within Fairfield House had sufficient data and power to allow staff to move. The reduction in size of the Midlothian House computer room. Numerous other equipment moves, upgrades, disposals and installations were also carried out to support the decant. Page 157 of 356
Page 158
Completion of the migration of our 48 SWAN circuits to faster, more cost-effective BT Swan WAN connections took place at the beginning of 2025. Installation of new SWAN circuits at Sacred Heart Primary School, Bonnyrigg Depot, Stobhill Depot and Penicuik Town Hall were completed providing increased performance and reliability to these locations. Further sites (Cherry Road, Dalkeith House, Hillend, Dalkeith Social Work) were migrated towards the end of the year reducing network costs and providing a common platform for the connections. New and extended public Wi-Fi was installed this year at Penicuik, Lasswade and Newtongrange gyms to support the new Technogym equipment and improve services for gym users. Front Office The Front Office function concentrated on modernising end user technology, enabling flexible working and strengthening the council’s cloud foundations. The completion of the rollout of new Xerox print devices across both corporate and education estates delivered a more consistent, secure and supportable printing environment. The laptop refresh programme replaced 650 ageing devices, helping staff work more effectively whether office based or remote. In response to supply chain volatility and anticipated memory related price increases, the team took a proactive decision to pre order a further 1,000 laptops. This strategic action protected budgets, ensured continuity of supply and reduced the risk of future deployment delays. A significant step in the council’s cloud first strategy was the commissioning of the Microsoft Azure platform. This underpins future digital services, improves resilience and reduces reliance on legacy on premise infrastructure. Building on this, a preliminary Azure Virtual Desktop environment was created as a replacement for Citrix, providing a modern, scalable and more cost effective approach to remote and application access. Throughout the year, the Front Office team resolved 734 support calls, 124 during quarter 4, contributing to a more stable user experience. Other achievements across the year included full completion of the Windows 11 upgrade programme delivering a sustainable and efficient platform for our digital estate. Replacement of catering tills in schools and cafes and the transition of the digital application to the cloud. Extension to Roslin Primary School was fully set up to allow teachers and pupils to access the Education network. Our school estate was upgraded from Office 2016 to Office 2024. Work was completed for the move of the Council Chambers to Normandy Court with a fit out of networking services to allow staff to occupy office spaces in the building and installation of broadband Internet for the Public-I system. Significant work was carried out this year to support the refurbishment of Penicuik High School. A Starlink satellite broadband system was installed at Vogrie Country Park to allow the new carpark barrier system to take payments in a timely and efficient manner. Page 158 of 356
Page 159
Service Desk The Service Desk continued to act as the backbone of day to day Digital Services delivery, managing high volumes of requests while supporting change activity. The completion of the IT Disposal Tender ensured that end of life equipment is disposed of securely, compliantly and in line with environmental responsibilities. This reduces risk while supporting sustainability objectives. Video conferencing solutions were installed across all Fairfield meeting rooms, enabling hybrid meetings, better collaboration and more effective engagement with partners and the public. The Service Desk also created 949 new user accounts this year, 269 during quarter 4, supporting workforce changes and new starters across the organisation. A total of 9,954 service desk support calls (1,966 during quarter 4) were successfully resolved during the year, demonstrating continued focus on responsiveness and customer service. The team also played a key role in supporting the Xerox print rollout, ensuring minimal disruption during transition to the new devices. Business Solutions The Business Solutions team focused on strengthening core business systems, improving digital services for residents and staff and rolling out the Customer Services Platform. A major milestone this quarter is the ongoing integration of the Customer Service Platform with the Whitespace waste management system. Integration enables better data flow between customer requests, operational scheduling and performance reporting. As a result, frontline waste services benefit from improved visibility, reduced manual intervention and a more timely response to residents. Details of Customer Services Platform implementations are outlined in the above Customer Engagement section of this report. The team also supported several significant system upgrades this year, including Open Revenues and Customer Payments. These upgrades improve reliability, performance and resilience. For residents, this means more dependable billing and payment services. For staff, it reduces system disruption and ongoing support issues. To strengthen technical leadership and long term solution design capability, a Senior Solutions Architect was recruited towards the end of this year. This role provides strategic oversight across business applications, ensures consistency of architecture and supports future transformation initiatives. Across the year, the team resolved and closed 604 support calls, (130 during quarter 4), improving platform stability. Page 159 of 356
Page 160
Cyber Security Cyber security activity this year strengthened the council’s ability to prevent, detect and respond to an increasingly complex threat landscape. Progress was made on onboarding to a Security Operations Centre, significantly enhancing real time monitoring, threat detection and incident response capability. New Cyber Incident Response service arrangements were confirmed, providing clarity of roles, escalation routes and specialist support during security incidents. A comprehensive Active Directory and Azure identity audit was completed, identifying risks and producing a clear improvement plan to strengthen access controls and reduce the attack surface. Vulnerability management was improved through the migration of 135 hosts from Web Check to Qualys, delivering more detailed insight, better prioritisation and integration with remediation processes. The team completed multiple supply chain and cloud security risk assessments, ensuring that third party and hosted services meet the council’s security expectations. Live security events were actively managed, making use of national threat intelligence including alerts from the National Cyber Security Centre. Alongside technical controls, policy and resilience work continued. An advanced Vulnerability Disclosure process was developed to support responsible reporting of identified security issues in Council systems. Cyber resilience and recovery planning progressed, including the definition of priority systems to support business continuity. Staff awareness was strengthened through Cyber Security Week this quarter and targeted engagement activities, and a cyber security business continuity exercise was completed with the Corporate Management Team to test readiness and decision making. Information Governance Information Governance activity focused on enabling digital transformation, while maintaining strong compliance over information and data protection. A pilot involving 60 users was completed for Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot, with support from the Information Governance team. This ensured that appropriate safeguards are in place and that benefits can be realised safely as the technology moves towards business as usual use. The AI governance policy was updated to strengthen lawful, ethical and transparent use of artificial intelligence across the council. At the same time, Microsoft 365 governance arrangements were reinforced to reduce unmanaged sprawl of sites, teams and data as adoption accelerates. A new data breach reporting form was developed for business as usual use, improving consistency of reporting and response times. The team supported a range of audit and compliance activities, including Strategic Information Governance Group (SIGG) assurance, helping demonstrate accountability and regulatory compliance. A supplier Data Security Workshop was delivered, with final recommendations received to further improve M365 compliance. Page 160 of 356
Page 161
46 16 23 Total planned modules Complete during 24/25 Complete during 25/26 60.5% 65% 60.5% 65.2% 65.4% Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 % of IT helpdesk incidents complete within 48 hours (quarterly) Digital – performance measures Cyber security performance Progress of total number of Customer Service Platform modules 1,512,200 Midlothian Council website visits this year with 4.6M page views. (418,900 website visits and 1.4M page views in Q4). 100% of Cyber Essentials and PSN implemented 50.9% of cyber security annual refresher training complete at quarter 4. Website Customer satisfaction and helpdesk Digital Services Customer satisfaction rate: 94.9% this year (96.2% in Q4) (94% in 2024/25) Customer Services Platform Page 161 of 356
Page 162
Key priorities for the service in 2025/26 • Redesign of business processes to achieve efficiencies across all of Corporate Resources • Making more use of current applications to enable self-service e.g. viewing Council Tax and rent accounts online • Continued upgrade of applications supporting the Council’s transformation agenda e.g. increasing automated and online payments Key achievements: Invoicing Work continues with the rollout of invoice approval processes. Reducing paper-based invoicing to invoice approval system management allows for a greater level of audit, performance management and data, leading to more up to date financial monitoring and real time reporting. The Business Applications Team continue to work with Scottish Government’s e-commerce team on next steps for the e-invoicing programme and onboarding of suppliers to this service. This year invoice approval expansion continues and manual based Green slip transactions have reduced from 8.1% at the end of last year to 6.4% at the end of this year. Corporate Resources Page 162 of 356
Page 163
The rate of invoices paid on time across the Council this quarter was 94.2%, almost achieving our target of 95%. A total of 114,554 transactions were processed up to and including quarter 4, of which 99,381 are included in the Statutory Performance Indicator (SPI) invoice calculation with an average of 10.3 days to pay an invoice. The team made 15,173 direct payments to bank accounts to cover free school meals during the holiday periods, Ukrainian Host payments and Economic Development Business Grants. 3,125 internally generated payments were processed including grants, corporate appointees, salary deductions and treasury activities. Purchasing card transactions increased to 24.3% this quarter from 14.8% at end of quarter 4 last year due to an increase in embedded cards for catering suppliers. Our Business Applications team continues to play a vital role in maintaining and enhancing our core systems, ensuring they remain up to date, reliable and aligned with business need. This year, the team successfully delivered a series of key upgrades and implementations across several platforms. Further Business Application upgrades were completed this quarter for ITrent, Open Revenues, Legend, MR56 ONE Housing, Granicus, Confirm and the Blue Badge Case Management system. In addition, Open Portal testing was completed, and first customer accounts were created via a soft launch with staff. The migration to hosted service for Integra Centros was completed and Rents and Council Tax uprating was complete for 2026/27. This quarter also focused on the implementation of twin stream recycling, creating new rounds and schedules as well as data onloads and testing of the new online calendar to support service delivery. A new contract was signed this quarter for mobile voice and data with Vodafone to March 2028 which includes receiving approximately £90,000 of tech fund and a new contract was awarded to AllStar for the provision of fuel cards. The TotalMobile Connect project commenced towards the end of this year. This move will deliver improved system performance, reporting functions and enable more efficient mobile working across Building Maintenance Services, Fleet and Roads Services. This year, the Parent Portal pilot was implemented across all schools. This project marks a significant step in improving communications and engagement between schools and parents through digital channels. Page 163 of 356
Page 164
Business Services - records management Work has continued across our Business Services to streamline operations and strengthen the efficiency of our processes. A key area of focus has been the management of council records, where we have made significant process in our practices and improving compliance. Our Records Management Policy and the Council’s Retention Schedule were reviewed and updated this year. The network of records champions across the council was re-established and the development of a Teams channel has improved the sharing of information and guidance to support records champions has encouraged closer working relationships with services. Together, these resources provide clear guidance for staff and set out our commitment to the secure, consistent, and responsible creation, storage, and disposal of records that accurately document our activities and business. To support this, records champions received training on the use of destruction registers. This training enhanced understanding of the record destruction process, ensuring it is carried out in line with both the council’s policy and legislative requirements. Significant records management activity also took place as part of the office decant from Midlothian House to Fairfield House. Records champions received additional guidance and support as part of the move. This resulted in 66 boxes of files being archived at Iron Mountain and other records being destroyed in line with retention schedules, freeing up office space, improving building safety by lowering fire risk, and ensuring that only relevant records are retained. Progress has also been made this year with the destruction of both physical and digital records that have not met or exceeded their retention period. In addition, accessions to the archive collection were received including items from the Penicuik Community Arts Trust. This quarter work has focused on planning the implementation of Records Management principles across the M365 environment, with particular emphasis on the creation, migration, and ongoing management of records within SharePoint. A report supporting this implementation of managing records within M365 alongside a SharePoint Retention and Destruction proposal was approved by both the Digital Transformation Strategy Board and the Strategic Information Governance Group. This work will provide a strong and robust foundation for the wider rollout of SharePoint in 2026/2027. This year, the National Records of Scotland (NRS) approved the Progress Update Review (PUR) under the Public Records Scotland Act (PRSA). Overall, the assessment team considered that Midlothian Council and Midlothian Licensing Board continue to take their statutory obligations seriously and are working hard to bring all elements of their Records Management Plan into full compliance with the Act. The evaluation contained good news all round and exemplified positive progress in Records Management. The Council are maintaining compliance in all sections marked as such at the last Records Management Plan (RMP) and will move from amber to green in two further areas of compliance when the Records Management Plan is submitted in 2027. The National Records of Scotland noted that resourcing of the Democratic and Document Services Team Lead has shown measurable improvements in records management and were commended for engaging business areas in identifying vital records. Other notable achievements across our Corporate Resources teams include the procurement and implementation of the new Managed Print Service. Further enhancements were made this year to our employment and reward manager e-forms which has improved the quality of information received and an increase in the number of requests processed without the requirement for intervention. The introduction of the online form for school placement Page 164 of 356
Page 165
appeals via our Customer Services Platform provides case management functionally, streamlining the administration process of appeals and the communication with appellants. Supporting the Cost-of-Living Crisis Requests for crisis funding continue to remain consistently high with a 2% increase in the number of crisis grant applications received this year (7,320) compared to last year (7,168) and an 8% increase from 2023/24 of 6,766. This demonstrates the continued significant financial challenges faced by our communities. This quarter 2,113 Crisis Grants and 385 Community Care Grants were received. All of the annual Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) budget was allocated up to quarter 4. Our Scottish Welfare Fund Assessors respond and analyse the reasons for the high number of applications and refusals to identify preventative activity to mitigate people reaching this crisis point. This is identified as a key action in the Child Poverty Action Plan. Revenues and Benefits Work continued this year on improving the processing times to the change of circumstances within Revenues and Benefits. Processing times were higher across quarters 2 and 3 this year reflecting work carried out on some older cases and includes late notifications of changes in circumstances. However it was brought back on target during quarter 4 at 8 days to process. Overall for the year, average processing times for change of circumstances was 10.5 days and therefore off target. Similarly, the average time for processing new claims forms is also off target at 60 days (59 in quarter 4) of a targeted 25 days. A dedicated programme of work is being undertaken within the service to identify improvements to our processes which, in time, will see this figure be brought back on target. The percentage of current housing rent arrears sits at 13.94% at the end of quarter 4 and is a slight increase from the same period last year at 12.67%. In year Council Tax collected year to date is 92.3%, showing a slightly lower rate of collection compared to the same time last year of 94.3%. Page 165 of 356
Page 166
7,168 1,881 3,618 5,207 2,113 3,840 976 1,884 2,703 1,113 127 16 37 58 43 3,201 889 1,697 2,446 957 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of Crisis Grants (cumulative) received awarded declined ineligible Grant applications deemed as ineligible are in general those that have exceeded the maximum amount of 3 applications in a year or customers who do not meet the set criteria for the award. 56 54 65 63 59 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 New claims (quarterly) Revenues and Benefits 2935 5344 4900 4620 3594 3064 2954 3058 2852 3027 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of online transactions (quarterly) Rent Council Tax 92.3% of in year Council Tax collected year to date. 2 7 12 15 8 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Change of circumstances (quarterly) 1,351 316 552 773 385461 121 215 317 13588 3 3 6 33 802 192 334 450 217 Q4… Q1… Q2… Q3… Q4… Number of Community Care Grants (cumulative) received awarded declined ineligible Corporate Resources – performance measures £449,105 granted from Scottish Welfare fund for crisis grants £453,770 granted for community care grants up to Q4 Scottish Welfare Fund Average processing times (days) Page 166 of 356
Page 167
Key priorities for the service in 2025/26 • Review of the Council’s governance framework with revised Standing Orders and Associated Scheme(s) • Development of the new Procurement Strategy, with a focus on social value, the introduction of a Council wide approach to Community Benefits, and an increased focus on local procurement • Aligned to the Transformation Blueprint, continued review of Contract Management • Preparatory activity for the delivery of the Scottish Parliamentary Election in May 2026 • Ensuring compliance with statutory duties for responding to FOIs, SARs and EIRs, minimising data breaches and supporting teams to ensure good information governance Key achievements: Legal Services The commercial legal team continue to provide expert legal advice and support on a wide range of commercial matters to help the Council operate effectively and lawfully in its business dealings. Various activities were undertaken by the team this quarter including: Docu Sign pilot project This year a new Docu Sign pilot project was implemented within Legal services with 80 legal documents electronically signed up to the end of quarter 4. The project improves time efficiencies and effectiveness in signing a range of contractual documents and reduce the risk of fraud and contractual disputes around the validity of contracts. Facilitating the use of electronic signatures is an enabler of digital transformation and aligns with the Blueprint objective to develop an organisational workforce that is flexible ensuring that all staff have the necessary skills to work effectively supported by digital technologies that are fit for a 21st century workforce. Buy Backs Housing and Legal Services work together to acquire former local authority housing stock that can used for social housing for rent and is part of the Council’s strategy to reduce the number of people on the housing waiting list. This quarter the team completed the purchase of 11 properties across Midlothian. Other Property Transactions this quarter included: • the sale of the former primary school at Pathhead for £155,000 and the Orchard Centre, Lothian St, Bonnyrigg for £238,000 • A new 10 year lease was concluded with the tenant for a café at 9 Eskdaill Court, Dalkeith. • the sale of small area of garden ground adjacent to 5 Lady Brae, Gorebridge Legal and Governance Page 167 of 356
Page 168
• Early Years Capital Funding grant of £459,968 repaid by Pinocchio’s Childrens’ Nurseries Limited • Discharge of related standard security granted by Midlothian Council on the transfer of the nursery site at Eskbank to the new owner of the business. • Advice was provided on bicycle storage unit at Straiton retail park and discussion held with landlord’s agents, which was eventually taken forward by our Estates team through a licence to occupy. Planning Agreements A Section 75 Agreement was concluded with Esk Homes Ltd in relation to the Orchard Centre site, securing contributions of £16,928. In relation to the housing development at Dalhousie, the council received a £5 million upfront payment in exchange for discharging future Section 75 obligations, in line with the decisions made at full Council. In addition, a formal variation to the Section 75 agreement was completed at Newton Farm (Cala) to allow for a revised housing mix on site. Roads 25 instructions for Temporary Road Traffic Restriction Orders were processed and granted this quarter, assisting with the Council’s management duties as the local roads authority. Prevention and detection of crime 55 requests were processed for information from the police and external agencies for the prevention and detection of crime and 10 requests were processed for personal information held in the Council’s CCTV systems in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. Property queries The team researched and provided advice on 5 title checks and ownership searches. Scheme of Assistance Grants (SOA) Under the Scheme of Assistance, Legal services continued to support Environmental Health in delivering funding for essential housing adaptations for residents with assessed needs. This work ensures that individuals can remain safely and independently in their homes by enabling modifications such as accessibility improvements and specialist equipment. This quarter 6 Notices of Payment of Grant were formally recorded in the property registers. Legal court team The legal court team continue to protect the Council’s interests and deliver suitable outcomes for children and vulnerable adults through attendance at court this quarter. Various activities were undertaken by our Court team this quarter including: Page 168 of 356
Page 169
Training on legal processes, case law and legislation and court expectations for Children and Families The team developed and delivered a full day training course for Social Work on court expectations: “From Case Note to Court Room”. This involved the drafting of individual advice notes on recording, a good chronology, and the requirements for analysis and evidence in legal cases. The team also prepared a summary of recent case law, and an overview of the legislation. The afternoon session focused on specific court skills and ended in each social worker taking part in a mock cross-examination. In addition, a session was provided about legal basics during a Children and Families conference. Legal advice and feedback Over the quarter the team provided advice on case law and expectations for Council Tax appeals, provided advice in relation to the Education Appeals Committee on an exclusion appeal and provided ongoing feedback and legal advice relation to updates to the Education Admission in Schools Policy. 2026 Education Appeals Work continued this year and into quarter 4 with Education and Democratic Services to prepare for the 2026 placing request appeals. Ordinary Residence and training Ongoing considerations have taken place this quarter of the Scottish Government guidance in relation to charging and recovery of costs for adults who move to other authorities and who require funding for care, including residential accommodation and care packages. Considering recent determinations by the Scottish Government, and the approach taken by other local authorities, the team have started the process to provide updated Ordinary Residence training for colleagues. Ongoing court actions and responding to general queries across the quarter include: • Responded to 82 individual legal queries • Raised 15 applications for guardianship and/or Intervention Orders under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 • Raised 21 actions for recovery of possession under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 • Provided advice to Children and Families in 3 actions for Child Protection Orders under the Children’s Hearing (Scotland) Act 2011 • Concluded a case for variation and revocation of 2 permanence orders • Provided ongoing advice in relation to a case raised in the Additional Support Needs Tribunal • Attended and/or provided advice for 26 Adults with Incapacity/Adult Support and Protection Case Conferences • Provided advice to Adult Services in relation to two separate actions raised in the Court of Protection in England • Continued to progress re-recruitment to the Curator Panel for Edinburgh Sheriff Court. This will provide independent reporters to ensure the views of Midlothian children are properly considered in court actions concerning their future. Page 169 of 356
Page 170
Procurement Work continued this year on a refresh of the Procurement Service operating model. Through adopting and embedding a business partnering approach, Procurement will provide greater support to services, guidance on best value and procurement processes and anticipated to enable the Council to ensure that procurement is compliant and achieves savings. A revised Procurement Strategy is in development and will be presented to Council for approval in 2026. The strategy will continue to focus on supporting the local economy and encouraging participation from small and medium sized enterprises, delivering wider social outcomes and community benefits and ensure that procurement practices deliver best value for the council and its communities. In order to increase the Council’s use of approved regulated procurements, work is ongoing with the team to promote the use of approved frameworks where possible with stakeholders, before other options are weighed. This has led to the redesign of some procurement templates including Request for Procurement Approval (RFP) form and Procurement Strategy across the Council. Key procurement activity across this year includes: Various contracts were awarded this year, as reported throughout the quarterly reporting period including, the treatment of residual waste, through a competitive process, delivering not only financial efficiencies but supported sustainable procurement by appointing a contractor with more local operations, where the environmental impact associated with transportation is reduced. Various suppliers were awarded contracts for our Fleet Replacement Programme (2025-2030). This was delivered through multiple nationally recognised procurement frameworks, including Crown Commercial Services (CCS), Scotland Excel (SXL), Halton, and The Procurement Partnership Ltd (TPPL), enabling access to competitive pricing and high-quality suppliers. In terms of Framework utilisation, the project has increased Council participation in the strategic use of procurement frameworks, supporting compliance and value for money. Page 170 of 356
Page 171
This year good progress was made on the review and update of the Adult Social Care contracts register which continues to progress in identifying what services require a contract. In addition, this year our Data Processing Agreement (DPA) was issued to all Priority 1 and 2 Adult and Social Care providers. This ensures the protection of personal data identity for individuals receiving commissioned social care services. The achievement strengthens compliance with data protection regulations and council standards. It also highlights our commitment to safeguarding sensitive information and building trust with providers and service users. Various projects were procured this year using a quick quote process including the Dalkeith Town Centre Regeneration Business Case, Waverley District Heat Network Community Engagement, A6094 Polton Road West/Rosewell Junction Feasibility Study, Online Map Hosting and PDF Map Creation for the Midlothian Local Development Plan 2. Local procurement This year four new trade procurements were undertaken following Cabinet approval to ring-fence the procurements to Midlothian based suppliers. These are in Building, Plastering & Tiling, Joinery & Roofing and Painting & Decorating. This followed two online meet the buyer events held to promote the procurement. This led to the successful award to 13 suppliers, of which, 7 were new to working with Midlothian Council. These 7 suppliers have 78 employees, contributing to the Council’s strategic priority to local procurement, community wealth building and investing in Midlothian’s local economy. Page 171 of 356
Page 172
9 46 15 13 24 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of regulated procurement excerises undertaken (quarterly) Legal and Governance – performance measures Access to information 399 410 420 326 358 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of Freedom of Information requests recieved (quarterly) 70 64 62 76 79 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of Subject Access Requests recieved (quarterly) 66 Legal commercial transactions carried out this year (increase from 45 in 2024/25) Page 172 of 356
Page 173
The Continuous Improvement team supports the required step-change to ensure that as an organisation we learn from feedback and complaints received and improve service delivery as a result of driving forward a culture of continuous improvement. Key priorities for the service in 2025/26: Working with services to focus on performance measures and supporting approaches which deliver improved outcomes, including: • The introduction of a revised Planning and Performance Management Framework (PPMF) and a newly developed Best Value Framework (BVF). • Revising the Midlothian Excellence Framework (MEF), our corporate self- evaluation tool, to reflect changes to the Public Service Improvement Framework (PSIF). • External data submission, monitoring and reporting of Local Government Benchmarking (LGBF), including maintenance of the LGBF dashboard on Pentana for elected members. • Key contact for corporate level external scrutiny activities such as the Best Value Thematic exercises undertaken by our external auditor. • Facilitating a review and update of all policies and procedures in place to deliver the Council’s strategic outcomes and ensure alignment with overarching strategies. • Review and refresh of the Equalities work programme including increased awareness of equality and diversity and the redesign of the staff equalities group to facilitate greater diversity and inclusion in the Council’s decision making processes, policy development and a more diverse workforce reflective of the communities the Council services. Continuous Improvement Page 173 of 356
Page 174
Key achievements: Key achievements across this quarter for our Continuous Improvement team include: Equalities: • Finalised and submitted statutory Gaelic Language Plan to Gaelic Board for official approval. • Ongoing efforts to improve employee equality monitoring data, including changes to data collection process. • Continued IIA support on various proposals from services across the Council. • Supported 2 students as part of a work placement, to complete a project relating to LGBTQ+, for their Foundation Apprenticeship. Other achievements across the year include the publication of statutory Equality Outcomes 2025-29 (June 2025) and ongoing mainstreaming of equality throughout the organisation via policy and IIA support, improved data collection and awareness-raising on various equality-related issues. Performance: • Pentana performance management system updated to reflect the annual Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) 2024/25 data updates. • Local Government Benchmarking Framework 2024-25 update report, referencing the 2024/25 LGBF Overview report, drafted for CMT. Other achievements throughout the year include quarterly performance reporting and scheduling checklist developed and shared with lead performance officers and Pentana performance management system training delivered to service performance officers. Incorporated Best Value Framework checklist as part of the Annual Governance Statement exercise. Established monthly complaints report for CMT and gained CMT approval of a refreshed approach for the corporate self-evaluation model. Contact Us: • Drafted annual Complaint Handling Report 2024/25 for CMT review. • Ongoing support to services including Chief Officers in relation to investigations. • Guidance and support to senior management in applying the Unacceptable Actions Policy (UAP) • Coordination of cross-service complaint investigation responses. Other achievements across the year included the development of a corporate template for use when extenuating circumstances require implementation of appropriate actions from a range of customer restrictions, using the Unacceptable Actions Policy (UAP). Reviewing existing corporate complaint response templates to incorporate appropriate reference to Child Friendly Complaints and inform the subsequent integration with complaint management system. Ongoing development of Customer Complaint and Feedback Management portal page on the new intranet and the Establishment of a tracking process to manage SPSO correspondence. Page 174 of 356
Page 175
Challenges and risks Midlothian Council continues to face a challenging environment, with financial, demographic, and economic pressures shaping how services are delivered and funded. Financial constraints: rising service delivery costs and uncertainty over future funding from the Scottish Government are placing significant strain on the council’s budget. Cost and income projections for future years are embedded in the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy, which is supported by the Transformation Blueprint containing a range of transformation themes to drive towards a position of financial sustainability. Officers continue to work closely with the Business Transformation Steering Group to respond to the challenges. Our Finance team continued to develop and enhance our financial monitoring arrangements to support financial sustainable planning. The 2026/27 budget has now been set, alongside updated Medium Term Financial Strategy projections through to 2028/29 and formal approval was gained for the 2026/27 Treasury Management and Investment Strategy. Economic pressures: the ongoing cost of living crisis is affecting residents and businesses, increasing the need for council funded support. Inflationary pressures on goods, services, and energy are also significantly increasing the cost of delivering council services. The impact of the cost of living crisis on households continues to be noted across the UK with 72% of adults reporting an increase in their cost of living in April 2024 (Office for National Statistics; Francis-Devine et al, 2022). The UK has faced an unprecedented wave of increasing prices, bills and tax challenges. The 41 year high inflation rate of 11.1% in October 2022 has been the main driver of the cost of living crisis which has outstripped wage and benefit increases. After this peak in inflation, rates have continued to decline, dropping to 2.0% in May 2024. Over the three years between May 2021 to May 2024 food prices rose by 30.6%. Although inflationary rates have steadied, the price rises continue to impact low-income households hardest as a larger proportion of their costs are on energy and food. As our citizens feel the impact of the cost of living crisis, they will seek additional support from public services, in particular local authorities. To respond to this emerging crisis, the Council established a Cost of Living Task Force in 2022, which is chaired by the Council Leader and meets regularly to coordinate mitigating activities. Growing service demands: Midlothian’s sustained population growth and ageing demographic continues to drive an increase in demand for education, social care, housing and transport infrastructure. The 2022 Census results highlight that Midlothian remains the fastest growing local authority in Scotland with an increase of 16.1%. The 2011 census data lists Midlothian as having a population of 83,187 which has risen to 96,600 in the 2022 census data. The level of growth is 2.3% higher than our previous calculation and is now 13.4% higher than the Scottish average of 2.7%. In terms of households, Midlothian saw the highest percentage increase at 17.2% since the 2011 census. Population density in Midlothian is 273.1 residents per square kilometre compared to the Scottish average of 69.8. This growth creates the opportunity to meet the housing need with 25% of new homes being built in the affordable housing bracket, in addition to the expansion in Council house building. This construction will directly support employment and will see a steady increase in the value of Council Tax income received over time. Page 175 of 356
Page 176
Our Capital Strategy sets out the infrastructure required to meet those demographic pressures and includes the financial contributions Midlothian will make to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. Encompassing five main themes the City Region Deal will bring significant investment across the regions with total investment of circa £1.3 billion across: • Data Driven Innovation: £751 million • Integrated Regional Employability and Skills: £25 million • Transport: £156 million • Culture: £45 million • Housing: £313 million Through the Data Driven Innovation strand the Deal will leverage existing world-class research institutes and commercialisation facilities in order that Easter Bush becomes a global location of Agritech excellence. The Easter Bush project includes significant investment in transport infrastructure along the A701/2 transport corridor. In addition, by improving on-site infrastructure at Easter Bush and transport infrastructure, The University of Edinburgh expects commercial partners will be able to co-locate at scale to commercialise Agritech breakthroughs. The UK Government has announced the University of Edinburgh as the preferred location for the exascale supercomputer, which will be able to perform one billion, billion calculations each second. Once operational, it will provide high-performance computing capability for key research and industry projects across the UK. Exascale will help researchers model all aspects of the world, test scientific theories and improve products and services in areas such as artificial intelligence, drug discovery, climate change, astrophysics and advanced engineering. Exascale will be housed in a new £31 million wing of EPCC’s Advanced Computing Facility in Easter Bush, which has been purpose-built as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. Installation of the first phase began in 2025. The Capital Investment Strategy sits centrally within the Council’s future planning activities and in doing so has to reflect the demands of Council services to ensure positive outcomes are achieved in the right place, at the right time, for the maximum benefit to Midlothian. The extensive capital programme aims to deliver new schools, investment in council housing, improved community infrastructure, investment in the local transport network and innovative developments such as the new low carbon heat network in Shawfair. In response to all these pressures, a range of reprioritisation activity continues, with an Estates & Asset Management Strategy approved by Council in October 2025 which will enable investment and disposal of assets under Best Value for the Council. Risk The Council’s Strategic Risk Profile is reviewed on a retrospective basis and presented to Audit Committee on a quarterly basis. This process provides regular oversight of the most significant threats to the Council’s objectives and operations. At present, the highest priority risks identified relate to financial sustainability, climate change and the successful delivery of the Council’s transformations programme. Our Place directorate plays a pivotal role in mitigatiese risks and spans a range of strategic functions, including long-term spatial and infrastructure planning, implementation of the Medium Term Financial Strategy, and leadership in delivering the Council’s transformation programme. Page 176 of 356
Page 177
Pentana Performance Dashboard – Q4 2025/26 A full review of quarterly performance data is available via Pentana (Browser login link - https://midlothian.pentanarpm.uk/login) here Page 177 of 356
Page 178
Page 178 of 356
Page 179
Place Q4 Performance Report 2025/26 High Level Annual summary Our Green Spaces Key achievements during 2025/26 Progression of £500k investment in improvements to the adventure play area at Vogrie Country Park This year, 5,118 volunteer hours (853 days) were spent in countryside sites. Volunteer numbers continue to remain high this year ensuring our sites are attractive, safe and welcoming for all to enjoy. (6,642 in 2024/25) In addition, 86 Ranger events were undertaken with 1,608 participants. (222 events in 2024/25) 52 improvements were completed across our play areas and greenspaces. (62 in 2024/25) 350 litter bins replaced as part of the litter bin replacement programme. Waste and Recycling Launch of Twin Stream Recycling throughout Midlothian, delivering 46,000 new recycling bins and a move to three weekly collections. 47.3% of household waste recycled (average figure from Q1 to Q3, annual figures available in Q1 2025/26) (47.7% over same period last year). 37% of waste used to generate heat and electricity (average figure from Q1 to Q3, annual figures available in Q1 2025/26) (36% over same period last year). Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item 5.7 Page 179 of 356
Page 180
Our Roads and Footpaths 202 food law service requests received from Midlothian residents and businesses (208 in 2024/25) 14.25% of the council’s fleet now consists of electric vehicles (8.2% in 2024/25) 64 Vehicles purchased this year as part of our fleet replacement programme The street lighting capital programme was completed ahead of plan with a targeted 330 new lighting column replacements. A further 900 street lights were upgraded to LED lanterns to include a central management system for dimming. (472 columns in 2024/25). The Pothole Pro project equated to 18,902m2 of permanent patching, repairing 3,053 potholes this year. (compared to 16,029 m2 and 3,122 in 2024/25). 2,634.57 tonnes of material used in 2025/26 to fill potholes. (3,059.37 in 2024/25). Carriageway and footway investment in excess of £7m for the year (this excludes significant revenue works such as pothole filling, line marking and winter maintenance) 16.6km of carriageway resurfaced (23.7km in 2024/25) 7.11km of footway resurfaced (4.96km in 2024/25) Protective Services 100% of planned food inspections carried out. A total of 378 food law interventions (food hygiene/standards) were carried out at businesses across Midlothian. (287 in 2024/25). 97% of public health complaints received a first response within timescale (97% in 2024/25). Our Public Health and Environmental Protection team received 1,440 public health service requests this year from Midlothian residents and businesses and 357 requests from internal sources. (1,252 in 2024/25). “Road” icon by Evan Shuster from Noun Project CC BY 3.0 Page 180 of 356
Page 181
Planning, Sustainable Growth and Investment 120 intelligence logs were recorded on IDB, the national Trading Standards database. (132 in 2024/25) Trading Standards received 150 consumer complaints this year with at least £16,500 being returned to Midlothian consumers following Trading Standards involvement. This includes refunds as well as repairs and replacement goods. (153 in 2024/25) 183 Trading Standards primary inspections took place this year. Continued progression of the Midlothian Local Development Plan 2 (MLDP2) with proposed plan and delivery programme in preparation and associated GIS mapping work. 88 Business start-ups this year. This should realise a forecasted creation of 110 jobs and an estimated contribution of £2.561M to the Midlothian economy in their first year of trading. (128 start-ups in 2024/25 with £6.245M contribution to economy) The Midlothian Tourism Strategy 2026-3030 was progressed this year and will be submitted to Council for approval. The revised programme allows for the inclusions of a detailed, delivery focused plan, strengthening the strategy’s implementation and monitoring framework. 208 Businesses now signed up to the Midlothian Business Green Pledge. (179 sign-ups end of 2024/25) 237 ‘Planning to Start’ business enquiries were received this year and 44 ‘Strengthen Your Business’ enquires received, totalling 281, (256 in 2024/25) Page 181 of 356
Page 182
Housing The total number of jobs completed internally, by our Building Maintenance Service this year was 36,635 (35,986 in 2024/25) Jobs include all reactive, planned works, voids and inspections. 87 lets were made to new build and open market purchases. (177 in 2024/25) Re-let times to permanent accommodation properties this year has averaged at 29 days to re- let and continues on a downward trend from 34 days in 2024/25. This year housing received the completed handover of 64 new build homes (148 in 2024/25). The length of time homeless applicants waited until receiving a permanent housing outcome is 57 weeks for this year and well below our target of 85 weeks (this is based on recent data across quarter 1 to 3) The number of temporary accommodation households that have been flipped to permanent accommodation was 163 this year. (171 in 2024/25) The number of homeless cases provided with advice and assistance this year was 747 (881 in 2024/25) 94.1% of homeless applicants sustained a permanent tenancy after 1 year compared to 90.76% in 2024/25. 497 lets were made this year (586 in 2024/25) Page 182 of 356
Page 183
Sport and Leisure The percentage of Primary school meal uptake for this year increased to 58.08% compared to a 56.96% uptake for 2024/25. The percentage of Secondary school meal uptake was 34.6% this year (slightly less than 38.22% in 2024/25) The percentage of school meal food waste this year was 3.03%, a substantial reduction from 4.38% in 2024/25. Our Mileisure memberships (previously Tonezone) continues to grow through gym refurbishment programme, rebranding, improved marketing and promotion with a total of 6,315 memberships this year to date. An increase of 18% from last year. Primary 4 pupils attended free swimming lessons this year, with a 49% increase from attendances last year. Midlothian Active Choices (MAC) is a sport and leisure physical activity referral programme, aimed at adults who are inactive and experience various health conditions. The programme offers a range of supported activities across Midlothian to help manage these health conditions. This year saw 8,882 Midlothian Active Choices attendees and an increase of 21% in new referrals after completion of MAC sessions. Catering Services Across the year, over 1.04 million school meals prepared and served. Our Catering Services retained the Bronze Food for Life Award and the Pro-veg School Plates Bronze award this year. 9% increase in sport and leisure facility usage (excluding pools) 14% increase in Ski/Snowboarding instruction 9% increase in Ski/Snowboarding open sessions Page 183 of 356
Page 184
Construction and Development Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing 2 Programme (EESSH2) progressing significantly well, with approximately 10% of all Council housing stock benefitting from new energy efficiency measures in 2025/26. Secured and delivered £2.5 million of external grant funding to support the Midlothian House Retrofit and Refurbishment project. Passivhaus development progressing well on site at former Newbattle High School this year, 52 new homes handed over by January 2026. Planning application completed and formally submitted for Destination Hillend – Zip Safari project. Two upgraded community pavilions in Gorebridge and Pathhead were successfully delivered using UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) funding and SALIX recycling fund funding. Capital Programme Awards Won Inspiring Learning Spaces at Learning Spaces Scotland Awards (Easthouses Primary School) and Highly Commended for Best Project at Learning Spaces Collaborative Partnership Award at Accelerate to Zero Awards (BE-ST) 2025 (Shawfair District Heat Network / Partnership with Vattenfall). Highly Commended at SURF Regeneration Awards – Housing (Buccleuch St, Dalkeith, social housing development). Page 184 of 356
Page 185
“Place is where people, location and resources combine to create a sense of identity and purpose, and are at the heart of addressing the needs and realising the full potential of communities” The Place service ambition is to deliver joined-up, collaborative, and participative approaches to services, land and buildings, across all sectors within a place, enabling better outcomes for everyone and increased opportunities for people and communities to shape their own lives. Transformation Place services continue to support the delivery of the Council’s transformation agenda, embracing new ways of working, making better use of technology, cross-service collaboration and focussing our efforts on delivering what matters most in our local communities. The Transformation Blueprint (2023-2028) outlines the key areas that need addressing to balance the Council’s financial position, prepare for upcoming challenges, foster continued growth, and adapt to unforeseen changes. The Blueprint aligns with the Council’s three strategic aims, as defined in the Single Midlothian Plan: • Individuals and communities have improved health and learning outcomes. • No child or household live in poverty. • Significant progress is made towards net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Place Q4 25/26 performance report Place Service Building Services Housing Services Protective Services Neighbour -hood Services Sport and Leisure Property & Facilities Planning, Sustainable Growth & Investment Page 185 of 356
Page 186
The Transformation Blueprint sets out the strategic direction over a five year period, guiding the organisation through reprioritisation and redesign to meet future challenges and demands and achieve sustainable success. Transformation Blueprint Objectives 1. Support the Council to address the 5-year funding gap of outlined in the Medium-Term Financial Strategy. 2. Follow the Money to ensure that the services we commission, contracts we manage and digital solutions we use deliver value for money. 3. Develop an organisational workforce that is flexible, ensuring that all staff have the necessary skills to work effectively, supported by digital technologies that are fit for a 21st century workforce. 4. Design a workplace for the future delivering services in a holistic and integrated way. 5. Drive forward multi-agency transformation to deliver systems-level change resulting in joined-up service delivery which improve outcomes. Page 186 of 356
Page 187
Environmental Midlothian Council is firmly committed to tackling climate change and working towards a net zero future in line with Scottish Government targets. This commitment covers not only the Council’s own operations, but also its role in leading, supporting, and partnering with the wider community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the impacts of a changing climate. We are delivering on this commitment through our Climate Change Strategy, a clear plan that sets out how we cut emissions from our activities, work collaboratively with residents, businesses, and community groups, and promote both climate mitigation and adaptation across Midlothian. To ensure our approach remains ambitious and effective, we are currently updating our Climate Change Strategy. The draft strategy incorporates a cross-service action programme aligned with the comprehensive statutory guidance on the public bodies’ climate change duties issues by the Scottish Government. Embedding Council Climate duties requires fundamental, systems wide change, with significant implications for organisational culture and governance with requirements spanning across all Council Services and cross-sector partnerships. Delivering a successful climate transition will demand collaboration and co-creation across services, alongside strong regional and national alignment It will also require medium- and long-term business planning with delivery supported through blended finance mechanisms at its core. This refreshed framework will guide the Council and our local authority partners in their shared mission to reach net zero, building a greener, more sustainable, and more resilient Midlothian for the future. Page 187 of 356
Page 188
Roads and Travel Fleet replacement As part of our ongoing fleet replacement programme, we have continued to modernise and decarbonise our vehicle fleet. This year 54 vans, 6 Heavy Goods Vehicles and 3 buses and 1 car was delivered. The introduction of 16 additional electric vehicles, 1 during quarter 4, represents a significant step forward in reducing our environmental impact. As of quarter 4, 14.25% of the council’s fleet now consists of electric vehicles, directly supporting our commitment to achieving net carbon zero emissions by eliminating exhaust emissions from these vehicles. Our Road network This year, under the combined Capital Works Programme and Residential Streets Programme, a total of 16.6km of carriageway was resurfaced and delivered within budget, representing 2.37% of the road network resurfaced, of a targeted 2.75%. In comparison to last year, this is a decrease from 23.7km of carriageway resurfaced. Capital resurfacing works have been affected this year due to the delivery of other roads projects that sit out with the Capital Works Programme. Most notably, the installation of a new signalised junction at Carrington Road and the A7, near the Sun Inn, together with resurfacing of the A7 and footways, as part of the A7 “Urbanisation project”. The delivery of the urbanisation project to the Sun Inn stretch delivered more than 700 linear metres of both carriageway and footpath surface, a toucan crossing, improved lighting and additional drainage. These projects aim to improve active travel connections, making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle and connect to public services more easily. This year a total of 7.11km of footways were resurfaced, representing 1% of the network. Footway resurfacing has improved significantly this quarter with 4.95km resurfaced, compared to 1.93km in quarter 3, exceeding the annual target set for the year. In comparison to last year’s figures, this is an increase of 2.15km of footway having been resurfaced. Page 188 of 356
Page 189
A targeted road safety scheme was delivered on the A6094 at Howgate to improve conditions for motorcyclists along this well used rural route. The project introduced 6,685m2 of new high friction surfacing at key bends and braking zones significantly improving grip and reducing the risk of loss of control incidents. To support earlier hazard awareness, variable message signs (VMS) were installed to give motorcyclists advance warning of upcoming bends and changing road conditions. The project also incorporated flexi beam crash retention systems, designed to reduce impact severity in the event of a collision. Complementing these measures, enhanced road markings were applied to guide motorcyclists through bends. Potholes This year we achieved a reduction in the tonnage of material used to fill potholes more effectively and efficiently, with 2,634.6 tonnes of material used compared to 3,059.37 tonnes during 2024/25. Quarter 4 shows 487.8 tonnes of material used compared to same period last year at 629.35. The Pothole Pro project equated to 18,902m2 of permanent patching this year, an increase of 18% compared to the same period last year. Quarter 4 saw 3,052m2 of permanent patching, an increase of 7% compared to quarter 4 2024/25. The number of potholes permanently repaired this year was 3,053, a slight decrease compared to last year at 3,122. Quarter 4 figures show 922 potholes were repaired, an increase of 58% compared to the same period last year. Data in relation to pothole repairs, material used, square metres covered and number filled, is expected to fluctuate from quarter to quarter depending on areas prioritised for maintenance. Rural roads typically involve fewer but larger potholes and residential areas tend to contain a higher number of smaller defects. Street lighting and signals The capital street lighting programme commenced in June with 331 street lighting columns replaced, meeting target in advance of year end. A further 900 LED upgrades to existing columns were replaced, of which 197 were complete during quarter 4. Repairs to street lighting continues to remain high this year with 97.88% of street lighting repairs completed within 7 days. Page 189 of 356
Page 190
In addition, fifteen signalised junctions across the county were upgraded to modernise our traffic network. These sites were equipped with Urban Traffic Control (UTC) and Microprocessor-based Optimal Vehicle Actuation (MOVA) technology, which was delivered using Transport Scotland funding to improve traffic flows. The upgrade allows each junction to respond dynamically to real time traffic conditions, adjusting green times to manage queues more effectively and prioritise dominant flows. In addition, 3 sets of traffic signals were upgraded this year. Other achievements throughout the year Throughout the year the Road Services team were recognised for various achievements and initiatives with shortlisting as a finalist at the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) service awards in the category ‘Best Technical Team’, in recognition of their outstanding work on the upgrade of the National Cycle Network Route 196 (NCN196) between Rosewell and Auchendinny. The team had the privilege this year of welcoming the Scottish Government’s Transport Secretary on two separate occasions to showcase the impactful work being undertaken across the region. The visit focussed on the “Safe Route to School” initiative in the Easthouses area, particularly around Easthouses Primary School. This project involved a range of infrastructure improvements designed to ensure safer, more accessible journeys for pupils and families walking or cycling to school. The second visit took place in Roslin, where focus was on a broader set of road safety enhancements delivered by the team. The Transport Secretary observed the measures introduced as part of the 20mph speed limit revisions, including the installation of vehicle-activated signage and speed monitoring stations. These interventions are aimed at reducing vehicle speeds thorough the village, enhancing safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Transport and Active Travel This year has saw the continued success of the community bus service pilot. The pilot uses existing Council fleet and runs between Pathhead and Penicuik, via Gorebridge, Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg, Straiton (Loanhead). The service has remined steady this quarter with approximately 15 to 20 passengers daily. In addition, our client transport which includes home to school, additional support needs, Children services and Health and Social care was delivered from August 2025 under the new transport procurement framework. As a key element of Midlothian’s Active Travel Strategy ‘On the Move Midlothian: Our Active Travel Strategy for Everyone 2024-2034’, Midlothian’s Active Travel team reported its most successful year to date, marking a significant milestone in our efforts to promote, sustainable, safe, and healthy travel options for young people. This academic year, for the first time ever, every primary school in Midlothian participated in Bikeability Scotland Road Cycling Training, placing Midlothian among the top-performing local authorities in the country. As a result of this achievement, our Bikeability Coordinator won the Annual Achievement Award 2025 at Cycling Scotland’s Bikeability Scotland Awards in November. This achievement reflects a growing commitment to equip the next generation with the skills and confidence needed to travel actively and safely. Page 190 of 356
Page 191
Waste and Recycling Twin Stream recycling Twin Stream recycling was launched this quarter, supported by a £2.2 million grant from Zero Waste Scotland. This project is a major initiative aimed at improving recycling services for residents and introduced an additional green recycling bin for every household. Twin stream recycling is a collection method where recyclable materials are separated into two categories at the point of collections, one stream for paper and card and the other for plastics and cans. This approach reduces contamination, improves the quality of recyclables, and increases the proportion of materials that can be successfully processed and reused. By making it easier for residents to sort their recycling at source, the Council anticipates substantial cost savings in the disposal of dry mixed recycling, alongside higher overall recycling rates. The project saw the delivery of 46,000 240 litre green bins to properties across Midlothian and a move to a three weekly bin collection cycle for grey, blue and green bins as of March 2026. Glass and food collections remained on the original collection frequency, and this quarter saw an increase in requests for glass collection boxes and food caddies. The aim of the initiative is to reduce residual waste and increase recycling to achieve environmental and financial benefits. While there was a number of operational challenges during implementation, a vast majority of residents have embraced the new service changes and early indications are that there has been a decrease in residual waste and an increase in recycling. Monitoring of contamination levels are taking place and Initial figures show that the contamination level in the new green bin was around 5%, which is an achievement so early on in the new collection cycle. This service transformation was communicated to Midlothian residents with updates on progress to queries, and managed responses to concerns or complaints. Changes to the service were further supported by a focused, ongoing education and engagement programme designed to help residents adapt to the changes and maximise participation. A continuation of the communications strategy is planned for quarter 1 to further embed positive messages around recycling. Page 191 of 356
Page 192
Waste Transfer Shed The extension to the existing transfer shed at Stobhill depot is on target for completion at the end of quarter 1. This will allow separation of plastic and cans, from paper and card before distribution to processing plants which means that processing costs for recycling material will be reduced. In-cab technology The implementation of the Whitespace in-cab technology system continued to have a positive impact on the way the waste service is being delivered this year. This innovative system has enhanced the efficiency of resource deployment, leading to measurable gains in key performance areas. The In-cab technology was an essential tool in delivering the twin stream recycling roll out. The new three weekly bin collection routes were designed and built within the system, allowing frontline crews to access real time route information and service updates. Work to integrate our online ‘missed bin’ form via our Customer Services Platform to the in-cab technology has been finalised and due to go live in the coming months. This will further enhance the customer journey by improving the way the service engages with residents in relation to enquires and complaints. Page 192 of 356
Page 193
Our Greenspaces Litter bin replacement programme This year, the Neighbourhood Environment Team installed 350 new litter bins on our streets and in district centres across Midlothian, raising the quality of the local environment. As part of the replacement programme, each bin that is replaced is assessed for condition and re-used where possible. Park and greenspace improvements Improvements continue to be delivered in our park and green areas. 50 projects were planned for this year across Midlothian. 52 improvements across our play areas, parks and green spaces were completed up to and including this quarter, consisting of landscaping schemes and the installation of benches and street litter bins, as well as deep cleaning projects, which enhance the local environment. Further funded projects are planned for quarters 1 to 3 to enhance the quality and accessibility of our play areas. Winter and summer work programmes Across quarter 3 and beginning of quarter 4, the Greenspace team carried out the winter works programme in town centres and parks across Midlothian. The work focused on removing weeds, litter and detritus, cutting back shrubs, overhanging vegetation and jet washing paved areas. In addition, all programmed shrubs beds were pruned with some beds removed to enhance spaces where appropriate. The team carried out cleaning of bus stops, town centres and villages as well as removing overgrown grass encroaching footpaths across Midlothian. Towards the end of this quarter the summer maintenance programme commenced with grass cutting, weed control programme and further detritus clearing and litter removal taking place in March to ensure the area is clean and well maintained as the growing season begins for 2026. Page 193 of 356
Page 194
Working with the community Our ranger service continues to deliver activities and school sessions with 86 events carried out this year attracting 1,608 participants. A reduction from 222 events/activities carried out during 2024/25. The team continued to work with our brilliant volunteers across Midlothian, supporting volunteer groups who help manage our countryside sites. The work we carry out jointly has a huge impact on the quality of the local environment. Our volunteer groups provide added value to the work that we do with litter picking, gardening and fund raising to brighten our local areas. Up to and including this quarter, 5,118 volunteer hours (853 days) were spent in countryside sites. This is a reduction in volunteer hours compared to the same period last year of 6,642. The reduction in ranger led activities and volunteer time this year is largely due to staff availability at the beginning of the year. However, figures are expected to increase after an appointment was made to the vacant post within the ranger service. The service also appointed an additional ranger, funded by the Nature Restoration Fund, their role primarily being to deliver biodiversity projects. Vogrie Country Park This quarter, our Greenspace service analysed the Vogrie play area consultation findings and have prepared tender documentation for the procurement exercise for the £500k of improvements to the adventure play area at Vogrie Country Park. This is funded by a grant from Scottish Government and will be completed in quarter 1 of 2026/27. Once complete, this upgraded facility will provide a modern, inclusive, and exciting space for families to enjoy, further enhancing the park’s reputation as a premier destination for leisure and recreation. Various family events took place this quarter including the creation of a new woodland trail themed around Easter, which will be updated throughout the year to provide seasonal themed family walks and encourage visitors to the park. Page 194 of 356
Page 195
This year saw the official opening of The Bubbling Toad, a vibrant, family focused attraction located on the first floor of Vogrie House. Operated by a private company, The Bubbling Toad offers an immersive, magical themed experience, complete with a range of engaging, paid activities designed for children and young people. This has breathed fresh energy into Vogrie House, marking the first phase of an ambitious, long term plan to generate sustainable revenue for the park by making full use of the historic building and underused space. Protective Services Business Regulations: Food and Safety Our Business Regulations Food and Safety team continue to prioritise proactive interventions at food businesses registered with Midlothian Council with the highest risk for food safety and standards. All priority 1 and 2 premises received completed food law interventions in line with our service plan for the year. The team carried out 378 food hygiene/food standards interventions across Midlothian this year which is a 31% increase compared to the number of interventions during last year. 105 interventions were carried out this quarter. 202 food law service requests were received this year from Midlothian business residents, which is consistent with 208 requests received last year. 93% of food related service requests were responded to within 10 working days. The team completed all food sampling requirements for the year. This includes planned food samples taken from our highest risk premises mostly consisting of manufacturers and Food Standards Scotland surveillance samples. A number of failures were reported by the Public Analyst, in particular, minor composition and labelling issues, that have been followed up with the Food Business Operator (FBO) to secure compliance. Officers have been working closely with a couple of small independent retail businesses where labelling contraventions were noted. Officers applied a graduated response and worked with these businesses to provide advice and understanding of their legal requirements. Compliance was achieved without the need for enforcement action with a positive outcome for all parties. Page 195 of 356
Page 196
This quarter, in February, a Food Alert for Action (FAFA) was received from Food Standards Scotland, alerting the team of meat and meat products, supplied to 3 food premises within Midlothian, that required to be removed from the market. A large amount of meat at one of the premises was identified as being from the source. The business was cooperative in ensuring the products did not reach consumers. Various other key interventions were carried out throughout the year including, a multi-agency visit to a premise in Bonnyrigg that had previously been found selling counterfeit vodka where previous interventions proved to be successful, leading to improved legal compliance by the business. An investigation into allergens being omitted from a product label where a national Allergen Alert was issued through Food Standards Scotland, mitigating the risk to the public. A submission of a report to the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service was made due to an extensive rat infestation within a Gorebridge food premise. Enforcement action was taken against a home catering business who was preparing high-risk ready to eat food without controls to prevent contamination and out with temperature control. This led to Remedial Action notices being issued. 95 premises were visited after a Food Alert for Action was received for ingredients within a product that is not authorised for use in the UK, the affected products removed from 9 premises. This year all officers in the Food and Safety Team are now authorised in food safety and focus has been on increasing our resilience in this area. For 2026/27 the team will focus on health and safety matters. One of our Authorised Officers recently passed the REHIS Certificate in Advance Health and Safety (SCQF Level 8). This is an exceptional achievement which will allow the team to focus on health and safety projects planned for the coming year. Our Business Regulations Food and Safety team underwent an audit this year which was conducted by the external regulator, Food Standards Scotland in relation to food law enforcement activities. The aim of the audit was to assess and verify the arrangements in place to ensure the adequate and effective delivery of food law enforcement systems, procedures and actions. The final audit report was presented to Cabinet this quarter in January. In the presentation of audit findings, auditors concluded that whilst recognising the significant staffing resource issues, which is being experienced nationally, the service was performing well in fulfilling its enforcement roles and responsibilities. Business Regulations: Trading Standards Our Trading Standards team received 150 consumer complaints this year which is consistent with 153 received last year. 99% of consumer complaints were responded to within 5 working days and 147 complaints were fully completed in the year. 39 of those were received during quarter 4 with a response rate of 97%. Completion is not fully within service control and it is dependent on traders and complainants responding to investigations, although the team continue to contact consumers and traders as early as possible to maximise target completion days. Page 196 of 356
Page 197
Over the year a minimum of 21 people have received some kind of positive result after Trading Standards involvement in their complaints. 14 of these have been refunded, totalling over £16,500 and others have included advice from Trading Standards about scam warnings, advice on cancellation of contracts including subscriptions, received goodwill payments and had repairs carried out. 183 Trading Standards primary inspections took place across the year, an increase of 18% compared to 154 inspections last year. 51 inspections were carried out during quarter 4, an increase of 46% with 35 carried out during the same period last year. 120 intelligence logs were recorded on the national Trading Standards Intelligence database (IDB) by our Trading Standards team this year and in comparison, to other Scottish Councils, Midlothian continue to sit in the top quartile for logs created and were recently commended for these efforts. 23 logs were recorded this quarter. Trading Standards prosecution cases continued this quarter with three ongoing cases, one concluding in March with a guilty plea and a fine of £485, concerning a landscaper who did not do any work despite being paid in full. The customer was refunded in this case after court proceedings began. One case is awaiting trial in June. The Procurator Fiscal was contacted about the third case concerning counterfeit goods that were reported 18 months ago and this has now begun legal proceedings. This quarter assistance was provided to a small business, where a container of toys for a Newtongrange supplier was detained at Grangemouth following issues with labelling and safety certificates. Trading Standards involvement facilitated the release of the container, the quarantine of over 11,000 goods at the premises, correspondence with the supplier and importer until, in March, when after further tests and relabelling was carried out, quarantine was lifted and the goods allowed to be sold. Assistance was also provided to a small business where 140 jars of skin creams for a Loanhead supplier was detained at Grangemouth in February following issues with the cosmetic product safety certificates. Trading Standards involvement led to the removal of the creams, correspondence with the new author of the safety certificate, until two weeks later they were returned after their qualifications were confirmed. Sale of illicit tobacco This year 50 interventions were carried out regarding tobacco and nicotine containing products which is consistent with last year’s interventions of 52. The most challenging area for Trading Standards this year has been the interventions on the sale of counterfeit and illicit cigarettes and tobacco in new shops in Midlothian. As previously reported through the year, three premises acting as fronts for the sale of illicit cigarettes and tobacco were closed through repeated visits by Trading Standards, assisted by Police, a tobacco detector dog and the co- operation of landlords with a total of 5 referrals being made to HMRC to issue and pursue civil penalties on one shop in Dalkeith, 3 referrals to a Penicuik shop and another referral to a shop outside the Dalkeith area. Page 197 of 356
Page 198
Public Health and Environmental Protection Our Public Health Environmental Protection (PHEP) team received 1,440 public health service requests this year from Midlothian residents and businesses, an increase of 15% compared to last year. 97% of public health complaints received a first response within timescale this year which remains steady with the same response rate as last year. 94% of complaints received a first response within timescale during quarter 4. A further 357 service requests were received from internal sources this year, a 6% decrease compared to the same period last year. 87 were received during quarter 4. This quarter the team successfully contracted a new supplier for stray dog kennelling, with all stray dogs reunited with their registered keeper within the statutory period. Unexpectedly, and at short notice, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency database system ceased to operate from January 2026. The team successfully implemented an alternative provider to ensure future support for the handling of abandoned vehicles. This quarter a new joint working partnership was established with the SSPCA Special Investigations Unit to share intelligence beneficial for animal licensing and welfare. Following submission of the annual return, it has been confirmed that the Council have met our statutory compliance requirements for sampling private water supplies in 2025. This year 51 private water supply samples were carried out and 12 water supplies inspected. Other key achievements across the year include the approval of our Air Quality Annual Progress Report for 2024 by Defra and SEPA where Midlothian were commended on their commitment to air quality monitoring. The team coordinated a joint approach across multiple teams to successfully address a rat infestation in the Jarnac Court area. This year saw two newly appointed Environmental Wardens both achieving the RSPH Level 2 Pest Management Award and a newly appointed trainee Environmental Health Officer passed their professional exams in October and obtained their Diploma awarded by the Royal Environmental Health Institute Scotland. The team continued to support the Regulatory Services Modern Apprentice as part of the national pilot scheme which aims to address the national shortage of regulatory services officers. Page 198 of 356
Page 199
This year, 243 abandoned vehicles were reported with 12 notices served and 1 vehicle removed for destruction. The team issued 28 short term let licences and received 142 planning applications that required consultation with the Public Health and Environmental Protection team. Health, Safety and Resilience This year our Health, Safety and Resilience team processed 528 liquor licenses, 98% of which were determined with 99 during quarter 4 of which 99% were determined. 494 Civic government licences were processed this year with 142 during quarter 4, all of which were determined for the year. The process of consultation for taxi tariffs was completed this year and public consultation on taxi and private hire licensing conditions went live and ran until the middle of November 2025. Work has continued this quarter on the digitalisation of the remaining licence applications to our Customer Service Platform after the successful launch of the first set of online applications earlier in the year. 83 public events and parades took place in Midlothian. All were subject to full assessment, scrutiny and support. 4 events were called to full Safety Advisory Group meetings during quarter 4, taking the total for this year to 34, a reduction from 37 during last year. Forward planning for 2026 Gala days was undertaken this quarter. Effective operation of the Safety Advisory Group helps ensure that all events held within Midlothian’s District were safe and without incident. Page 199 of 356
Page 200
Neighbourhood Services – performance 0.69% 0.01% 0.03% 0.30% 1.00% 3.39% 0.38% 0.97% 1.82% 2.37% Annual 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Annual 25/26 % of Roads and footpath resurfaced (cumulative) % of Footpath % road network 97.88% street lights repairs completed in 7 days. (98.43% in 2024/25) 2,634.57 tonnes of material used to fill temporary and permanent potholes this year. (487.8 in Q4) 18,902m2 of permanent patching achieved this year (3,052m2 in Q4) 3,053 potholes were permanently repaired this year. (922 in Q4). 6,642 1,350 2,605 3,864 5,118 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of vounteer hours in countryside sites (cumulative) Target (25/26 is 6,000) 52 play area, parks and greenspace improvements completed this Year (14 during Q4) and (62 in 2024/25) 14.25% of Council fleet is ‘Green’ (8.2% in 2024/25). Energy from Waste 38.9%Recycled 44.6% Landfill 16.4% % OF ALL DISPOSED WASTE* *Data shows figures for Q3 2025/26. Q4 data not available until Q1 Page 200 of 356
Page 201
Protective Services – performance 65 75 58 51 59 9 5 1 3 36 1 0 0 0 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of abandoned vehicles (quarterly) Reported Notices served Vehicles removed for destruction 100% 100% 100% 100% 97% 89% 90% 67% 81% Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 % of Consumer complaints completed within 14 days responded to within 5 days 93% of food related service requests from mid residents and Businesses responded to with target of 10 working days. (92% in Q4 and 90% in 2024/25) Food Standards 378 food law interventions carried out (Hygiene/Food Standards) this year. (105 in Q4 and 287 during 2024/25) 202 food law service requests received this year (64 in Q4 and 208 in 2024/25) Public Health 97% of public health complaints receiving first response within timescale this year. (97% in 2024/25) 1,440 Public Health service requests received from residents and businesses this year (1,252 in 2024/25). 150 consumer complaints received this year (decrease from 153 in 2024/25) (39 in Q4) 494 Civic Government license applications received this year (492 in 2024/25 and 142 in Q4) 528 liquor licence applications received this year with 98% determined (513 in 2024/25 and 99 in Q4) Trading Standards Page 201 of 356
Page 202
Housing Strategic Housing Investment Plan The Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) identifies the Council’s priorities for investment in new affordable housing in Midlothian over a 5 year period, helping to meet growing demand for housing across Midlothian. The delivery of more affordable housing remains a high priority for Midlothian, as reflected by our ongoing and ambitious housing development programme. The Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan aligns with the action plan set out in the Local Housing Strategy, a new strategy from 2026/27 to 2030/31, was approved at Council in March 2026 and sets out the council’s plans to improve housing in the area and covers all types of tenures of housing. Topics covered include equalities, engagement and consultation, preventing and addressing homelessness, fuel poverty, energy efficiency and housing conditions. This year we have received the completed handover of 64 new build homes, 11 received this quarter, 41 received over quarter 3 and 12 received between June to August. 158 new build homes were handed over during 2024/25, with 39 handed over during quarter 4 of last year. There were 6,672 active housing applicants placed on the Common Housing Register at the end of this quarter, an increase compared to the same period last year of 6,006. 497 lets have been made this year, averaging 41 lets per month, 305 lets were made to homeless applicants and 192 lets to general needs with 78 lets made to new build properties, 9 to buy back properties and 10 to Housing first applicants. For this quarter, 80 lets were made, a Page 202 of 356
Page 203
reduction from 169 lets made at the same period last year. Overall, for the year there is a decrease in lets made compared to last year of 586, this is due to the handover of more new builds last year. This year we have largely retained our letting targets of 60% of lets made to homeless households and 40% for general needs with this year’s figures at 61.4% for homeless applicants and 38.6% for general needs. Re-let times to permanent accommodation properties has increased to 50 days to re-let this quarter compared to 47 at the end of quarter 3. Re-let figures reported throughout the quarters have been higher due to a change at the start of the year in the way the Scottish Housing Regulator requires re-let times to be reported where temporary flip tenancies where to be excluded from the performance measure. A further update from the regulator was received in quarter 4 advising flip tenancies are now to be included in this measure for the overall annual return. This means that, overall for the year, our re-let times show 29 days to re-let to permanent accommodation properties, which is a reduction from 34 days in 2024/25. Quarter 4 figures where flips are included shows 43 days rather than 50 days with flips excluded. This quarter 147 void properties were turned around and ready for let by our Building Maintenance Service. Our void turnaround times show that 74 (50%) of properties required minor work and were turned around quickly, within 20 days, averaging 9.28 days to bring back to a letting standard. 59 (40%) of properties required major works involving house clearances, full decoration and excessive repairs and therefore take longer to bring back to standard. Those properties averaged 63.95 days. 14 (10%) of properties required moderate work including a moderate clearance and repairs and took an average of 26.50 days to bring back to a letting standard. Across the year 526 void properties were turned around and ready for let by our Building Maintenance Service. 238 requiring minor work, averaging 10.63 days, 226 requiring major work, averaging 65.72 days and 62 requiring moderate work, averaging 24.82 days. Throughout the year, Housing Services has continued to place tenants and communities at the heart of decision making by delivering consultation and engagement activities. From our Tenants Satisfaction Survey to focussed engagement on the proposal to designate the Polton Centre as a women-only space, alongside our Tenants Open Day and participation in the Scottish Housing Day, these activities ensure that our residents have meaningful opportunities to shape the services they rely on: • Our Tenants Satisfaction Survey 2025 ran between September and October this year with a total of 760 council tenants participating in the survey. The results show that tenant satisfaction has increased to 82.1%, which is an increase from the previous survey carried out Page 203 of 356
Page 204
in 2022 and remains above the Scottish social housing average of 81.2%. Key findings included that 85.3% of tenants are satisfied with the quality of their home (above Scottish average of 80.5%). Neighbourhood management received an 85.3% satisfaction rate, demonstrating strong performance well above the sector average of 79.47%. The highest scoring measure is that staff were respectful and fair at 88.6%. This reflects positively staff professionalism, behaviour and organisational culture. The survey, which is conducted every three years, plays a vital role in gathering direct feedback from tenants about their experiences and levels of satisfaction with housing services provided. To further strengthen communication and decision making, the Housing Services team will be introducing a new tenant portal later in the year. • Following thorough consultation and careful consideration, earlier this year, the Polton Centre was designated by the Council as a dedicated women-only space within its supported accommodation services. Establishing a women-only supported accommodation space offers a range of significant benefits, particularly for women who have experienced trauma, domestic abuse, homelessness, or other forms of vulnerability. This dedicated space offers women a safe, secure, and supportive environment tailored to their specific needs. It promotes recovery and confidence-building, and ensures services are delivered in a way that respects women’s dignity, safety, and independence. • Our Annual Tenants’ Open Day event was held earlier in the year. Tenants had the opportunity to liaise with our Housing team and also external organisations including Police Scotland, Care Support Scotland, Woodburn Community Hub, Change Works, Pantry Central Dalkeith and Woodburn, VOCAL and Women’s Aid. • Our Scottish Housing Day was held in September where tenants had the opportunity to liaise with our Housing teams. These open days are a strategic initiative that supports the council’s goals of delivering tenant focussed services, promoting inclusion, and strengthening community ties. Page 204 of 356
Page 205
Homelessness There continues to be a significant demand placed on homeless and temporary accommodation services as a result of the sustained number of people presenting as homeless. This year homelessness presentations remain stable compared to last year, with the main causes of homelessness being relationship breakdowns, affordability issues and individuals leaving private rented accommodation which is driven largely by the cost of living crisis and lack of affordable housing. The total number of households in temporary accommodation at the end of the year was 357 which has remained similar to figures of 359 at the same period last year. Key priorities this year for Housing Services have included the prevention of homelessness, reducing reliance on temporary accommodation, increasing housing supply and continuing to flip tenancies whilst supporting tenants through financial and wellbeing challenges. The team continues to maintain a strong focus on early intervention and prevention including housing advice and tenancy sustainment support. Positive performance continues in operationally managing the high levels of homelessness prevention and reviews of cases, ongoing strong partnerships with Health and Social Care and the service has continued to embed a person-centred trauma informed approach, ensuring that support is tailored to individuals and families with vulnerabilities. We continue to aim to reduce the length of time that an applicant is in temporary accommodation and through the initiatives implemented as part of our Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan we see households moving through the homeless system more quickly. Officers take a proactive approach when allocating properties to place applicants in their area of choice where possible, increasing the opportunity to accept the property being flipped to permanency and allows for a more sustainable community. The number of temporary accommodation households that have been flipped to permanent accommodation this year was 163, (171 during 2024/25), reducing the need for multiple moves before being permanently housed, allowing for links established within the local community to be maintained. This quarter 9 tenancies were flipped to permanent. Page 205 of 356
Page 206
Our Homelessness team continued to provide households with advice and assistance about homelessness prevention; through rental assistance advice, financial awareness advice and mediation. The number of homeless cases provided with advice and assistance this year was 747 where 95 were prevented from homeless. For quarter 4, 188 homeless cases were provided with advice and assistance. We continue to promote this service to ensure early successful intervention when possible. Latest figures, from available data at quarter 3, show the length of time homeless applicants waited until receiving a permanent housing outcome was 59.5 weeks. Figures show a continued downward trend from quarter 3 of last year (65.97 weeks) and sit well below our 85 week maximum target. The average across quarters 1 to 3 shows 57 weeks. Similarly, from data available at quarter 3, the length of time homeless applicants spend in temporary accommodation was 50.9 weeks at end of quarter 3, a slight increase from 47.9 weeks compared to the same period last year and sits well below our 60 week target. The average across quarters 1 to 3 shows 45.9 weeks. Overall annual and quarter 4 data for both these measurements will be available at quarter 1. Tenants sustaining permanent accommodation continues to be high this year with 94.1% of homeless applicants sustaining a permanent tenancy after 1 year, an increase from 90.7% last year. Building Maintenance The total number of jobs completed internally by our Building Maintenance Service (BMS) this quarter was 10,169. Across the year 36,635 jobs were completed, an increase of 2% compared to last year. Jobs include all reactive, planned works, voids and inspections. This year we have further increased the percentage of council housing stock meeting the Scottish Housing Quality Standards criteria from 90.67% at quarter 1 to 99.82% this quarter. This is also a significant increase from last year at 84.1% and 60.1% in 2023/24. Work this quarter continued to address the remaining properties that are failing the Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR’s). At the end of quarter 4 we have now reduced that figure to 14 properties from 682 in quarter 1 and 338 in quarter 2 and 73 in quarter 3. The service commenced a Page 206 of 356
Page 207
programme of electrical enforcement entries to reduce this figure and further achieve our compliance targets this year. 100% of smoke alarms comply with current legislation. In addition, Housing Stock surveys are ongoing this year, assessing key building elements, identifying disrepair and highlighting where investment is required to maintain standards over time. In line with our Damp and Mould policy the service continues to roll out the environmental sensors throughout our portfolio. This quarter the service installed 329 monitors. This continued roll out will provide us with valuable information from within our homes, allowing us to achieve our targets set out in our Damp and Mould policy. The information collated by the monitors is sent through to a portal using a gateway system that also monitors our smoke alarms. The total monitors installed to date (as of the end of April) is 5,442. Inflation effects and the construction materials supply chain has already been subject to unprecedented disruption through a combination of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic,the UK leaving the European Union, the conflict in Ukraine and the global inflationary picture. The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) continues to report shortages of construction materials and forecasts this disruption to continue for the foreseeable future. Ongoing engagement with suppliers confirms that materials shortages, longer lead times and steep price increases are highly likely to continue to impact the supply chain. Building Standards Due to a continued increase in demand and reduction in resource, performance targets in relation to Building warrants issued are off target this quarter with 42.54% of first reports for building warrant applications issued within 20 working days and 63.05% of building warrants issued within 10 working days, following receipt of satisfactory information. Plans are in place to strengthen the team through the Building Standards service review which outlines proposals to increase the workforce to manage the increase in workload, as well as successfully managing the future of the service as it navigates through the expected changes due to succession planning. During December and April, the service successfully filled vacant posts and during quarter 4 the service was awarded £30,000 of funding from the Scottish Government to employ the services of two private sector surveyors to assist with progressing building warrants. This additional resource has made a positive impact on the service and is expected to improve the current performance relative to national and local targets going forward. It should also be noted that all first reports for building warrants for people with disabilities were responded to within 10 days across all the year meeting our 100% target and an improvement from 89% last year. The service continues to provide a high level of customer satisfaction against an increasing service demand, including a continued high percentage rate of customers queries being responded to within 15 working days, with 98.82% responded to in quarter 4, averaging 96% across the year and meeting our annual target of 95%. Page 207 of 356
Page 208
Housing – performance 6,672 applicants on housing waiting list as of end of this quarter (General needs and Homeless) (increase from 6,006 in 2024/25). General needs 38.6% Homeless 61.4% % of lets made to applicants this year 497 housing lets this year 87 Lets to new build and open market purchases this year. (16 in Q4) 94.1% of Homeless applicants sustaining a permanent tenancy after 1 year. 65.9 71.4 60.9 50.7 59.5 Q3 24/25 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Length of time (weeks) homeless applicants wait until receivng a permanant housing outcome Target (under 85 weeks) 47.9 59.0 51.5 35.3 50.9 Q3 24/25 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Length of time (weeks) homeless applicants spend in temporary accommodation Target (under 60 weeks) 11.27 11.24 11.2 9.28 24.88 23.5 24.29 26.5 75.12 64.51 53.16 63.95 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Average number of days to turnaround a void property by RAG status Minor work required (under 20 days) Moderate work required (21-30 days Major work required (over 30 days)47 16 50 76 25 55 59 7 44 74 14 59 Page 208 of 356
Page 209
Percentage of (completed) housing repairs carried out within timescale Building Standards Building Services – performance 88.35 90.67 95.6 99.27 99.82 50 100 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 % of Council housing meeting Scottish Housing Quality Standards (SHQS) (cumulative) 36,635 jobs completed this year by our Building Maintenance Service (35,986 in 2024/25). 10,169 during quarter 4 (10,457 in Q4 2024/25) 95.07% of emergency repairs completed on time within 24 hours (93.42% in 2024/25) 77.41% of priority 2 repairs completed within 7 days (84.32% in 2024/25) 85.06% of priority 3 repairs completed within 28 days (80.98% in 2024/25) Building Standards National Customer Satisfaction Survey rate: 7.2 out of 10 48.6% 42.0% 44.3% 39.5% 42.5% Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 % of first reports for building warrant applications issued within 20 working days 74% 70.2% 67.7% 61.2% 63.1% Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 % of building warrants issued within 10 working days, following receipt of satisfactory information Page 209 of 356
Page 210
Economy & Regeneration Work continues on the delivery of the Councils Economic Strategy for Inclusive Economic Growth 2025-2030 with supporting delivery plans from 2025-27, setting out how we achieve the objects within the strategy, being shared with Council this quarter. The new strategy aligns with the Scottish Government National Strategy for Economic Transformation and the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal Prosperity Framework. Midlothian’s vision is that: “Midlothian’s wellbeing economy will support our communities, businesses and town centres to thrive, ensuring inclusivity and fair work for all. It will continue to be recognised as home to world leading clusters of science and innovation and be known as an area in which everyone can live, work and do business sustainably to generate wealth and wellbeing for its citizens” This will be achieved in accordance with four pillars, principles that underpin the strategy’s vision: empowerment, partnership and collaboration, ambition and innovation and sets out the following priorities to achieve our vision: • Develop Midlothian’s proposition within the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region. • Enhance skills and employability opportunities in Midlothian, to meet the challenges and opportunities of inclusive Green Growth with entrepreneurship recognised as valuable career pathway. • Maximise the potential of Midlothian’s key sectors to support a Just Transition. • Capitalise on the strengths of Midlothian’s strategic partners to embed community wealth across all services to realise a wellbeing economy. • Re-imagine our town centres, ensuring they meet Midlothian’s economic, social, cultural and environmental needs. • Deliver infrastructure enhancements that will support Midlothian’s transition to a Wellbeing Economy. Page 210 of 356
Page 211
Business Gateway Service The Business Gateway Midlothian Service continues to offer consistent levels of activity across various support services, from pre-start, to start-up and existing business growth support. 237 ‘Planning to Start’ enquiries were received this year, which is a decrease from 198 during 2024/25. 79 enquiries were received during quarter 4, which is an increase of 72% compared to the same period last year of 46. Enquiries are received from individuals that are considering setting up a business but need support to achieve this, these clients tend to have numerous sessions with their advisor covering areas such as business planning, access to finance, regularity compliance, routes to market and can take from 3 months to a year to reach the trading stage. 44 ‘Strengthen Your Business’ enquires were received this year, a decrease of 58 from last year. 13 enquires were received this quarter which has increased compared to the previous two quarters. These are a mix of disengaged clients that are re- engaging or new clients and present an opportunity to engage new businesses with the service, as well as re-engaging existing clients. As well as ‘Planning to Start’ and ‘Strengthen Your Business’ enquiries, the Business Gateway Service responds to CRM and local enquiries including pre-start and existing businesses across Midlothian. The total number of new Business start-ups this year was 88. Business start-ups have decreased from last year which saw 128 start-ups. During quarter 4, 23 businesses were claimed as starts, creating 35 jobs and an estimated contribution of £465,000 to the Midlothian Economy in the first year of trading. The total estimated contribution to the Midlothian Economy for the year 2025-26 is £2,641,200.00. Page 211 of 356
Page 212
“All staff that I have interacted with have been really helpful and friendly.” “Ewan is wonderful!” “Annie at Midlothian is fantastic! Such a great support” Business Gateway Expert Help Programme A new programme of Expert Help was awarded this quarter and the Digital Marketing Expert Help was launched following a lengthy procurement process, the successful bidder was Edinburgh based Social Ant. Business Gateway Midlothian Events The team have held various events throughout the year including, coffee mornings, virtual events and in person workshops. In conjunction with our Procurement service, 2 virtual meet the buyer events were held this year to support 4 new procurements being tendered for various trade services. This quarter a Business Gateway Coffee Morning was held at the Gorebridge Beacon on the 20th of March 2026. Guest speakers were Jayne Adamson, a local development officer at Tyne and Esk and Robbie Broomfield director of growth services at Venture Labs. Jayne took us through a new fund that will be available to businesses in 2026, while Robbie highlighted the purpose led business support that Venture Labs offer. The event had 30 signups but 19 failed to attend leaving 11 as attending. In partnership with Learn Ecommerce, the team delivered an online retail e‑commerce programme. Six Midlothian businesses participated. Sessions focused on building or strengthening their existing online presence. The programme aimed to improve commercial performance, increase profit from stock, and strengthen the local high street economy. Business Gateway Midlothian feedback via Business Gateway National provider for support provided in quarter 4: “Ewan is wonderful and I look forward to working with him as my business grows! He's made me feel very positive and reassured as my business starts!.” “Advice is ongoing as just trying to get back into my business and taking it forward. I have noticed though that there doesn't seem to be any meetings locally to Midlothian. I like the webinars as I can arrange them around what I need to do, keep up the good work 😊😊” Page 212 of 356
Page 213
Locate in Midlothian and Business Gateway Midlothian Digital engagement The Locate in Midlothian website received 13,482 page views during quarter 4, with a total of 56,936 views across the year. Commercial properties remain the most popular page on the website and continues to be in the top 5 results on Google for the search terms ‘Business premises in Midlothian’ and ‘commercial property in Midlothian’. Our social media channels target different audiences, and each is performing well in terms of audience growth and interaction with 2,506 ‘Business Gateway Midlothian’ followers and 2,335 ‘Locate in Midlothian’ followers across Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Economic Development Service - external funding An application was submitted in quarter 4 to the Scottish Government Pathways Fund to deliver Enterprise support to two cohorts in SIMD areas (Woodburn and Mayfield/Easthouses). If successful, the programme will be delivered primarily in person following community engagement events during July and August with programme delivery from September to November 2026. A total of 30 participants will be recruited onto the programme with continued support provided on programme completion. A decision is expected in May 2026. This quarter the Local Growth Fund, managed by the Edinburgh and South East Scotland (ESES) Regional Economic Partnership has allocated £54,000.00 to business support in the 2026-27 financial year as a transition year with years 2 and 3 activity delivered regionally. Community Wealth Building With the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Act 2026 coming into force this quarter on 25th March 2026 there has been increased activity during the quarter to prepare for the development of a Midlothian wide Community Wealth Building Action Plan. This has included planning the delivery of Pillar groups internally and externally, the creation of educational materials, case studies and presentations to ensure shared understanding for Council Staff, specified public bodies and local anchor organisations. In partnership with all Scottish Local Authorities, supported by the Improvement Service, a framework was developed for measures and indicators reporting on Community Wealth Building activity. Page 213 of 356
Page 214
Procurement This year the Economic Development Procurement Mentor has supported 8 businesses to commence their procurement journey. The Economic Development service continues to look for ways to increase demand for this service and the introduction of the Community Wealth Building Act and subsequent consultation requirement with private and third sectors to develop the Midlothian Community Wealth Building Action Plan should enable this to be developed further. Community Wealth Building Social Enterprise This year the service have supported 28 Social Enterprise organisations, 7 during quarter 4, including 2 Starts ups and 5 Business supports. This is a decrease from 62 during 2024/25. Land & Property 88 property and land enquiries were received this year with 19 received this quarter, 13 are existing Midlothian businesses and 6 are currently located in Scotland but registered outside of Midlothian. This is a decrease from 113 received during 2024/25. Inward Investment 2 inward investment enquiries were received during quarter 4, both were seeking land sites. Throughout the year 2025-26 the team have continued to support Soul Padel with their plans to invest at the Ryze Centre in Mayfield and another enquiry with plans to develop a Tennis and Padel Centre at Whitehill. Both now have their plans lodged with the Planning Service. Midlothian Business Green Pledge Economic Development continues to promote the Midlothian Business Green Pledge on social media and in direct conversations with clients to increase education and awareness of climate change and suggest adaptations. The number of businesses signing up to the Pledge continues to rise each quarter with a total of 208 businesses now committed. The team continue to work with pledgers to identify the best platform for group sharing. Through the LinkedIn group, pledgers share their experiences and the team continue to share a mix of green information from partners on learning opportunities, support and funding. Page 214 of 356
Page 215
Tourism, Culture and Heritage The Midlothian Tourism Strategy for Inclusive Economic Growth 2026–2030 is awaiting submission to Council for approval. The revised programme allows for the inclusion of a detailed, delivery-focused action plan, strengthening the strategy’s implementation and monitoring framework. In addition, the strategy has been aligned with the Single Midlothian Plan, Community Wealth Building priorities and regional economic frameworks, ensuring a clear line of sight between strategic ambition and delivery. The Economic Development Service continues to play an active role in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal projects: • Regional Visitor Economy Partnership (RVEP) • Integrated Regional Employability and Skills (IRES) Partnership • Workforce Mobility Project (WFM) During quarter 4, officers attended a range of regional meetings and events. This included a working group progressing the RVEP cycling project to the next stage, and an IRES Partnership session involving academics, businesses and Skills Development Scotland to better understand sectoral skills challenges and inform project delivery. At a national level, the service continues to monitor and assess emerging discussions around the introduction of a Visitor Levy, considering potential local impacts, opportunities and alignment with wider destination management approaches. Following the successful VisitScotland Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Design (STID) award, the final STID report was completed in quarter 4. The document will be published in quarter 1. The STID provides a robust evidence base, identifying key rural tourism pressure points and infrastructure opportunities across Midlothian. Building on this work, two priority projects identified through the STID have progressed to the next stage, with applications submitted for £20,000 design phase funding. In quarter 4, one application (Vogrie Country Park) was successful, with the outcome of the second application (Hillend) currently pending. During quarter 4, Midlothian Council, in partnership with the Midlothian Tourism Forum (MTF), submitted an application to participate in VisitScotland’s Sustainable Destination Development Pilot Programme. This was a highly competitive process, and Midlothian was successful, with public announcement and participation scheduled to begin post elections, in quarter 1. Page 215 of 356
Page 216
Business Gateway Midlothian, in partnership with Midlothian Tourism Forum, delivered its first event since rejoining Film Edinburgh. 37 local businesses attended the event and are now engaged with the Tourism Officer and Film Edinburgh, with early indications showing increased engagement from local businesses with filming opportunities. This builds on wider work undertaken in 2025 to establish a more structured approach to filming in Midlothian, including the development of a Film Charter and Code of Practice, cross-service alignment, and the introduction of a more consistent cost and management framework to maximise economic impact. A detailed analysis of the economic contribution of screen activity in 2025 will be received in quarter 1. In quarter 4, the 2024 STEAM (Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor) narrative report was received. STEAM is an industry- recognised model used to estimate the economic impact of tourism at a local level, including visitor numbers, expenditure and employment supported by the sector. This is the first time Midlothian has had access to a robust, localised dataset of this kind, allowing direct comparison with pre-Covid (2019) performance. This provides a clear and credible evidence base to understand recovery, benchmark progress, and inform future planning, investment and policy development. 2025 data is expected to be published in quarter 1. The current findings show that Midlothian’s visitor economy has continued to recover and grow since 2019: Visitor Days: 1.698m (2024) versus 1.569m (2019) → an increase of 8.2% Visitor Numbers: 1.001m (2024) versus 0.882m (2019) → an increase of 13.5% Direct Expenditure: £127.57m (2024) versus £112.01m (2019) → an increase of 13.9% Economic Impact: £167.90m (2024) versus £147.97m (2019) → an increase of 13.5% Direct Employment: 1,497 FTEs (2024) versus 1,289 (2019) → an increase of 16.1% Total Employment: 1,941 FTEs (2024) versus 1,696 (2019) → an increase of 14.4% Page 216 of 356
Page 217
Property Assets This year our Estates and Asset Management team continue to manage our estate with various sales and leases throughout the year including the letting of unit 38 to Drummond Miller, Solicitors and the sale of the Loanhead Police Station for residential development. Progress was made this quarter with the acquisition of the residential components of Dalkeith Town Centre with the acquisition of the remaining unit in proposed Phase 1. Disposal of 2 former toilet blocks have concluded and community interest in a third is ongoing. The team also concluded sales of the Orchard Centre. This year the team completed the review of the recent condition surveys across our property portfolio. The condition surveys assessed the physical status of repairs of the buildings (based on SFT methodology). The condition surveys now form a key part of the recently approved Asset Management Strategy with planned work progressing to improve, record and monitor actions. In addition, the Geographic Information System (GIS) is developing to provide a centralised data bank of key documents and work is progressing to link this to SharePoint which will provide simplified access to core data, assisting all teams. Page 217 of 356
Page 218
Planning Following the adoption of the National Planning Framework No.4, the Planning Service has progressed its review of the Council’s adopted spatial strategy and are working on the preparation of the Midlothian Local Development Plan 2 (MLDP2). The first phase consisted of engagement with community groups, key agencies, the development industry, residents and elected members. This engagement was ongoing throughout 2023-25. At its meeting in June 2024 Council approved the MLDP2 Evidence Report for submission to the Scottish Government for ‘Gate Check’, the first major milestone in the MLDP2 process. The Evidence Report cleared the ‘Gate Check’ process. From July to October 2024, a ‘call for ideas and opportunities’ exercise to provide individuals, communities, landowners, developers, or any other interested parties with the chance to put forward ideas, opportunities or suggestions on matters or sites they would like included in the plan. In 2025 a series of elected member workshops were held regarding potential housing and employment sites – on the back of the workshops the Planning Committee provisionally approved new housing sites (at its meeting in November 2025) which have formed the basis of officers preparing a Proposed Plan and Delivery Programme to present to Council in the coming months. Officers have also progressed the associated GIS mapping work associated with the Plan, the required Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA), a Retail Impact Assessment, a Transport assessment and Landscape Impact Assessments. Planning application performance: the average timescale to determine local development planning applications is slightly off target this year at 10.3 weeks of a targeted 10 weeks. However, performance throughout this year has improved from 14 weeks last year. The average timescale to determine major development planning applications is on target for this year at 49 weeks of a targeted 50 weeks. 77% of all planning applications were determined within target, although this is below the 80% target for the year, this has improved from 70% last year. Page 218 of 356
Page 219
55 26 22 16 23 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of new Business start ups (quarterly) 70% 73% 89% 71% 75% 77% Annual 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Annual 25/26 % of planning applications completed within target of 80% Planning, Sustainable Growth & Investment–performance Social media 2,335 Locate in Midlothian followers. 2,506 Business Gateway followers 10.3 weeks Average time to determine planning applications for local developments. (14 weeks in 2024/25) 49 weeks Average time to determine planning applications for major developments. (44 weeks in 2024/25) 88 property enquires received this year (19 in Q4) 44 ‘Strengthen your business’ enquiries this year (13 in Q4) 237 ‘Planning to Start’ enquires/submissions this year (79 in Q4) 110 jobs created by new Business start ups this year (35 in Q4) Page 219 of 356
Page 220
59.82% 57.69% 57.07% 59.84% 57.71% 37.13% 33.60% 36.06% 34.78% 33.98% 68.57% 65.91% 70.58% 70.46% 68.62% Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 % of school meal uptake Primary Secondary Free school meals 104.55 103.92 104.48 105.13 105.94 108.04 109.38 109.72 113.14 112.92 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Percentage of cleaning hours against budgeted hours achieved primary school Secondary school 3.97% 3.42% 3.82% 2.98% 3.03% Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Target (less than 5% of waste) Property and Facilities – performance 6.70 nursery and primary school meals prepared per hour this year (6.58 in Q4) 8.09 secondary school meals prepared per hour this year (7.96 in Q4) TARGET: APSE national average 8.84 meals prepared per hour Percentage of school meal food waste Page 220 of 356
Page 221
Health and Wellbeing Facility Services This year our Catering Services prepared and served over 1.04 million school meals across our education setting. The percentage of primary school meal uptake for this quarter is 57.71% and shows a steady increase across this year with the overall annual uptake rate at 58.08%, an increase from 56.96% at the end of last year. Primary school meal uptake continues to sit well above the Scottish Government average of 50.8%. The percentage of secondary school meal uptake this quarter was 33.98% which is a slight decrease compared to the last two quarters. Overall annual figures show the uptake rate at 34.60%, a decrease from 38.22% last year. This is largely due to the refurbishment at Penicuik High School and figures are expected to increase into next year. Our aim is to be above the Scottish Government’s average for secondary school meal uptake of 36.7%, and as such, figures are only marginally off target. This quarter free school meal uptake was 68.62%, a slight decrease compared to quarters 2 and 3 of 70.58% and 70.46% respectively. The overall annual uptake rate is 68.69%, remaining steady with last year’s rate of 68.66% and only slightly off the Scottish Government average target of 70.4%. Page 221 of 356
Page 222
The percentage of school meal food waste continues to remain low this quarter at 3.03%, this remains steady with last quarters figure of 2.98%. Overall, there was 3.31% of food waste from meals prepared, a reduction from 4.38% at end of 2024/25. The service revised their targets for this year and aim to be under 5% by continuing to look at new ways to reduce our food waste across all schools. This year our Catering Services team continued to provide healthy, balanced meals that support pupil well-being and lifelong healthy eating habits, whilst demonstrating our ongoing commitment to quality food standards and sustainability. This quarter the Catering team retained the ProVeg School Plates bronze award and Food for Life bronze award. A newly drafted school menu for 2026 was trialled this quarter and will be implemented during quarter 1. Across our cleaning and janitorial functions, the percentage of cleaning hours against our budgeted hours achieved in both primary and secondary schools remain on target with productivity levels above the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) averages, based on the APSE national average of cleaning 195m per hour. Productivity levels, particularly in secondary schools, have increased this year compared to last. This year Facilities Services, in conjunction with, our Property Maintenance team, successfully completed the holiday works programmes across our schools and put procedures in place to ensure that school kitchens remained compliant by completing all planned and preventative maintenance work was carried out within timescale this year. Page 222 of 356
Page 223
Sport and Leisure Our gym refurbishment programme at Penicuik, Lasswade and Newtongrange was completed and became fully operational this quarter, creating modern, high quality fitness facilities that meets the needs of our community and enhances the overall user experience. Additionally, our tennis court refurbishment project was completed this year with upgrades to local park tennis courts. New sport and leisure branding was recently launched as part of the gym refurbishment programme, with Mileisure branding fully operational this quarter. To further promote leisure facilties, new Instagram and Facebook pages were created this quarter to increase customer engagement. Focussed promotional activity, combined with our gym refurbishment programme, has seen an increase in usage across our facilities this quarter. Our Mileisure (formally known as Tonezone) memberships continues to grow this year through improved marketing and promotion with a total of 6,315 memberships up to the end of quarter 4, the highest number of memberships to date, with an increase of 25% compared to last quarter and an increase of 18% compared to the same period last year 2024/25. Usage figures across our sport and leisure facilities, excluding pools, has significantly increased this quarter to 103,031 compared to the same period last year of 88,905. Annual figures of 339,570, show a 9% increase in the total number of attendances at our leisure facilities compared to 310,297 in 2024/25. Pool use has also increased this quarter to 54,074, showing a 25% increase compared to last quarter. Overall pool use for the year has slightly decreased with 199,317 attendances at pools compared to 208,500 during 2024/25. Page 223 of 356
Page 224
Usage figures also remain high across our newly refurbished tennis courts with a total of 336 bookings per court at Abbeylands, 309 at Beeslack and 431 at Kings Park. In addition, partnerships have been set up with Dalkeith Tennis Club for 6 hours per week from October through to end of March 2026. Midlothian Snowsports Centre Various promotional campaigns have taken place across the year, including a TV advert to attact more visitors to Midlothian Snowsports Centre. This quarter, a new social media profile for Midlothian Snowsports Centre was launched in early March. Between the 7th of March and 5th of April, the account gained 505 new followers and generated 44,000 views, helping to build a new audience base and drive fresh opportunities for content and engagement. The Alpine Coaster continues to see high sales volumes this quarter due to continued promotional work and ensuring the coaster is more assessible to the public via public transport. Sales over the year have started to shift to a 3 ride ticket rather than 1 ride, with an average 31% increase on 3 ride tickets this quarter compared to quarter 4 of last year, bringing in 11.31% of additional income for the year compared to last year. Usage figures across our Snowsports centre facilities have increased significantly over the last few years with a 21% increase in total usage figures at the centre this year compared to 2024/25. The increase in visitors has resulted in our snowsports café exceeding income targets up by 44% compared to the previous year. Page 224 of 356
Page 225
Breakdown of Alpine Coaster ticket sales over the year: Midlothian Snowsports Centre usage figures over a 4 year period: Our Snowsports Centre figures continue to increase this year compared to previous years with a 14% increase in Ski/Snowboarding instruction/lessons compared to last year and a 24% increase compared to 2023/24. The centre has seen a 9% increase in Ski/snowboarding practice open sessions (pay and play) compared to last year and school ski programme sessions covering Midlothian and non-Midlothian based schools continue to remain steady. This year saw a huge rise in the number of visitors now using our tubing facilities. Alpine Coaster ticket type Number of tickets sold (quarter 1 April to June) Number of tickets sold (quarter 2 July to Sept) Number of tickets sold (quarter 3 Oct to Dec) Number of tickets sold (quarter 4 Jan to Mar) 1 ride, 1 person 16,160 (36% of sales) 13,126 (29% of sales) 5,567 (23% of sales) 5,019 (23% of sales) 1 ride 2 persons 3,696 (10% of sales) 3,341 (7% of sales) 1,205 (5% of sales) 1,135 (5% of sales) 3 rides 1 person 14,721 (39% of sales) 22,830 (51% of sales) 13,766 (57% of sales) 12,748 (58% of sales) 3 rides 2 persons 3,499 (9% of sales) 5,690 (13% of sales) 3,475 (15% of sales) 3,231 (14% of sales) Total 38,076 44,987 24,013 22,133 Activity type 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26 Ski/Snowboarding Instruction/lessons 27,427 42,054 45,662 52,118 Events 4,702 3,933 4,069 2,503 Ski/Snowboarding practice (open sessions – pay and play) 16,477 16,492 15,226 16,534 Schools programme 25,390 23,931 24,869 24,426 Tubing N/A N/A 1,962 15,038 Total 73,996 86,410 91,788 110,619 Page 225 of 356
Page 226
Active Schools Midlothian Our Active Schools Midlothian team continue to work in partnership with sportsscotland, providing opportunities for our children to adopt healthy and active lifestyles throughout their school years and into adulthood by supporting and sustaining a network of volunteers, coaches, leaders and teachers who, in turn, deliver extra curricular physical activity and sport before, during and after school and in the wider community. Data shows that 616 activities were delivered this year, an increase from 581 delivered during the same period last year. 8,521 participants attended Active Schools free extra curricular clubs this year which is an increase compared to the same period last year of 8,388 participants. The number of volunteer hours delivered in the Active Schools Programme this year was 4,387, a decrease compared to 4,874 last year. This year our holiday programmes continued to be well attended, generating income and resulting in a good base to continue to build off for next year. A total of 2,401 children participated in the programmes throughout the year, with 381 during the quarter 4 holiday programme. Primary 4 free swimming lessons continue this quarter with two swimming blocks delivering 18 classes per week, totalling 3,744 attendances over both 8 and 3 week blocks. Across the year there was a total of 15,286 attendances, a 49% increase from 10,232 attendances last year. Sport and Leisure wellbeing team Ageing Well - 50+ activity project: Our Ageing Well programme marked its 25th anniversary this year. What began 25 years ago with just two volunteers has grown into a thriving initiative, now supported by 69 active volunteers, delivering 6,448 volunteer hours per year to groups whilst also promoting additional weekly sessions led by qualified instructors. The number of activities offered by Ageing Well to people aged 50 and over continues to expand with 66 weekly activity sessions, totalling 3,407 sessions delivered in the year, an increase of 12% from 3,045 during 2024/25. Quarter 4 saw 858 activities offered, an increase of 10% from 780 during the same period last year. The total annual attendance across all Ageing well activities this year was 36,431. Activities include walking groups, new age kurling, table tennis, indoor Page 226 of 356
Page 227
bowling, line dancing, Tai Chi, Shibashi, pickleball, walking football, badminton, circuit classes and singing for health. Midlothian Active Choices (MAC) is a sport and leisure physical activity referral programme, aimed at adults who are inactive and experience various health conditions. The programme offers a range of supported activities across Midlothian to help manage these health conditions. This quarter saw 2,300 Midlothian Active Choices attendees with 610 new referrals received after completion of MAC sessions showing an increase of 28% in attendances and a 30% increase in new referrals compared to the same period last year. This year saw 8,882 total attendees, an increase of 38% compared to last year with a 21% increase in new referrals from 1,695 during 2024/25 to 2,058. This service has led to 1,042 Midlothian Active Choices Direct Debit memberships and 701 Midlothian Active Choices pay as you go card holders. In addition, 9 ‘EscapePain’ chronic pain management courses were held, with two sessions per week, supporting NHS Physiotherapy demand with 108 patient places. 14 VOCAL carer and Spring service user group gym sessions were also delivered. Frailty and Falls prevention and support • 15 “Step into Balance” 12 week courses were delivered this year supporting NHS Physiotherapy demand with 180 patient places. • 294 “Strength & Balance” classes (6 per week) were delivered across the county, including in rural/community venues such as Pathhead Pavilion, Penicuik St Mungo’s Church Hall, Newbattle Community Centre with 5,361 total attendances for the year. • Community Appointment Day was held in September this year with a Frailty and Falls Prevention event in partnership with HSCP colleagues at The Lasswade Centre. Our Sport and Leisure Wellbeing Team including Ageing Well volunteers delivered over 100 Functional Fitness Tests on the day. Page 227 of 356
Page 228
88,905 83,574 81,375 71,590 103,031 53,992 47,786 54,076 43,381 54,074 32,799 35,255 19,680 28,614 24,056 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of attendances at Sport and Leisure facilties (quarterly) All facilities (excl pools) Swimming pools Outdoor facilities -pitches/pavillions 5,349 5,123 4,993 5,018 6,315 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 1,801 2,209 2,269 2,104 2,300 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of MAC attendees (quarterly) Ageing Well £404,017.15 £440,250.65 £412,096.83 £403,782.25 £444,029.76 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 471 495 486 467 610 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of new referrals after completion of MAC sessions (quarterly) Sport and Leisure - performance Number of MiLeisure memberships (cumulative) Midlothian Active Choices (MAC) 780 845 846 858 858 Q4 24/25 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 25/26 Number of activities offered by Ageing Well to 50+ age groups (quarterly) Total income generated from MiLeisure memberships Page 228 of 356
Page 229
Capital Investment Programme The Capital Investment Strategy sits centrally within the Council’s future planning activities and in doing so has to reflect the demands of Council services to ensure positive outcomes are achieved in the right place, at the right time for the maximum benefit to Midlothian. The extensive capital programme delivers new schools, investment in council housing, improved community infrastructure, investment in the local transport network and innovative developments such as the low carbon heat network in Shawfair. To ensure Midlothian is ‘building back better’, this investment is also creating new jobs, apprenticeship opportunities, opportunities for businesses and communities and families. Capital investment is also an opportunity to support the transition to a green economy as we invest in sustainable, highly energy efficient buildings. These new opportunities help lead the way towards a better future for Midlothian. The Education Learning Estate Strategy programme now sits within the Learning Estate Team under the Executive Director for Education, Children, Young People & Partnerships. A Learning Estate Strategy (2017-2047) update will be reported to Council in May 2026. The delivery of more affordable housing remains a priority for Midlothian Council. As part of our housing programme phase 1 provided 864 additional houses within Midlothian, 489 in phase 2 and 645 expected on completion of phases 3 and 4. An additional 302 homes are funded for delivery in phase 5. This included the largest Passivhaus programme in Scotland, with 209 homes to be built to the exacting Passivhaus standard, in line with Midlothian Council’s Net Zero Housing Design Guide. This ensures exceptionally high levels of energy efficiency and low utility bills for our residents. At present any further Passivhaus developments are paused for a cost benefit analysis exercise. Page 229 of 356
Page 230
Construction and Development Key achievements across our Construction and Development team include: Midlothian House The team successfully secured and delivered £2.5 million of external grant funding to support the Midlothian House Retrofit and Refurbishment project. This funding represents a significant financial achievement, strengthening the council’s asset base and supporting continued investment in frontline services. Gorebridge and Pathhead Pavilions Two revamped community pavilions in Gorebridge and Pathhead were successfully delivered using UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) funding and SALIX recycling fund funding. The refreshed facilities enhance local community infrastructure and demonstrate effective use of external funding to deliver tangible improvements for residents. Pathhead Pavillion Birkenside Pavillion Page 230 of 356
Page 231
Penicuik Town Hall Upgrades The kitchen of the Penicuik Town Hall was completely upgraded, providing an improved, modern facility that supports service delivery and community use. The project was progressed in line with programme expectations and contributes positively to local provision. This was supported by the Place Based Investment Programme from the Scottish Government. Before After Page 231 of 356
Page 232
Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing 2 Programme (EESSH2) Delivery of the EESSH2 programme is progressing significantly well, with approximately 10% of all Council housing stock benefitting from new energy efficiency measures in 2025/26. This marks an important step in improving energy efficiency across the housing stock and supporting the council’s climate and fuel poverty objectives. Affordable Housing Delivery – Phase 5 As part of Phase 5 of our housing programme, we achieved a major delivery milestone at Morris Road on the site of the former Newbattle High School, with 52 new affordable homes successfully handed over by January 2026. The remaining 38 homes are on track for handover by the end of April 2026. Once complete, this development will total 90 new affordable homes, making it Midlothian Council’s largest affordable housing site delivered to date. This milestone demonstrates strong programme delivery and progress in meeting local affordable housing need at scale. These homes have been built to the passivhaus standard. Social Value Report This quarter, the service successfully delivered strong social value outcomes through our joint venture with Vattenfall (Midlothian Energy Ltd), supporting local education, skills development and net-zero career pathways. In total, over 1,000 children and young people across Midlothian and Edinburgh were engaged through targeted STEM, employability and careers activity linked to the heat networks programme in 2025/26. Key successes include: • Enabling participation of 1,083 pupils from underserved schools at the Edinburgh Science Festival through funded learning activities. • Delivery of 12 hands-on science workshops to 483 pupils and teachers, with near-universal positive feedback confirming strong engagement and learning outcomes. • Direct engagement with approximately 370 senior pupils across four local high schools, building awareness of net-zero careers and workplace skills. • Supporting the development of a clear career pathway into the heat networks sector, including innovation workshops, year-long sustainability challenges and new career pathway resources showcasing real local roles. Page 232 of 356
Page 233
These activities demonstrate how our capital investment in Midlothian Energy Ltd and our joint District Heat Network project with Vattenfall is delivering measurable social value for local communities, strengthening the future workforce and supporting Midlothian’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Destination Hillend – Zip Safari Progress has been achieved on the Destination Hillend Zip Safari project, with the planning application completed and formally submitted. This marks an important milestone and continued momentum in moving the project forward, enabling the planning assessment process to commence. In addition, this quarter a new extended bus stop has opened at Hillend, utilising funding from Transport Scotland, and drainage works and car park resurfacing works have also been completed at the site, which continues to generate significant revenue for Midlothian Council. Newtongrange Town Centre Regeneration - Swimming Pool and Church Halls sites Progress has been made on the Newtongrange Town Centre regeneration project, with the planning application submitted for Council housing. The application covers the former Swimming Pool and Church Halls sites and represents a key milestone in advancing the regeneration of the town centre. The project is due to use 3D volumetric building systems, a first for Midlothian Council. Page 233 of 356
Page 234
Challenges and risk Midlothian Council continues to face a challenging environment, with financial, demographic, and economic pressures shaping how services are delivered and funded. Financial constraints: rising service delivery costs and uncertainty over future funding from the Scottish Government are placing significant strain on the council’s budget. Cost and income projections for future years are embedded in the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy which is supported by the Transformation Blueprint containing a range of transformation themes to drive towards a position of financial sustainability. Economic pressures: the ongoing cost of living crisis is affecting residents and businesses, increasing the need for council funded support. Inflationary pressures on goods, services, and energy are also significantly increasing the cost of delivering council services. Growing service demands: Midlothian’s sustained population growth and ageing demographic continues to drive an increase in demand for education, social care, housing and transport infrastructure. The 2022 Census results highlight that Midlothian remains the fastest growing local authority in Scotland with an increase of 16.1%. The 2011 census data lists Midlothian as having a population of 83,187 which has risen to 96,600 in the 2022 census data. The level of growth is 2.3% higher than our previous calculation and is now 13.4% higher than the Scottish average of 2.7%. In terms of households, Midlothian saw the highest percentage increase at 17.2% since the 2011 census. Population density in Midlothian is 273.1 residents per square kilometre compared to the Scottish average of 69.8. More recent mid-year 2024 estimates from the National records of Scotland suggest Midlothian’s population is 99,880 and will exceed 100,000 by the end of 2026, reinforcing the sustained growth trend and associated service pressures. This growth creates the opportunity to meet the housing need with 25% of new homes being built in the affordable housing bracket, in addition to the expansion in Council house building. This construction will directly support employment and will see a steady increase in the value of Council Tax income received over time. Our Capital Strategy sets out the infrastructure required to meet those demographic pressures and includes the financial contributions Midlothian will make to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. Encompassing five main themes the City Region Deal will bring significant investment across the regions with total investment of circa £1.3 billion across: Page 234 of 356
Page 235
• Data Driven Innovation: £751 million • Integrated Regional Employability and Skills: £25 million • Transport: £156 million • Culture: £45 million • Housing: £313 million Through the Data Driven Innovation strand the Deal will leverage existing world-class research institutes and commercialisation facilities in order that Easter Bush becomes a global location of Agritech excellence. The Easter Bush project includes significant investment in transport infrastructure along the A701/2 transport corridor. In addition, by improving on-site infrastructure at Easter Bush and transport infrastructure, The University of Edinburgh expects commercial partners will be able to co-locate at scale to commercialise Agritech breakthroughs. The UK Government has announced the University of Edinburgh as the preferred location for the exascale supercomputer, which will be able to perform one billion, billion calculations each second. Once operational, it will provide high-performance computing capability for key research and industry projects across the UK. Exascale will help researchers model all aspects of the world, test scientific theories and improve products and services in areas such as artificial intelligence, drug discovery, climate change, astrophysics and advanced engineering. Exascale will be housed in a new £31 million wing of EPCC’s Advanced Computing Facility in Easter Bush, which has been purpose-built as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. Installation of the first phase began in 2025. Risk The Council’s Strategic Risk Profile is reviewed on a retrospective basis and presented to Audit Committee on a quarterly basis. This process provides regular oversight of the most significant threats to the Council’s objectives and operations. At present, the highest priority risks identified relate to financial sustainability, climate change and the successful delivery of the Council’s transformations programme. Our Place directorate plays a pivotal role in mitigating these risks and spans a range of strategic functions, including long-term spatial and infrastructure planning, implementation of the Medium Term Financial Strategy, and leadership in delivering the Council’s transformation programme. Page 235 of 356
Page 236
Pentana Performance Dashboard – Q4 25/26 A full review of quarterly performance data is available via Pentana (Browser login link: https://midlothian.pentanarpm.uk/login) Page 236 of 356
Page 237
Midlothian Council Report Year End/Quarter 4 2025/26 Progress Against Strategic Outcomes The Single Midlothian Plan focuses on three main priorities: • Individuals and communities have improved health and skills for learning, life and work. • No child or household need live in poverty. • Significant progress is made towards net zero carbon emissions by 2045. The 2022 Census results highlight that Midlothian is projected to have the highest percentage change in population size of all mainland council areas in Scotland with an increase of 16.1%. In addition, Midlothian has 10 zones which fall into the most deprived areas living a local share of 8.7% living in the most deprived areas in Scotland. To accommodate growth within the resources available we will need to think differently about the services we deliver and how we deliver them. Rooted in the creation of a wellbeing economy, in June 2023 Council approved the new Transformation Blueprint 2023-2028. Some services will be transformed to meet our growing population within the financial envelope available, others may be delivered in a different way and some will need to stop. Fostering a collaborative culture where everyone is focused on the same end goal – creating effective and efficient services which will benefit our citizens – will be crucial to future success. The Transformation Blueprint will focus on the nature of the work we will do, developing a 21st century workforce supported by a workplace fit for the future where joined up services are delivered in a holistic and integrated way. The 5 key objectives of the Transformation Blueprint are: 1. Support the Council to address the 5 year funding gap of £29.121 million outlined in the Medium Term Financial Strategy. 2. Follow the Money to ensure that the services we commission, contracts we manage and digital solutions we use deliver value for money. 3. Develop an organisational workforce that is flexible ensuring that all staff have the necessary skills to work effectively, supported by digital technologies that fit for a 21st century workforce. 4. Design a workplace fit for the future delivering services in a holistic and integrated way as well as utilising our assets to maximise their potential. 5. Drive forward multi-agency transformation to deliver systems-level change resulting in integrated service delivery which improve community outcomes. Our Workforce Strategy 2024-34 and Digital Transformation Strategy 2024-29 are core elements of the council’s Transformation Blueprint and will support the council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy – 2024/25 to 2028/29. Workforce Strategy 2024-34 is accompanied by a 3-year short-term action plan and the strategic aims are: • Plan: deliver an evidence and outcome-based workforce planning framework that is an integral part of the council’s approach to strategic planning. • Attract: ensure the council becomes the employer of choice for the population of Midlothian, by deploying best practice in attracting the best staff. • Train: enable the council to become a “Learning Organisation”, providing staff with business-focused training and development to equip them with the skills and knowledge required to deliver their best. Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item No 5.8 Page 237 of 356
Page 238
• Employ: ensure Fair Work principles continue to be at the heart of management practice, ensuring staff are, and feel, valued and rewarded. • Nurture: create a workforce and leadership culture focusing on the health and wellbeing of a demographically balanced workforce that reflects the community it serves. Digital Transformation Strategy 2024-29 outlines the key priority areas the Council will focus on over the next 5 years, harnessing digital tools, technology and data. The key areas are: • Automate: For an Efficient, Modern Council • Reimagine: Transform Service Delivery • Data: Deeper Insights and Preventative Operations • Secure and Sustain: Protect and Preserve Whilst a full update for the performance for each of the Council’s Service areas is published separately, this report reflects a summary of the key service updates, against the thematic areas of the Single Midlothian Plan. Page 238 of 356
Page 239
Single Midlothian Plan Themes in 2023/27 Midlothian will be Healthier – Achievements The Midlothian Integration Joint Board (IJB) plan and direct delegated health and social care services for the people of Midlothian. Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) oversees the delivery of all the services delegated to Midlothian IJB. The aim of integrated health and social care is for the people to experience more joined up treatment and care. Social work services in Midlothian are delivered by Midlothian Council and Midlothian Integration Joint Board. Adult social work and social care services, including Justice Social Work, are delegated to Midlothian IJB. Adult Social Care contributes to the Midlothian IJB Strategic Commissioning Plan, the strategic aims of both NHS Lothian and Midlothian Council, and contributes to the work of the Community Planning Partnership through the Single Midlothian Plan. Learning Disability/Physical Disability/Carers Care Inspectorate Grades Good or Above Target = 90% Actual = 100% Exceeds target There has only been one inspection in this quarter. Improved inspection outcome for ‘The Action Group’ means that none of the adult service providers have grades that are below the ‘good’ rating. Finance – Expenditure Against Budget Annual Budget = £31.06m Projected Expenditure = £34.17m Below target There has been an increase in the financial commitment in Learning Disability in this quarter. Care Package Reviews – Number within 2 years Target = 90% Actual = 92% Exceeds target Reviewing care packages continues to be a priority. Capacity in the team has impacted on this target area. Physical Disabilities and Long-Term Conditions: PD/LTC interventions recorded as outcome achieved Target = 85% Actual = 89% Exceeds target PD/LTC referral screening episode concluded within 3 working days Target = 90% Actual = 93% Exceeds target Carers Number of Adult Carer Support Plans completed by HSCP (accumulative) Target = 100 Actual = 98 Below target Number of Adult Carer Support Plans completed VOCAL (accumulative) Target = 700 Actual = 921 Exceeds target VOCAL continue to exceed targets for completion of Adult Carer Support Plans due to sustained demand for carer support in the community. Care at Home & Learning Development Number of weeks waiting for a package of care in the community Target = <6 wks Actual = 52 wks Below target Page 239 of 356
Page 240
The reported number of 52 weeks is the longest wait. However, this is not the experience of most people. As the data does include this outlier number, a more representative assessment would be to consider the median. The median wait time is 9 weeks. Number of Telecare referrals allocated within timescale (3 days) Target = 90% Actual = 99% Exceeds target Telecare referrals referred within 3 days continues to be above target as these are meticulously allocated as soon as the referrals come in. Percentage of clients referred for telecare have equipment installed within timescales (1 week) Target = 90% Actual = 49.52% Below target This indicator continues to be off target due to a considerable amount of Midcare staff time devoted to the analogue to digital switch over. There is an increase in the number of staff qualified for their role in in care at home. Staff within the Care at home service continue to work through their SVQ programmes with some recent successful completions of carers with their SVQ 2 and SVQ 3 qualification. However, we have had some carers retire who were fully qualified and new carers appointed who are not all qualified but are working towards their qualification, therefore this does affect the qualification rates of staff in the service. Older People’s Service Initial Care home reviews completed within 6 weeks – Performance target met. Measure Target Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Care home review completed within 6 weeks of admission to a care home 60% 98% 90% 96% 95% This includes data from Highbank where it has been necessary to implement a programme of care home review due to the length of stay for some clients as a consequence of lack of care home placements. A programme of Care Home review audit has started, and this will be progressed going forward. Older People Service Manager has now completed care home visits to all Midlothian Care home and continues to work closely with the Care home support team. Maximising occupancy is a target for improvement in the next quarter. Newbyres Village – The care home provides 24 hours care and support for 48 permanent residents. An inspection completed in January 2026 has demonstrated an improvement in one grade and identified 2 areas for improvement. These have been included in the Improvement Plan. Overall there has been a reduction in medication errors due to the implementation of significant improvement plan with additional audit, staff training, support and supervision. Highbank Intermediate Care Unit – Highbank is an intermediate care unit with 40 beds, including 3 respite beds. There are currently 10 beds closed at Highbank in preparation for the move to Midlothian Life. These beds will constitute the 10 rehabilitation flats. The Care Inspectorate have advised that they do not plan to complete inspection at Highbank care home until after the intended move to the new build (Midlothian Life). Anticipated move date June 2026. Hospital In Reach Team - Improvement planning continues within the Hospital in reach team. Older People’s Team – The Older People’s social work team continue to work effectively to support clients to identify and achieve their outcomes. Due to multiple workstreams and changes in leadership it has not been possible to complete improvement planning. This will be progressed in Q1 2026 with the support of planning officer who has now been recruited. Page 240 of 356
Page 241
Adult Support and Protection (ASP): Social Work staff undertake specific training to become a Council Officer and work to identify, minimise and manage risk, and ensure that all suspicions, disclosures or incidents of actual harm are acted upon. An adult is someone aged 16+ although for individuals between the age of 16 and 18 years of age there will be discussion with Children Services colleagues to identify if the matter would more appropriately be managed under child protection procedures. On receipt of a referral related to concerns that there is an adult at risk of harm it is screened to ensure that the relevant information is available and an investigation, often referred to as the Duty to Inquire (DTI) will be undertaken, there is a local aim that the investigation will be completed within 21 days, however there are a number of factors which impact this including being able to speak to the adult to gain their views. The following graph shows the volume of work during quarter 4 and previous quarters. If risks remain at the completion of the Duty to Inquire, and the three-point test has been met, an Adult Support and Protection Case Conference must be convened; this is a multi-agency forum for shared decision-making. A Protection Plan is put in place at each case conference and is reviewed at least once to ensure that it is having a positive outcome or if additional action is required. During this quarter, 2 protection plans were commenced. During the whole of 2025/2026 there were 8 adults assessed as being at risk of harm being supported through a protection plan. There are a range of measures that agencies can take to mitigate and manage the identified risks, and these include the use of Protection Orders which are sought through an application to the Sheriff Court. There were no Protection Orders required in Quarter 4. Welfare Rights Team - During Q4 the Welfare Rights Team received approximately 100 calls to the advice line increase in the volume of referrals and during Q4 with 246 new referrals, an increase of 12 % from Q3. During Q4 the Welfare Rights Officers worked with 204 clients. The total amount of additional income generated for individuals through the work of the team during the reporting period was £1,025179.65; this is an increase on Q3 of £233,597.14 Public Health - The Health Inclusion Team have carried out 15 Health assessments in Q4 bringing the total for the year to 140. This exceeds our target goal of 130. The weight stigma pilot project ended on the March 31st. This was a jointly funded pilot between Midlothian HSCP and NHS Lothian Public Health. The aim of the pilot was to increase skills and confidence of staff and volunteers in Lothian to have conversations on obesity and address the issues of weight stigma. To date 19 sessions have taken place, reaching 193 staff. The training has targeted Primary Care teams, including GPs, School nursing and Health Visiting teams, Allied Health Professionals and Active Schools. 292 238 279 221 238 232 248 257 137 129 139 116 131 91 111 139 Q4 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q1 25/26 Q4 24/25 Q3 24/25 Q2 24/25 Q1 24/25 ASP Referrals Inquiries started Page 241 of 356
Page 242
Adult Mental Health Service Mental Health 18+ and Substance Use - The services offer holistic assessments, What Matters to You care planning, goal setting and treatment, and coordinates multi-agency support and follow up. Providing individual person-centred care and treatment, and support to enable them to actively participate in this process. Strives together for the maximum benefit to the individual by optimising recovery for the individual, improved mental health and wellbeing, in the least restrictive and intrusive manner. Mental Health Assessment refers to assessments by Mental Health Social Workers not Mental Health Officers (MHO), assurance can be given the service continues to meet the needs of high- risk priority individuals in a timely manner. However regrettably the waiting list has increased in its wait time, this is due to the 1 wte social worker has commenced the MHO training, currently 9 individuals awaiting Mental health input with 23 weeks wait. The mental Health service set a realistic performance target of 12 weeks from the point of request to the allocation of an AWI case. The mental Health team has seen an increase of urgent applications which has had an impact on the wait times, the service is currently 78.95% 15/19 individuals report allocated within 12 weeks. Dementia Team - The Midlothian Dementia service comprises 4 Social Workers and 2 Community Care Assistants. Currently in Midlothian social work waiting times continue to be monitored within the agreed performance target of being allocated to a Social Worker within 6.9 weeks and/or Community Care Assistant within 13 weeks. Waiting list times have improved as well as average overall wait times. Over Quarter 4 social work assessments are provided within 5.5 weeks and CCA within 5.3 week wait, continued improvement from Quarter 3. Staff Wellbeing - The HSCP Staff Wellbeing support system develops, implements, and evaluates a range of high-quality and research-based wellbeing, experience, and engagement processes, in order to enable, empower, sustain, and retain health and social care staff. The winter period remains a difficult time for staff due to issues both in and out of the workplace. While the HSCP continues to fulfil its commitment to iMatter, our belief is that staff experience must go beyond the annual iMatter survey to engage at a deeper personal level with individuals, teams, and services. Evidence of this can be seen with the ongoing reflective practice and new support offered to areas caring for service users with complex needs and/ or undergoing change. During the fourth quarter nine group support and reflection sessions were delivered. Areas involved included residential care services, Highbank, and Newbyres, the learning disabilities team at Cherry Road, and Midlothian Community Hospital staff. Areas of concern included violence and aggression from service users, death and dying of residents, relational dilemmas and communication breakdown, and psychological distress secondary to uncertainty and change. While each of these circumstances can be expected as part of the human experience in community care environments, our aim is to offer staff a safe place in which they can be listened too, have their experiences validated, and their coping strategies explored. Approximately fifty members of staff participated. During the past three months three specific projects have been progressed. These aim to offer practical skills to increase resilience during times of stress, promote the importance of gender equality, and focus on the value of addressing our own health needs. The first of these projects, The Power of Touch hand massage training, was funded by NHS Lothian charity and Highbank Residential care. It aims to support staff and service users through the use of therapeutic touch. Staff were encouraged to come and participate in the Essentials to Work Well session by engaging with the information and resources and taking part in the various quizzes and competitions. Approximately 50 staff participated on Wednesday 1st April. Those who were unable to take part will have further opportunities to engage with the material and access resources as we promote other activities such as walking later in the year. Page 242 of 356
Page 243
Sport & Leisure New sport and leisure branding was recently launched as part of the gym refurbishment programme, with Mileisure branding fully operational this quarter. To further promote leisure facilties, new Instagram and Facebook pages were created this quarter to increase customer engagement. Focussed promotional activity, combined with our gym refurbishment programme, has seen an increase in usage across our facilities this quarter. Our Mileisure (formally known as Tonezone) memberships continues to grow this year through improved marketing and promotion with a total of 6,315 memberships up to the end of quarter 4, the highest number of memberships to date, with an increase of 25% compared to last quarter and an increase of 18% compared to the same period last year 2024/25. Our gym refurbishment programme at Penicuik, Lasswade and Newtongrange was completed and became fully operational this quarter, creating modern, high quality fitness facilities that meets the needs of our community and enhances the overall user experience. Additionally, our tennis court refurbishment project was completed this year with upgrades to local park tennis courts. Usage figures across our sport and leisure facilities, excluding pools, has significantly increased this quarter to 103,031 compared to the same period last year of 88,905. Annual figures of 339,570, show a 9% increase in the total number of attendances at our leisure facilities compared to 310,297 in 2024/25. Pool use has also increased this quarter to 54,074, showing a 25% increase compared to last quarter. Overall pool use for the year has slightly decreased with 199,317 attendances at pools compared to 208,500 during 2024/25. Midlothian Snowsport Centre - Various promotional campaigns have taken place across the year, including a TV advert to attact more visitors to Midlothian Snowsports Centre. The Alpine Coaster continues to see high sales volumes this quarter due to continued promotional work and ensuring the coaster is more assessible to the public via public transport. Sales over the year have started to shift to a 3 ride ticket rather than 1 ride, with an average 31% increase on 3 ride tickets this quarter compared to quarter 4 of last year, bringing in 11.31% of additional income for the year compared to last year. Page 243 of 356
Page 244
Midlothian will be Safer – Achievements Justice and Protection Services Justice Social Work services provide all statutory and associated functions identified in S.27 Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. The core work includes the preparation of a variety of assessment reports, including Justice Social Work Reports and pre-release reports for serving prisoners involved in the Parole and Pre-release process. The service works with men and women aged 16 and over, subject to Community Payback Orders, Parole, Life and Non-Parole Licences, Extended Sentences and Supervised Released Orders. The main community-based sentence that the service manages is a Community Payback Order (CPO), which can have up to ten requirements. Supervision and Unpaid Work continue to be the most frequently imposed requirements as shown in image below, and during this reporting period the Courts imposed 40 Community Payback Orders. At the end of quarter four, the Justice Service team were supervising 232 people who were subject to 263 CPOs. Justice Social Work staff use a trauma-informed and person-centred approach to develop effective working relationships with people. On 31 March 2026 12% (n=28) of people subject to a CPO were in breach of their Order and it had been returned to Court. Of these 28 people, 6 had re-engaged effectively on the Order. In total 90% (n=210) of people were engaging effectively on their Order. Substance Use Service (SUS) Treatment Service - The SUS treatment service A11 waiting time, where each individual referred for either substance use or alcohol use is triaged and commenced on treatment if appropriate within 21 days of referral. The service maintains the 90% performance target over quarter 4. Overall, the services continue to provide direct access to timely and appropriate treatment that best met an individual’s needs, psycho-social support and peer led support for those affected by their or another’s drugs and/or alcohol use. Over quarter 4 there has been a significant investment by the service into reviewing all our current protocols and standard operating procedures to ensure that the service is ready for final submission for 25/26 implementation of the MAT standards. Road network - This year, under the combined Capital Works Programme and Residential Streets Programme, a total of 16.6km of carriageway was resurfaced and delivered within budget, representing 2.37% of the road network resurfaced, of a targeted 2.75%. In comparison to last year, this is a decrease from 23.7km of carriageway resurfaced. This year a total of 7.11km of footways were resurfaced, representing 1% of the network. Footway resurfacing has improved significantly this quarter with 4.95km resurfaced, compared to 1.93km in quarter 3, exceeding the annual target set for the year. In comparison to last year’s figures, this is an increase of 2.15km of footway having been resurfaced. 2 2 4 8 7 66 2 3 0 5 10 Jan-26 Feb-26 Mar-26 Supervision only Unpaid Work only Both Page 244 of 356
Page 245
The Pothole Pro project equated to 18,902m2 of permanent patching this year, an increase of 18% compared to the same period last year. Quarter 4 saw 3,052m2 of permanent patching, an increase of 7% compared to quarter 4 2024/25. The number of potholes permanently repaired this year was 3,053, a slight decrease compared to last year at 3,122. Quarter 4 figures show 922 potholes were repaired, an increase of 58% compared to the same period last year. The capital street lighting programme commenced in June with 331 street lighting columns replaced, meeting target in advance of year end. A further 900 LED upgrades to existing columns were replaced, of which 197 were complete during quarter 4. Repairs to street lighting continues to remain high this year with 97.88% of street lighting repairs completed within 7 days. Our Business Regulations Food and Safety team continue to prioritise proactive interventions at food businesses registered with Midlothian Council with the highest risk for food safety and standards. All priority 1 and 2 premises received completed food law interventions in line with our service plan for the year. The team carried out 378 food hygiene/food standards interventions across Midlothian this year which is a 31% increase compared to the number of interventions during last year. 105 interventions were carried out this quarter. 202 food law service requests were received this year from Midlothian business residents, which is consistent with 208 requests received last year. 93% of food related service requests were responded to within 10 working days. Our Trading Standards team received 150 consumer complaints this year which is consistent with 153 received last year. 99% of consumer complaints were responded to within 5 working days and 147 complaints were fully completed in the year. 39 of those were received during quarter 4 with a response rate of 97%. 183 Trading Standards primary inspections took place across the year, an increase of 18% compared to 154 inspections last year. 51 inspections were carried out during quarter 4, an increase of 46% with 35 carried out during the same period last year. This year 50 interventions were carried out regarding tobacco and nicotine containing products which is consistent with last years interventions of 52. Over the year a minimum of 21 people have received some kind of positive result after Trading Standards involvement in their complaints. 14 of these have been refunded, totalling over £16,500 and others have included advice from Trading Standards about scam warnings, advice on cancellation of contracts including subscriptions, received goodwill payments and had repairs carried out. Our Public Health Environmental Protection (PHEP) team received 1,440 public health service requests this year from Midlothian residents and businesses, an increase of 15% compared to last year. 97% of public health complaints received a first response within timescale this year which remains steady with the same response rate as last year. Environmental Protection (PHEP) team received 329 public health service requests this quarter from Midlothian residents and businesses, a slight reduction of 5% compared to the same period last year. 97% of public health complaints received a first response within timescale. A further 74 service requests were received from internal sources, a 12% decrease compared to the same period last year. Page 245 of 356
Page 246
Midlothian will Get it Right for Every Child – Achievements In Midlothian the Getting It Right for Every Child Board (GIRFEC) is one of the subgroups of the SMP, and one of the main drivers for the effective delivery of services to children. The GIRFEC Plan also known as the Integrated Children’s Service Plan 2023-2026, is a statutory three-year plan devised by the local authority and health. The plan develops key outcomes and priority actions which are designed to improve the lives of children, young people, and families. The plan has 12 shared priority themes, outcomes and actions which sit within 4 subgroups: 1. Children & Young People’s Rights 2. Children & Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing 3. Whole Family Wellbeing 4. Information Sharing and Commissioning The GIRFEC Board has now had 3 sessions to plan the new Integrated Children’s Services Plan 26-29. Each session was well attended by a range of partners. A small team is now collating the final input into the new plan that will be presented to the GIRFEC Board for approval in May. The Promise, Corporate Parenting and UNCRC This year we are sharing a Corporate Parenting corner which is an opportunity for corporate parents to share practice which evidences how they are upholding their duties. In February we celebrated Care day, the theme this year was connection. Our unaccompanied young people have established a group called Smart36 which meets twice a week, to provide peer support to one another. Also, in March we celebrated Kinship Care Week with a disco, bouncy castle, party treats, games and music. Our families shared that it was a great event and that allowed our children to play and have fun together. All the work is captured on our Midlothian Promise page which you can access via the following QR code. Children’s Services came together for a two‑day conference on 27th & 28th January 2026, with a shared focus on realigning, reconnecting and rebuilding our service. Over the two days, staff took part in a range of keynote sessions and workshops designed to refresh practice, deepen knowledge, and support staff wellbeing. The conference provided valuable time and space for reflection, collaboration and renewed momentum as we continue to strengthen how we work together to support children, young people and families. In an effort to make the Children’s Services building brighter and more welcoming, over Q4 staff volunteered their own time to decorate areas of the building, creating a trauma informed environment for children and families. The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Amazing Social Workers is a campaign to recognise individual and collective achievements in social work. We are proud to share that this year, Sorcha Brown, a social worker in the duty team was recognised under BASW’s Amazing Social Workers Newly Qualified Social Worker category Referrals in Q4 have slightly increased from the previous quarter but remain significantly lower than the 23/24 data following the change in how referrals are processed. Whilst rates of referral have been fairly stable over the year, a growing proportion of referrals present with increased complexity and levels of risk meaning that even where referral volumes are lower than historical peaks, the time, skill and multi‑agency coordination required per case is increasing, which has implications for overall service 1218 referrals to the duty service Page 246 of 356
Page 247
demand and throughput. Referrals to the Family Wellbeing Service continue to increase, alongside a growing complexity of need among the families supported. Demand on our Disability Service has continued, as the number of children and young people seeking a Section 23 assessment has increased. There has been focus upon providing earlier intervention with the launch of the Waiting Well parenting group and the Connected and Understanding Behaviour (CUB) Group. We continue to promote a proportionate response - those with the most need, receive the greater support. Demands continue to reflect the significant level of need and challenge that increasing disability, and Neurodiversity presents for all our communities and services. Practice Team - The practice team continues to support children, young people and their families in a range of circumstances. During this quarter across the service we have had 192 children cared for away from home and fifty children on the child protection register We continue to support children and young people in conflict with the law and we are currently linking with colleagues in Justice Services to support children and young people who may be subject to diversions from prosecution. We have significantly fewer referrals to Children’s Hearings due to children allegedly committing offences that other local authorities, due in no small part to our effective early intervention and positive working relationships with partners. Family Centred Care (FCC) - In February 2026 we held our Foster Carer Appreciation brunch. Inspection improvement work has continued with briefings recently held across the service to launch the updated Unplanned Ending and Continuing Care policies 8 16 12 14 11 22 15 17 17 5 12 21 0 5 10 15 20 25 Referrals to FWS Page 247 of 356
Page 248
Active Schools Midlothian - Data shows that 616 activities were delivered this year, an increase from 581 delivered during the same period last year. 8,521 participants attended Active Schools free extra curricular clubs this year which is an increase compared to the same period last year of 8,388 participants. The number of volunteer hours delivered in the Active Schools Programme this year was 4,387, a decrease compared to 4,874 last year. This year our holiday programmes continued to be well attended, generating income and resulting in a good base to continue to build off for next year. A total of 2,401 children participated in the programmes throughout the year, with 381 during the quarter 4 holiday programme. The Education Service Improvement Plan is informed by the outcome of quality assurance activities and links to the outcomes determined by the Getting it Right for Every Midlothian Child Board and national priorities The Q4 period in our schools and ELC settings continued to focus on raising attainment through four key areas - Learning, teaching, assessment & curriculum; Attendance & engagement; Relationships, wellbeing & care and Inclusion, equity & targeted supports and risks. Throughout 2025/26 education services, schools and settings focused on a single priority: For academic session 2025/26 the priority remains raising attainment and achievement. Work focused around: • Inclusive Learning, teaching, assessment & curriculum (iLTAC) • Wellbeing, Support and Partnerships (WSPs) Workstream 1: Inclusive Learning, teaching, assessment & curriculum (iLTAC) Aligned to the Service Plan, priorities for 2025/26, key actions, for 2025/26, are: All learners receive their entitlement to high-quality universal provision (staged intervention levels 1 & 2) which promotes engagement and improved outcomes. • An effective assistive technology offer tackles digital inequity and reduces barriers to accessing learning. • A skilled and confident workforce promotes leadership at all levels to deliver excellent learning, teaching & assessment for all learners, making best use of digital technology and in line with professional standards. All ELCs, schools and ASGs produce an agreed 3-18 curriculum rationale that engages all learners in appropriate pathways that prepare them for learning, life and work. Midlothian schools and ELC settings offer a relevant, progressive and motivating strengths- based 3-18 curriculum, that enables all learners, including those with ASN, to move on to highly skilled, sustained positive destinations. Page 248 of 356
Page 249
Midlothian Aligned Curriculum Offer (MACO) expansion has facilitated significant growth in both cohort and student number across all schools, demonstrated in the following tables: Number of FA Frameworks Delivered Number of Cohorts Session 24/25 7 14 Session 25/26 9 21 Coursing for Session 26/27 10 30 Total Number of FA Students Total Number of Midlothian Only SCP Places Total Capacity Built through MACO Session 23/24 147 0 147 non-MACO Session 24/25 216 106 322 learners Session 25/26 275 137 412 learners Coursing for Session 26/27 390 spaces 182 spaces 572 learners Workstream 2: Wellbeing, Support and Partnerships (WSPs) Aligned to the Service Plan, priorities for 2025/26, key actions are: • Culture, relationships and systems ensure that children, young people and staff feel valued and supported to succeed. • Collaboration, partnerships and shared learning at ASG level leads to an improved in learner outcomes through a data-informed allocation of resources. A skilled and confident workforce promotes leadership at all levels to deliver excellent learning, teaching & assessment for all learners, making best use of digital technology and in line with professional standards United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Parental Engagement There is now a structure in place for strengthening pupil voice in our decision-making. All schools have a pupil representative body. These feed into the local authority pupil representative groups and the Midlothian Youth Cabinet which meets regularly with our political leaders. This structure will be reviewed with stakeholders in May 2026 and further Page 249 of 356
Page 250
improvements made for 2026-2027 school year. Parent Council Chairs meet with the Education Chief Operating Officer and senior managers four times per year. This supports consultation with parent/ carer groups across all of our schools. The QI 3.1 (Ensuring Wellbeing, Equality & Inclusion) visits to all Enhanced and Improvement schools showed that there were supportive relationships in almost all schools. The provision of universal and targeted support for learners and the tracking and monitoring for impact of these, was improving across our schools. Strengthen Rights-Based Relational Approach All schools have engaged in professional learning and self-evaluation on their rights-based, relational approach. Feedback from schools has been used to inform next steps for professional learning and support. We have introduced professional learning in therapeutic interventions in schools as part of our targeted offer to children presenting with needs relating to mental health and wellbeing. Staff Support and Wellbeing Our Service Plan 2026-2027 includes a commitment to pilot a staff wellbeing and support offer. This builds upon the focus on wellbeing integrated into professional learning and piloting of reflective spaces and supervision groups by the Educational Psychology Service. Our strategic group focussing on Relationships and Behaviour in schools will continue to meet and focus on the recommendations of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Report. Delivery with Partners The multi-agency GIRFEC Steering Group has created a draft Practice Framework and Single Child’s Plan template to refresh and promote the values, principles and practice of GIRFEC across all our services. Consultation has taken place with staff in Health, CLLE, Children’s Services and Education. Universal training is being developed for delivery to all staff in August and three Network training sessions are being developed for GIRFEC coordinators from each service from August to December 2026. Initial design for pilot project complete. An online, Request for Support, process is now established. The pilot originally planned to run in the Newbattle Associated School Group from October to March has been further delayed. Neurodiversity (ND) Pathway Our new professional learning offer ‘My predictable day’ continues to be very positively received in schools with greater predictability in environments, relationships and activities making a tangible difference to children with neurodivergence. We continue to work with families, agencies and 3rd sector partners to explore ways of strengthening supports for those families of children on the ND waitlist. Attendance Our attendance levels have improved compared to similar months in the last school year. Our data systems allow us to identify particular cohorts of young people where attendance has dropped and target support. The Attendance toolkit is used by schools and partners with young people and families to deepen insights into attendance issues and develop plans to increase attendance and engagement in education. We continue to pilot new ways of working to strengthen collaboration with young people to overcome barriers to attendance. Feedback from these projects will inform learning for schools to take into session 26/27. Primary Attendance and Exclusions - Primary attendance for the session up to 31st March was 93.82%. The National primary average for the past 3 years is 92.29%. There have been 76 primary exclusion incidents for the session up to 31st March. Page 250 of 356
Page 251
Secondary Attendance and Exclusions - Secondary attendance for the session up to 31st March was 86.47%. The National secondary average for the past 3 years is 88.20%. There have been 158 secondary exclusion incidents for the session up to 31st March. Midlothian will Support Residents to Improve Employability and Outcomes in our Communities - Achievements The vision for this is to reduce the gaps in learning, economic circumstances and poverty. The new CLD Partnership Plan 2024 to 2027 aims to build skills for learning life and work through youth work, adult learning, community development and employability in Midlothian. In Quarter 4 2,019 people engaged with CLLE services across 242 opportunities bringing the annual total to date to 6,464 participants. 29 home visits supported young people not in a positive destinations. 167 people accessing our services live in SIMD 20% and 935 in SIMD 40%. 244 qualifications were achieved through CLLE programmes. 259 parents were supported in Q4 (75 new starts). 27 entered employment or self- employment. 86 qualifications achieved by 42 parents. 1 progressed to FE/HE. 20 in long term paid placements; 11 moved into permanent jobs. In Q4 the No One Left Behind (NOLB) All Age Employability team have continued to provide support to 317 people, with 73 new starts. Community Capacity Building - 24 community groups received support with governance, planning, or funding. Engangement with 61 community groups in total up to and including Q4. Library services continue to transform and thrive in responding to the needs of our communities. This quarter overall figures for library visits remain high with a 6% increase in total visits (both physical and virtual) compared to the same period last year and a 9% increase compared to the previous quarter. The number of total visits across the year continues to grow at 808,119, a 5% increase from last year with 770,877 visits and a 9% increase from 2023/24, demonstrating sustained growth and engagement across our library network. Page 251 of 356
Page 252
There were 618,146 physical visits were made to our libraries, an increase of 2% from last year 2024/25 and a 5% increase from 2023/24. There were 175,355 physical visits to our libraries during the quarter, representing a 12% increase compared to the previous quarter and a 5% increase compared to the same period last year. Focus this year continued on the promotion of our eBook service which plays an important part in our service provision for customers with sight impairment, as well as for those who love to listen to a good book. Our eResource provides a wide range of eBooks, Audiobooks, eNewspapers and eMagazines. This year has saw a slight decrease in eBook issues but a 15% increase in audiobook issues. In total 189,973 virtual library visits were made this year, a 14.5% increase compared to last year 2024/25 and a 24% increase compared to 2023/24. Library memberships also continues to grow, with 40,521 total memberships up to the end of quarter 4. This represents an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. New child library memberships has increased by 16% this year compared to last year. This year we showcased and promoted the exemplary work we do on the Every Child A Library Member ECALM project at a Parliamentary Reception, an event held to celebrate Scottish Libraries. To date 433 babies have been signed up for library memberships as part of the birth registration process, with other family members registering at the same time. Page 252 of 356
Page 253
Midlothian will be Greener- Achievements Midlothian Council is firmly committed to tackling climate change and working towards a net zero future in line with Scottish Government targets. This commitment covers not only the Council’s own operations, but also as its role in leading, supporting, and partnering with the wider community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the impacts of a changing climate. To ensure our approach remains ambitious and effective, we are currently updating our Climate Change Strategy and its supporting action plan. This refreshed framework will guide the Council and our local authority partners in their shared mission to reach net zero, building a greener, more sustainable, and more resilient Midlothian for future. Economic Development continues to promote the Midlothian Business Green Pledge on social media and in direct conversations with clients to increase education and awareness of climate change and suggest adaptations. The number of businesses signing up to the Pledge continues to rise each quarter with a total of 208 businesses now committed, Fleet replacement: as part of our ongoing Fleet replacement programme, we have continued to modernise and decarbonise our vehicle fleet. This year 54 vans, 6 Heavy Goods Vehicles and 3 buses and 1 car was delivered. The introduction of 16 additional electric vehicles, 1 during quarter 4, represents a significant step forward in reducing our environmental impact. As of quarter 4, 14.25% of the council’s fleet now consists of electric vehicles, directly supporting our commitment to achieving net carbon zero emissions by eliminating exhaust emissions from these vehicles. This academic year, for the first time ever, every primary school in Midlothian participated in Bikeability Scotland Road Cycling Training, placing Midlothian among the top-performing local authorities in the country. As a result of this achievement, our Bikeability Coordinator won the Annual Achievement Award 2025 at Cycling Scotland’s Bikeability Scotland Awards in November. 52 improvements across our play areas, parks and green spaces were completed up to and including this quarter, consisting of landscaping schemes and the installation of benches and street litter bins, as well as deep cleaning projects, which enhance the local environment. Further funded projects are planned for quarters 1 to 3 to enhance the quality and accessibility of our play areas. Our ranger service continues to deliver activities and school sessions with 86 events carried out this year attracting 1,608 participants. A reduction from 222 events/activities carried out during 2024/25. Waste and Recycling - Twin Stream recycling was launched this quarter, supported by a £2.2 million grant from Zero Waste Scotland. This project is a major initiative aimed at improving recycling services for residents and introduced an additional green recycling bin for every household. The project saw the delivery of 46,000 240 litre green bins to properties across Midlothian and a move to a three weekly bin collection cycle for grey, blue and green bins as of March 2026. Page 253 of 356
Page 254
Midlothian will have a Wellbeing Economy and be Better Connected – Achievements Work continues on the delivery of the Councils Economic Strategy for Inclusive Economic Growth 2025-2030 with supporting delivery plans from 2025-27, setting out how we achieve the objects within the strategy, being shared with Council this quarter. The new strategy aligns with the Scottish Government National Strategy for Economic Transformation and the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal Prosperity Framework. Midlothian’s vision is that: “Midlothian’s wellbeing economy will support our communities, businesses and town centres to thrive, ensuring inclusivity and fair work for all. It will continue to be recognised as home to world leading clusters of science and innovation and be known as an area in which everyone can live, work and do business sustainably to generate wealth and wellbeing for its citizens” This will be achieved in accordance with four pillars, principles that underpin the strategy’s vision: empowerment, partnership and collaboration, ambition and innovation sets out the following priorities to achieve our vision: • Develop Midlothian’s proposition within the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region • Enhance skills and employability opportunities in Midlothian, to meet the challenges and opportunities of inclusive Green Growth with entrepreneurship recognised as valuable career pathway • Maximise the potential of Midlothian’s key sectors to support a Just Transition • Capitalise on the strengths of Midlothian’s strategic partners to embed community wealth across all services to realise a wellbeing economy • Re-imagine our town centres, ensuring they meet Midlothian’s economic, social, cultural and environmental needs • Deliver infrastructure enhancements that will support Midlothian’s transition to a Wellbeing Economy The Business Gateway Midlothian Service continues to offer consistent levels of activity across various support services, from pre-start to start-up and existing business growth support. 237 ‘Planning to Start’ enquiries were received this year, which is a decrease from 198 during 2024/25. 79 enquiries were received during quarter 4, which is an increase of 72% compared to the same period last year of 46. 44 ‘Strengthen Your Business’ enquires were received this year, a decrease of 58 from last year. 13 enquires were received this quarter which has increased compared to the previous two quarters. The total number of new Business start-ups this year was 88. Business start-ups have decreased from last year which saw 128 start-ups. During quarter 4, 23 businesses were claimed as starts, creating 35 jobs and an estimated contribution of £465,000 to the Midlothian Economy in the first year of trading. The total estimated contribution to the Midlothian Economy for the year 2025-26 is £2,641,200.00. With the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Act 2026 coming into force this quarter on 25th March 2026 there has been increased activity during the quarter to prepare for the development of a Midlothian wide Community Wealth Building Action Plan. The Locate in Midlothian website received 13,482 page views during quarter 4, with a total of 56,936 views across the year. Commercial properties remain the most popular page on the website and continues to be in the top 5 results on Google for the search terms ‘Business premises in Midlothian’ and ‘commercial property in Midlothian’. Our social media channels target different audiences, and each is performing well in terms of audience growth and interaction with 2,506 ‘Business Gateway Midlothian’ followers and 2,335 ‘Locate in Midlothian’ followers across Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Page 254 of 356
Page 255
The Midlothian Tourism Strategy for Inclusive Economic Growth 2026–2030 is awaiting submission to Council for approval. The revised programme allows for the inclusion of a detailed, delivery-focused action plan, strengthening the strategy’s implementation and monitoring framework. In addition, the strategy has been aligned with the Single Midlothian Plan, Community Wealth Building priorities and regional economic frameworks, ensuring a clear line of sight between strategic ambition and delivery. Planning application performance: the average timescale to determine local development planning applications is slightly off target this year at 10.3 weeks of a targeted 10 weeks. However, performance throughout this year has improved from 14 weeks last year. The average timescale to determine major development planning applications is on target for this year at 49 weeks of a targeted 50 weeks. 77% of all planning applications were determined within target, although this is below the 80% target for the year, this has improved from 70% last year. Midlothian will Work Towards Reducing Poverty – Achievements This theme focuses on reducing all aspects of poverty using a data informed approach whilst learning from those with direct experience of poverty. There continues to be a significant demand placed on homeless and temporary accommodation services, alongside the increase in energy, food and fuel costs, requiring a comprehensive preventative approach as set out in the Council’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan. Homelessness is not inevitable and can often be prevented. The Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) identifies the Council’s priorities for investment in new affordable housing in Midlothian over a 5 year period, helping to meet growing demand for housing across Midlothian. There were 6,672 active housing applicants placed on the Common Housing Register at the end of this quarter, an increase compared to the same period last year of 6,006. 497 lets have been made this year, averaging 41 lets per month, 305 lets were made to homeless applicants and 192 lets to general needs with 78 lets made to new build properties, 9 to buy back properties and 10 to Housing first applicants. For this quarter, 80 lets were made, a reduction from 169 lets made at the same period last year. Overall, for the year there is a decrease in lets made compared to last year of 586, this is due to the handover of more new builds last year. This year we have largely retained our letting targets of 60% of lets made to homeless households and 40% for general needs with this year’s figures at 61.4% for homeless applicants and 38.6% for general needs. Re-let times to permanent accommodation properties has increased to 50 days to re-let this quarter compared to 47 at the end of quarter 3. Re-let figures reported throughout the quarters have been higher due to a change at the start of the year in the way the Scottish Housing Regulator requires re-let times to be reported where temporary flip tenancies where to be excluded from the performance measure. A further update from the regulator was received in quarter 4 advising flip tenancies are now to be included in this measure for the overall annual return. This means that, overall for the year, our re-let times show 29 days to re-let to permanent accommodation properties, which is a reduction from 34 days in 2024/25. Quarter 4 figures where flips are included shows 43 days rather than 50 days with flips excluded. Homelessness: There continues to be a significant demand placed on homeless and temporary accommodation services as a result of the sustained number of people presenting as homeless. This year homelessness presentations remain stable compared to last year, with the main causes of homelessness being relationship breakdowns, affordability issues and individuals leaving private rented accommodation which is driven largely by the cost of living crisis and lack of affordable housing. The total number of households in temporary accommodation at the end of the year was 357 which has remained similar to figures of 359 at the same period last year. The number of temporary accommodation households that have Page 255 of 356
Page 256
been flipped to permanent accommodation this year was 163, (171 during 2024/25), reducing the need for multiple moves before being permanently housed, allowing for links established within the local community to be maintained. This quarter 9 tenancies were flipped to permanent. Tenants sustaining permanent accommodation continues to be high this year with 94.1% of homeless applicants sustaining a permanent tenancy after 1 year, an increase from 90.7% last year. The percentage of Secondary School meal uptake this quarter was 33.98% which is a slight decrease compared to the last two quarters. Overall annual figures show the uptake rate at 34.60%, a decrease from 38.22% last year.. The percentage of Primary School meal uptake for this quarter is 57.71% and shows a steady increase across this year with the overall annual uptake rate at 58.08%, an increase from 56.96% at the end of last year The percentage of school meal food waste continues to remain low this quarter at 3.03%, this remains steady with last quarters figure of 2.98%. Overall, there was 3.31% of food waste from meals prepared, a reduction from 4.38% at end of 2024/25. This quarter free school meal uptake was 68.62%, a slight decrease compared to quarters 2 and 3 of 70.58% and 70.46% respectively. The overall annual uptake rate is 68.69%, remaining steady with last year’s rate of 68.66% and only slightly off the Scottish Government average target of 70.4%. Requests for crisis funding continue to remain consistently high with a 2% increase in the number of crisis grant applications received this year (7,320) compared to last year (7,168) and an 8% increase from 2023/24 of 6,766 and demonstrates the continued significant financial challenges faced by our communities. This quarter 2,113 Crisis Grants and 385 Community Care Grants were received. All of the annual Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) budget was allocated up to quarter 4. 1,927 customers received help and support via Housing Benefits this quarter with a gradual reduction each quarter from 2,559 during quarter 4 of last year. The percentage of current housing rent arrears sits at 13.94% at the end of quarter 4. In year Council Tax collected year to date is 92.3%, showing a similar rate of collection compared to the same time last year of 94.3%. As part of our effort to reduce child poverty, Children’s Services fund three income maximisation projects, including a dedicated project worker within the FWS. The identified project worker supports families directly to increase household income and reduce debt, strengthening overall financial resilience. In 2024 the financial gain of families who were supported by Income Maximisation via the FWS was £30,448.31. In 2025, this figure has increased to £166,867.99. CLLE Poverty & Inclusion Work • supported the establishment of 10 community diners in partnership with third sector and public health • supported in partnership a funding bid to CPAF securing £99,000 over two years towards Community Diners • working with trusted partners to support cash first and Midlothian Pantry Network funded by the Cost-of-Living Task Force • supporting consultation work to establish the key priorities for reducing both child and household poverty and identify actions for the new Single Midlothian Plan 2027 to 2030. • continuing to support the Poverty Peer Researchers (now “Make a Difference” group to make next step in their journey. Page 256 of 356
Page 257
Challenges and Risks Midlothian Council continues to face a challenging environment, with financial, demographic, and economic pressures shaping how services are delivered and funded. Financial constraints: rising service delivery costs and uncertainty over future funding from the Scottish Government are placing significant strain on the council’s budget. Cost and income projections for future years are embedded in the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy which is supported by the Transformation Blueprint containing a range of transformation themes to drive towards a position of financial sustainability. Officers continue to work closely with the Business Transformation Steering Group to respond to the challenges. Our Finance team continued to develop and enhance our financial monitoring arrangements to support financial sustainable planning. The 2026/27 budget has now been set, alongside updated Medium Term Financial Strategy projections through to 2028/29 and formal approval was gained for the 2026/27 Treasury Management and Investment Strategy. Economic pressures: the ongoing cost of living crisis is affecting residents and businesses, increasing the need for council funded support. Inflationary pressures on goods, services, and energy are also significantly increasing the cost of delivering council services. As our citizens feel the impact of the Cost of Living Crisis, they will seek additional support from public services, in particular local authorities. To respond to this emerging crisis, the Council established a Cost of Living Task Force in 2022, which is chaired by the Council Leader and meets regularly to coordinate mitigating activities. Growing service demands: Midlothian’s sustained population growth and ageing demographic continues to drive an increase in demand for education, social care, housing and transport infrastructure. The 2022 Census results highlight that Midlothian remains the fastest growing local authority in Scotland with an increase of 16.1%. The 2011 census data lists Midlothian as having a population of 83,187 which has risen to 96,600 in the 2022 census data. The level of growth is 2.3% higher than our previous calculation and is now 13.4% higher than the Scottish average of 2.7%. In terms of households, Midlothian saw the highest percentage increase at 17.2% since the 2011 census. Population density in Midlothian is 273.1 residents per square kilometre compared to the Scottish average of 69.8. This growth creates the opportunity to meet the housing need with 25% of new homes being built in the affordable housing bracket, in addition to the expansion in Council house building. This construction will directly support employment and will see a steady increase in the value of Council Tax income received over time. Capital Strategy: Sets out the infrastructure required to meet demographic pressures and includes the financial contributions Midlothian will make to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. Encompassing five main themes the City Region Deal will bring significant investment across the regions with total investment of circa £1.3 billion across: • Data Driven Innovation: £751 million • Integrated Regional Employability and Skills: £25 million • Transport: £156 million • Culture: £45 million • Housing: £313 million The Capital Investment Strategy sits centrally within the Council’s future planning activities and in doing so has to reflect the demands of Council services to ensure positive outcomes are achieved in the right place, at the right time, for the maximum benefit to Midlothian. The extensive capital programme aims to deliver new schools, investment in council housing, improved community infrastructure, investment in the local transport network and innovative developments such as the new low carbon heat network in Shawfair. Page 257 of 356
Page 258
In response to all these pressures, a range of reprioritisation activity continues, with an Estates & Asset Management Strategy approved by Council in October 2025 which will enable investment and disposal of assets under Best Value for the Council. Workforce Challenges: There are workforce challenges across a range of services including health and social care, social work and regulatory services due to on-going pressures in the wider workforce availability which impacts on recruitment. The Council’s Strategic Risk Profile is reviewed on a retrospective basis and presented to Audit Committee on a quarterly basis. This process provides regular oversight of the most significant threats to the Council’s objectives and operations. At present, the highest priority risks identified relate to financial sustainability, climate change and the successful delivery of the Council’s transformations programme. Page 258 of 356
Page 259
Pentana Performance Dashboard – Q4 25/26 Off target On target Data only No data 5 3 9 2 Off target indicators: Page 259 of 356
Page 260
Page 260 of 356
Page 261
Balanced Scorecard Indicators Half 2 Year Report 2025/26 This section of the Council report is presented using the Balanced Scorecard approach. The four Balanced Scorecard perspectives and key areas of focus are shown in the following table and the associated key indicators that follow are drawn from across the Councils services. Customer/Stakeholder Financial Health • Improving outcomes for children, young people and their families • Ensuring Midlothian is a safe place to live, work and grow up in • Creating opportunities for all and reducing inequalities • Growing the local economy and supporting businesses • Responding to growing demand for Housing and Adult Social Care services • Maintaining financial sustainability and maximising funding sources • Making optimal use of available resources • Reducing costs and eliminating waste Internal Processes Learning and Growth • Improving and aligning processes, services and infrastructure • Developing employee knowledge, skills and abilities • Improving engagement and collaboration • Developing a high performing workforce Each of the perspectives shown above are supported by a number of key measures and indicators which ensure that the Balanced Scorecard informs ongoing performance reporting and helps to identify areas for further improvement. The strategy map below provides an at a glance summary of the key performance indicators identified for the Single Midlothian Plan and under each of the perspective headings of the Balanced Scorecard. Detailed performance data is available in the quarterly service performance reports. Page 261 of 356
Page 262
Single Midlothian Plan - Key Indicators Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) draw together public, voluntary and private sector bodies, and local communities. CPPs deliver a shared ‘plan’ based on evidence to improve the lives of local people, in Midlothian, the plan is called the Single Midlothian Plan. By working together as a Community Planning Partnership, individuals and communities will have improved health and skills for learning, life and work. No child or household need live in poverty. Midlothian will make significant progress towards net zero carbon emissions by 2045. The Single Midlothian Plan from 2023-27 consists of 7 thematic priorities with key actions and measures across those four years and will be refreshed annually. • Midlothian will be Healthier • Midlothian will be Safer • Midlothian will Get it Right for Every Child • Midlothian will support residents to improve Employability and Outcomes in our Communities • Midlothian will be Greener • Midlothian will have a Wellbeing Economy and be Better Connected • Midlothian will work towards reducing Poverty Page 262 of 356
Page 263
Customer Perspective - Midlothian will be Healthier 1. Midlothian will be Healthier PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status Health and Social Care specific LearnPro modules working / accessible that relate to registered professional practice. 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% All Health and Social Care specific LearnPro modules with up to date content that relate to registered professional practice. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Total amount of additional income generated for individuals through welfare rights service. N/A £4,463,0 00.46 £1,142,6 24.54 £1,019,4 41.72 6 week reviews completed within 10 weeks of admission to a care home from bed based resource e.g. RIE/Acute, MCH or Highbank N/A N/A 100% 90% 100% 90% Tasks completed by CCA’s that facilitate discharge to be completed within 2 weeks from allocation e.g. house clean, housing applications, etc N/A N/A 65% 80% 67% 80% Number of Telecare referrals allocated within timescale (3 days) N/A N/A 99.83% 90% 99% 90% Percentage of clients referred for telecare have equipment installed within timescales (1 week) N/A N/A 50.69% 90% 49.52% 90% Care Inspectorate Grades Good or Above (4, 5, 6) - Highbank Intermediate Care Home N/A N/A Annual Measure 100% 90% Care Inspectorate Grades Good or Above (4, 5, 6) - Newbyres Care Home N/A N/A Annual Measure 75% 90% Care Inspectorate Grades Good or Above (4, 5, 6) - Cowan Court N/A N/A Annual Measure 90% 90% Care Inspectorate Grades Good or Above (4, 5, 6) N/A N/A Annual Measure 80% 90% Commissioned Services Care Inspectorate Grades Good or Above (4,5,6) N/A N/A Annual Measure 100% 95% Number of assessment / reviews within 2 years of last assessment / review N/A N/A 94% 90% 92% 90% Performance against revenue budget N/A N/A £73.693 m £71.517 m TBA £71.517 m - Page 263 of 356
Page 264
PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status Average number of working days lost due to sickness absence (cumulative) 24.26 16.36 7.42 10.53 14.30 10.53 Number of completed Adult Carer Support plans by the HSCP (accumulative) N/A N/A 57 50 98 100 Number of completed Adult Carer Support plans by VOCAL (accumulative) N/A N/A 578 350 921 700 Achieve a response rate above 50% to the annual iMatter survey sent to all employees across health and social care. N/A N/A Annual Measure 62% 60% Maintain or improve the iMatter Employment Engagement Index Score. N/A N/A Annual Measure 78 78 Number of Midlothian Active Choices (MAC) attendees (quarterly) 5,688 6,431 2,269 2,300 Number of new referrals after completion of Midlothian Active Choices (MAC) sessions (quarterly) 1,435 1,695 486 610 Number of activities offered by Ageing Well to 50+ age groups (quarterly) 2,763 3,045 846 858 Page 264 of 356
Page 265
Customer Perspective - Midlothian will be Safer 2. Midlothian will be Safer PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status % of people subject to a Community Payback Order and effectively participate. 92% 88% 89% 90% Page 265 of 356
Page 266
Customer Perspective - Midlothian will Get it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) 3. Midlothian will Get it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status Number of referrals to the duty service (cumulative) 7,179 4,118 2,242 4,508 Number of foster carers going through prep groups on a quarterly basis (cumulative) 10 14 1 0 Number of new foster carers approved (cumulative) 1 12 2 8 Number of foster carers de-registered quarterly (cumulative) 5 6 4 0 Number of permanence LAAC Reviews happening quarterly (cumulative) 19 13 0 4 Number of children matched in quarter – (average months from perm LAAC to matching panel) (cumulative) 1 5 0 0 The number of children living in kinship care 69 82 74 83 The number of children living in foster care 62 63 63 62 Number of Midlothian children on the Child Protection Register 40 35 49 49 Rate per 1,000 population of Midlothian children on the Child Protection Register in relation to the Scottish average (2.3) 2.2 1.8 2.6 2.6 % of Child Protection plans which have integrated chronology 90% 80% 61% 83% Rate per 1,000 of Midlothian Looked After Children AT HOME in comparison with the Scottish average (2.6) 2.1 1.7 1.7 1.9 Rate per 1,000 of Midlothian Looked After and Accommodated Children in comparison with the Scottish average (9.7) 7.4 9.3 9.5 10.8 The number of looked after children and young people not in residential placed outwith Midlothian 9 9 7 10 The number of looked after children and young people placed in Residential School outwith Midlothian 2 2 13 17 The number of young people who are allocated/engage with Through Care and 54 56 51 58 Page 266 of 356
Page 267
PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status After Care service Number of referrals to FWS N/A N/A 48 38 Number of referrals that had been referred in previous 12 months N/A N/A 399 554 Number of referrals from FWS to practice teams N/A N/A 0 0 Number of referrals to EEI - Children in Conflict with the Law N/A N/A 28 40 % of Child’s plans shared with children N/A N/A 36% 38% Number of children Looked after at home N/A N/A 37 41 Number of children who are Looked after away from home N/A N/A 165 192 The number of children living in Midlothian Residential care N/A N/A 10 12 Child Protection: % of Core Group meetings held within a 8 week period. 100% 95% 100% 100% Child Protection: % of Core Group meetings held within 15 days for Initial 86% 100% 71% 67% Page 267 of 356
Page 268
Customer Perspective - Midlothian will support residents to improve Employability and Outcomes in our Communities 4. Midlothian will support residents to improve Employability and Outcomes in our Communities PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status Improve Primary School attendance 93.42% 94.45% 94.63% 95% 93.82% 95% Improve Secondary School Attendance 87.14% 88.46% 88.84% 91.5% 86.47% 91.5% Reduce exclusions in Primary schools (Rate per 1,000) 7.59 5.6 1.48 3.75 9.11 15 Reduce exclusions in Secondary schools (Rate per 1,000) 18.27 31.77 6.71 15 24.98 15 % of those leaving school secure a positive destination 95.29% 95.27% N/A 95% - 95.35% 95% Number of local people engaged with CLL projects 5,023 3,446 3,000 6,464 6,000 Foundation Apprenticeships completed through CLL N/A 86% N/A N/A The number of Community groups engaged with CLLE 48 37 28 61 50 Participants in the paid for adult learning program 375 175 250 319 450 Opportunities offered 510 401 250 575 500 Percentage of Midlothian Care Experienced school leavers progressing to positive destinations 100% 93.75% N/A 85.96% - 78.57% 85.96% Holistic Home Visits 1,187 523 275 736 750 Increase the number of CLLE learners from 20% SIMD most deprived 451 266 190 450 400 Increase the number of CLLE learners from 40% SIMD most deprived 2,271 1,375 1,000 2,375 2,000 Number of qualifications gained by CLLE learners 2,531 2,506 1,427 1,250 2,247 2,500 Page 268 of 356
Page 269
Customer Perspective - Midlothian will be Greener 5. Midlothian will be Greener PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status Percentage of Council fleet which is 'Green' (cumulative) 8.2% 8.2% 14% 12.5% 14.25% 12.5% Percentage of waste going to landfill per calendar year (quarterly) 12.8% 15.6% 15.2% 14.0% N/A 14.0% - Percentage of the Council's housing stock meeting the 'Modern facilities & services' Scottish Housing Quality Standard criteria 98.4% 98.4% 98.4% 100% 99.82% 100% Corporate Indicator - Percentage of the Council's housing stock meeting the Scottish Housing Quality Standard criteria (LGBF) 60.1% 84.1% 95.6% 100% 99.82% 100% Percentage of total household waste that is recycled (LGBF) 47.9% 48.1% 48.9% 54.0% N/A 54.0% - Number of Businesses signed up to the Midlothian Business Green Pledge (quarterly) 108 179 9 3 Number of volunteer hours in countryside sites (cumulative) 6,990 6,642 2,605 2,605 5,118 6,000 Number of parks and green space improvements complete (cumulative) 77 62 26 26 52 50 Percentage of household waste used to generate heat and electric (Energy from Waste) 42.1% 36.8% 35.9% N/A Draft a replacement Climate Change Strategy 50% 50% 50% 100% Page 269 of 356
Page 270
Customer Perspective - Midlothian will have a Wellbeing Economy and be Better Connected 6. Midlothian will have a Wellbeing Economy and be Better Connected PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status Number of New Business Start Ups (LGBF) 121 128 22 23 Number of 'Planning to Start' business enquiries/submissions (quarterly) 235 198 65 79 Number of jobs created by New Business Start Up 147 171 24 35 Contribution to Midlothian Economy in 1st year of trading by Start Up Business £5,790,0 00 £6,245,0 00 £710,000 £465,000 Prepare a MLDP2 proposed plan 50% 50% 90% 100% Draft a Local Transport Strategy 50% 50% 90% 100% Page 270 of 356
Page 271
Customer Perspective - Midlothian will work towards reducing Poverty 7. Midlothian will work towards reducing Poverty PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status Number of Scottish welfare fund crisis grant applications awarded (cumulative) 3,352 3,840 1,884 3,816 Number of customers receiving help/support via housing benefits (quarterly) 11,721 11,175 2,061 1,927 The proportion of Scottish Welfare Fund Budget Spent (LGBF) 156% 109.4% 65.39% 100% Length of time (weeks) homeless applicants wait until receiving a permanent housing outcome 63.8 N/A 50.73 85 - 85 - Percentage of free school meal uptake (P1-P5) 70.59% 68.66% 70.58% 70.4% 68.62% 70.4% Page 271 of 356
Page 272
Financial Health Perspective PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status Corporate Indicator - Primary Education - Cost per pupil (LGBF) £7,807.0 3 £8,096.0 8 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Secondary Education - Cost per pupil (LGBF) £9,073.1 3 £8,829.4 5 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Pre- Primary Education - Cost per pupil (LGBF) £10,203. 85 £10,519. 20 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Central Support services as a % of Total Gross expenditure (LGBF) 4.98% 5.25% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Cost of collecting council tax per dwelling (LGBF) £12.30 £13.85 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Percentage of invoices sampled and paid within 30 days (LGBF) (quarterly) 92.6% 92.5% 94.1% 95.0% 94.2% 95.0% Corporate Indicator - Net cost of waste collection per premise (annual) (LGBF) £92.39 £70.47 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Net cost of waste disposal per premise (annual) (LGBF) £49.85 £63.71 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Net cost of street cleaning per 1,000 population (LGBF) £10,004. 07 £15,328. 39 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Cost of maintenance per kilometre of roads (LGBF) £9,780.5 9 £14,932. 77 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Cost of Trading Standards, Money Advice & Citizen Advice per 1000 population (LGBF) £6,381.0 3 £6,637.9 7 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Cost of environmental health per 1,000 population. (LGBF) £11,550. 99 £12,024. 43 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Total useable reserves as a % of council annual budgeted revenue (LGBF) 36.6% 27.2% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Uncommitted General Fund Balance as a % of council annual budgeted net revenue (LGBF) 2.4% 2% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Page 272 of 356
Page 273
PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status Ratio of Financing Costs to Net Revenue Stream - General Fund (LGBF) 0.6% 1.6% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Ratio of Financing Costs to Net Revenue Stream - Housing Revenue Account (LGBF) 40.2% 42.8% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Actual outturn as a percentage of budgeted expenditure (LGBF) 100% 101% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Reliance on Reserves as a % of Net Expenditure 0% 0% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Older Persons Home Care Costs per Hour (Over 65) (LGBF) £39.32 £33.52 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - The Net Cost of Residential Care Services per Older Adult (+65) per Week (LGBF) £904.21 £864.01 Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Page 273 of 356
Page 274
Learning and Growth Perspective PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status Percentage of staff turnover (including teachers) (quarterly) 9.2% 8.6% 2.91% 2.21% Corporate Indicator - The Percentage of council employees in top 5% of earners that are women (LGBF) 58.9% 59.9% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available - Corporate Indicator - The gender pay gap between average hourly rate of pay for male and female - all council employees (LGBF) 2.7% 2.32% 1.33% 1.37% Corporate Indicator - Sickness Absence Days per Employee (All employees) 11.71 10.91 4.86 11.14 Corporate Indicator - Teachers Sickness Absence Days (LGBF) 6.44 days 6.67 days 2.03 days 6.34 days Corporate Indicator - Local Government Employees (except teachers) sickness absence days (LGBF) 13.79 days 12.56 days 5.99 days 13.01 days Page 274 of 356
Page 275
Internal Processes Perspective PI Description 2023/24 2024/25 Q2 2025/26 Q4 2025/26 Value Value Value Target Status Value Target Status % of internal/external audit actions progressing on target. % of high risks that have been reviewed in the last quarter 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Corporate Indicator - Percentage of adults satisfied with libraries (LGBF) 59.3% 53.7% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Percentage of adults satisfied with parks and open spaces (LGBF) 84.7% 83.7% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Percentage of adults satisfied with leisure facilities (LGBF) 65% 63% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Percentage of Adults satisfied with local schools (LGBF) 71.7% 62.3% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Percentage of Adults satisfied with refuse collection (LGBF) 88.3% 88% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Corporate Indicator - Percentage of adults satisfied with street cleaning (LGBF) 62% 63.7% Annual Measure LGBF Annual Measure Not Yet Available Total number of complaints received (quarterly) 1,750 1,308 390 526 Percentage of complaints at stage 1 complete within 5 working days 83.4% 78.33% 87.31% 95% 80.48% 95% Percentage of complaints at stage 2 complete within 20 working days 58.67% 90.24% 70.59% 95% 79.41% 95% Page 275 of 356
Page 276
Page 276 of 356
Page 277
Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item No 5.9 Traffic Calming Options for Newlandrig Report by Kevin Anderson, Executive Director Place Report for Decision 1 Recommendations It is recommended that Cabinet: i. Review the proposed speed control measure options detailed, and ii. Decide which option is to be delivered (contained in 3.28) 2 Purpose of Report/Executive Summary This report reviews recent results of an ongoing vehicle speed monitoring study in Newlandrig with other areas across Midlothian for comparison. It also provides options for speed management through the villages and comments on potential wider impacts. Date: 31st March 2026 Report Contact: Wayne Clark – Group Manager, Roads and Transportation Page 277 of 356
Page 278
3 Background 3.1 Newlandrig is a small village which lies 2 miles northeast of Gorebridge and to the west of the upper reaches of the Tyne Water.it is located on the B6372 road between Mossend (Gorebridge) and Vogrie Country Park. 3.2 Newlandrig settlement consists of approximately 17 homes and some farm operations 3.3 Newlandrigg has had speed reductions implemented twice, with a move from 60>40mph in 2006 and also 40>20mph in 2024. 3.4 No further control measures are in place at the village other than conventional signage installed by a legal Traffic Restriction Order (TRO) which is enforceable by Police. 3.5 The reduction to 20mph was undertaken as part of a county wide, Transport Scotland led initiative where 20mph is adopted to become the standard for residential areas - The Road Assessment Criteria | Transport Scotland 3.6 Newlandrigg does not meet many of the criteria for a move to 20mph, but officers determined a wider benefit to include this location in the project. 3.7 Newlandrigg has an accident history which includes 3 recorded injury accidents over the past 10 years – 1 serious (involving a horse rider) and 2 of the slight injuries category at time of initial reporting. 3.8 This has since been supplemented by a further road traffic accident (RTA) on Thursday 5th February 2026 when a motorcyclist collided with a parked Transit pick-up style van. 3.9 The Police Scotland report for this incident states the sole cause of accident as ‘rider error caused by low care and attention’. 3.10 Transport Scotland has a desire to implement speed change and then install behavioural change through education and improved habits, as opposed to control measures such as speed humps and build outs, as they contribute to poorer air quality caused by vehicles start/stop motion. 3.11 Residents have regularly contacted Midlothian Council with concerns around speeding traffic travelling through Newlandrig throughout 2024, but requests increased in 2025 with the 20mph roll out and when traffic calming progressed into neighbouring villages such as Edgehead and Ford. Page 278 of 356
Page 279
3.12 A site visit by Council Officers and other officials on 10 April 2025 followed various communications which included Police, MSP and senior council officers. 3.13 Midlothian Council have installed a permanent speed monitor in Newlandrig so that we have a record of speeds through the village. 3.14 VMS (visible message signing) has also been installed at either side of the village to increase 20mph awareness, this will warn vehicles entering the village of their excess speed. The cost of these measures to date has been £15,574.58. 3.15 Table below shows average speed through Newlandrigg and others over a 3 month period – Location December January February Daytime (07:00- 19:00) Night time (19:00- 07:00) Daytime (07:00- 19:00) Night time (19:00- 07:00) Daytime (07:00- 19:00) Night time (19:00- 07:00) Cockpen Road - Bonnyrigg N/A N/A 26.38 28.38 26.39 28.28 Lauder Road - Dalkeith N/A N/A 24.22 27.18 24.57 27.23 Mauricewood Road - Penicuik 29.32 31.12 28.89 30.94 29.36 31.16 Newlandrigg 27.81 32.14 24.60 27.39 26.61 30.08 Dewartown 25.63 28.54 25.80 29.29 25.94 28.88 3.16 All areas have seen nominal fluctuations in average speed over the initial speed monitoring. 3.17 Compliance is better through daytime periods (7am-7pm) opposed to night-time periods (7pm-7am) 3.18 A previous consultation was undertaken by Road Services to gather views from residents on desired road safety improvement prospects. This report supersedes that outcome as it is data informed. 3.19 Transport Scotland are opposed to traffic calming measures as they cause more stop/start actions resulting in higher pollution/air quality deterioration and conflict with guidance for B class roads. 3.20 The B6372 is a core road link between the A7 and A68 especially during traffic diversions and as such it often has heavy haulage use. 3.21 Speeding control enforcement is a Police Scotland role. 3.22 Although it should be noted that the compliance level through Newlandrig matches other areas 3 options are listed to manage speed compliance Page 279 of 356
Page 280
a. No further action b. Installation of village entry build outs coupled with street lighting as per appendix – A c. Installation of village entry build outs coupled with street lighting PLUS installation of speed humps as per appendix – B 3.23 Appendix A+B are both indicative layouts subject to engineering and Lighting design. 3.24 Appendix C shows a typical ‘give and take’ build out proposed for village entrances on B6372. 3.25 Officer recommendation is for either option 1 or 2 as option 3 would require a widespread consultation, which is required to include the Road Haulage Association (RHA), bus operators and emergency services. 3.26 Option 2 would include footpath improvements making the area better for walking and wheeling 3.27 Roads services have concerns regards setting precedent and expectations around the policing and control of vehicle speeds with other areas which area heavily populated having similar/worse compliance levels to include areas passing schools. 3.28 Cabinet is invited to nominate one of the below options for Newlandrig a. No further action b. Installation of village entry build outs coupled with street lighting as per appendix – A c. Installation of village entry build outs coupled with street lighting PLUS installation of speed humps as per appendix - B Page 280 of 356
Page 281
4 Report Implications (Resource, Digital and Risk) 4.1 Resource Capital expenditure will be allocated from the Transport Scotland award to Midlothian of RSIF (Road Safety Improvement Fund) 4.2 Digital N/A 4.3 Risk There is a risk that residents may believe vehicle speeds experienced remain too high after any works undertaken. 4.4 Ensuring Equalities (if required a separate IIA must be completed) N/A 4.5 Additional Report Implications Page 281 of 356
Page 282
Appendices APPENDIX A – Report Implications A.1 Key Priorities within the Single Midlothian Plan In terms of the key priorities through the Single Midlothian Plan. A.2 Key Drivers for Change Key drivers addressed in this report: Holistic Working Hub and Spoke Modern Sustainable Transformational Preventative Asset-based Continuous Improvement One size fits one None of the above A.3 Key Delivery Streams Key delivery streams addressed in this report: One Council Working with you, for you Preventative and Sustainable Efficient and Modern Innovative and Ambitious None of the above A.4 Delivering Best Value A.5 Involving Communities and Other Stakeholders Local community views have been captured in previous consultation and have fed into the drawing of the options presented. A.6 Impact on Performance and Outcomes Not applicable A.7 Adopting a Preventative Approach. Not applicable A.8 Supporting Sustainable Development Not applicable Page 282 of 356
Page 283
Appendix B – Option 2 Appendix C – Option 3 Appendix – D Page 283 of 356
Page 284
Page 284 of 356
Page 285
3 2 1 5 4 7 1 2 11 13 10 2a 23 12 12a LB Path Ruin Path 15 to 17 Green Lodge B 6372 184.7m 186.2m 191.1m 194.5m 194.5m Bowling House Alderdean Poultry Farm Vogrie Burn Newlandburn Newlandburn Farm Newlandrig Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO © Crown Copyright and database right 2020 All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence no. 100023416 Option 2 Page 285 of 356
Page 286
Page 286 of 356
Page 287
3 2 1 5 4 7 1 2 11 13 10 2a 23 12 12a LB Path Ruin Path 15 to 17 Green Lodge B 6372 184.7m 186.2m 191.1m 194.5m 194.5m Bowling House Alderdean Poultry Farm Vogrie Burn Newlandburn Newlandburn Farm Newlandrig Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO © Crown Copyright and database right 2020 All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence no. 100023416 Option 3 Page 287 of 356
Page 288
Page 288 of 356
Page 289
Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item No 5.10 Waste Services – Twin Streaming Progress Report Report by Kevin Anderson, Executive Director Place Report for Information 1 Recommendations Cabinet is recommended to i. Note the implementation of the Waste Services Twin Streaming project in the service and transformational change in relation to recycling; and ii. Note that reporting of the outcomes in contamination rates; recyclates and residual waste will be included in the regular quarterly performance reporting cycle to elected members. 2 Purpose of Report/Executive Summary In December, 2023 Midlothian Council approved the introduction of practices relating to the Household Recycling Charter, and its accompanying Code of Practice, which set out requirements for the presentation and collection of waste. This report is in respect of the delivery of 46,000 of 240 litre green bins to properties across Midlothian and a move to a three weekly bin collection cycle for grey, blue and green bins as of March 2026. Date: 22 May 2026 Report Contact: Kevin Anderson Email: Kevin Anderson@midlothian.gov.uk Page 289 of 356
Page 290
3 Background Twin stream recycling is a collection method where recyclable materials are separated into two categories at the point of collections, one stream for paper and card and the other for plastics and cans. This approach reduces contamination, improves the quality of recyclables, and increases the proportion of materials that can be successfully processed and reused. By making it easier for residents to sort their recycling at source, the Council anticipates substantial cost savings in the disposal of dry mixed recycling, alongside higher overall recycling rates. Twin Stream recycling in Midlothian was launched and supported by a £2.2 million grant from Zero Waste Scotland. This project is a major initiative aimed at improving recycling services for residents and introduced an additional green recycling bin for every household. The project saw the delivery of 46,000 of 240 litre green bins to properties across Midlothian and a move to a three weekly bin collection cycle for grey, blue and green bins as of March 2026. Glass and food collections remained on the original collection frequency, and this quarter saw an increase in requests for glass collection boxes and food caddies. The aim of the initiative is to reduce residual waste and increase recycling to achieve environmental and financial benefits. While there were a number of operational challenges during implementation, the majority of residents have embraced the new service changes and early indications are that there has been a decrease in residual waste and an increase in recycling. Monitoring of contamination levels are taking place and initial figures show that the contamination level in the new green bin was around 5%, which is an achievement so early on in the new collection cycle. This service transformation was communicated to Midlothian residents with updates on progress to queries, and managed responses to concerns or complaints. Changes to the service were further supported by a focused, ongoing education and engagement programme designed to help residents adapt to the changes and maximise participation. A continuation of the communications strategy is planned to further embed positive messages around recycling. 4 Waste & Recycling Service Standards The Household Recycling Charter and its accompanying Code of Practice set out a number of requirements that signatories are expected to follow. These include a recommendation that Councils develop and introduce policies relating to the presentation and collection of waste to ensure: • we operate our services so staff are kept safe Page 290 of 356
Page 291
• we deliver effective and efficient collection services on behalf of our communities Developing and publishing our policies helps ensure services operate transparently and fairly, encourage householder participation, maximise the quality and quantity of materials collected for recycling and improve operational efficiencies. These Standards help us better communicate with customers when complaints arise as both sides will have a clear understanding of the levels of service expected and to ensure that households present waste in a way that reduces risk to collection crews. Recycling - Green bin | Midlothian Council 5 Waste Transfer Shed The extension to the existing transfer shed at Stobhill depot is on target for its completion. This will allow separation of plastic and cans, from paper and card before distribution to processing plants which means that processing costs for recycling material will be reduced. 6 In-cab technology The implementation of the Whitespace in-cab technology system continued to have a positive impact on the way the waste service is being delivered this year. This innovative system has enhanced the efficiency of resource deployment, leading to measurable gains in key performance areas. The In- cab technology was an essential tool in delivering the twin stream recycling roll out. The new three weekly bin collection routes were designed and built within the system, allowing frontline crews to access real time route information and service updates. Work to integrate our online ‘missed bin’ form via our Customer Services Platform to the in-cab technology has been finalised and due to go live in the coming months. This will further enhance the customer journey by improving the way the service engages with residents in relation to enquires and complaints. 7 Next Phase A procurement exercise is being drafted for the long term disposal contract of separate streams of recycling materials (paper/card and plastic/cans). The Council has agreed the introduction of a Citizen App which will launch later this year. The first phase of the application is in Waste Services. The app will provide real time notifications to users on any route changes, missed collection, recycling information and the waste collection calendar. Page 291 of 356
Page 292
Changes for 2027 to be implemented: - Plastic Film Kerbside Collections: from 31 March 2027 Scottish Local Authorities are required to collect recyclable plastic film and flexible packaging directly from households. This is part of a broader UK-wide commitment driven by Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reforms to drastically cut the amount of soft plastic sent to landfills or incineration - Deposit Return Scheme (DRS): From 1 October 2027, single-use drinks containers (PET plastic, steel and aluminium) can be returned to claim a paid deposit. This will impact what is collected at kerbside. - Digital Waste Tracking: The mandatory use of the digital waste tracking service becomes law in Scotland starting January 2027, requiring permitted waste receiving sites to log data electronically. Page 292 of 356
Page 293
8 Report Implications (Resource, Digital, Risk and Equalities) 8.1 Resource Introducing new recycling collection services is intended to improve the resource efficiency of the waste service. 8.2 Digital • Existing Route Management software was used for a whole-scale route review of all domestic and trade waste and recycling collections. • The implementation of new waste and recycling collection services is supported by the introduction of a Digital Depot system and the use of “in-cab” digital devices. • Existing IT and Digital Resources support customer engagement eg.: information on website, collection calendars, social media activities 8.3 Risk Failure to transform recycling collection services at this time can expose the Council to reputational and financial risk. 8.4 Ensuring Equalities Waste collection services affect all households in Midlothian. There is a positive impact on the environment and economy. Background Papers Page 293 of 356
Page 294
APPENDIX A – Additional Report Implications A.1 Key Priorities within the Single Midlothian Plan The report proposes service transformation which will underpin the Single Midlothian Plan. A.2 Key Drivers for Change Key drivers addressed in this report: Holistic Working Hub and Spoke Modern Sustainable Transformational Preventative Asset-based Continuous Improvement One size fits one None of the above A.3 Key Delivery Streams Key delivery streams addressed in this report: One Council Working with you, for you Preventative and Sustainable Efficient and Modern Innovative and Ambitious A.4 Delivering Best Value Census data is indicative of the growth in demand for services since each new household will require waste and recycling collections and it has been prudent to review the operation of the service to prepare for further expected customer growth over the next decade in an environment of restricted budgets. A.5 Involving Communities and Other Stakeholders A customer consultation was held in 2021 on future waste collection options. A.6 Impact on Performance and Outcomes Introducing new recycling services is to have a positive impact on recycling diversion. A.7 Adopting a Preventative Approach The new recycling collection services prioritise resource use, fuel and fleet efficiency and an associated reduction in carbon. A.8 Supporting Sustainable Development An increase in material collected for reuse and recycling is expected to be achieved. Page 294 of 356
Page 295
Cabinet Tuesday 2 June 2026 Item No 5.11 Protective Services, Business Regulation Food and Safety Service Plan 2026/2027 Report by Derek Oliver, Executive Director Children, Young People & Partnerships Report for Decision 1 Recommendations It is recommended that Cabinet: i. note the Review of Performance of the Food Service for period 2025/26; ii. note the revised resource calculation, identifying the resource required to fulfil all food law obligations of the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland); and that regulatory activity is prioritised towards operations that present the highest risk; iii. note that for 2026/27, the service will increase regulatory activity on workplace health and safety; iv. note Midlothian Council’s commitment to the FSS SAFER Project (Scottish Authorities Food Enforcement Reform) that has been initiated to develop a new approach to food law delivery in Scotland. v. approve the Protective Services, Business Regulation Food and Safety Service Plan 2026/27. vi. approve the revised Food Law Enforcement Policy that has been reviewed. 2 Purpose of Report/Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to advise Cabinet of the obligation upon the Council to document and implement an annual Food Service Plan and to seek approval of the Protective Services, Business Regulation Food and Safety Service Plan for 2026/27. In addition, the Food Law Enforcement Policy, reviewed every 36 months, is presented for approval. Date: 24 April 2026 Report Contact: Gail McElroy, Team Manager Business Regulation Tel No: 0131 271 3559 gail.mcelroy@midlothian.gov.uk Page 295 of 356
Page 296
3 Background 3.1 Food Standards Scotland (FSS) is responsible for all strategic and policy aspects of food safety and food standards in Scotland. The Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland), issued by FSS and approved by Government Ministers, provides guidance to local authorities on the structure and content of a Food Service Plan. It also sets out the expectations on Local Authorities in their delivery of official controls on food law. The code states that “each Food Authority should complete an annual Service Plan which details the Interventions programme for the coming year. They should ensure such a programme is adequately resourced and the overall plan is subject to approval timeously at the appropriate governance level within the Local Authority.” Food Standards Scotland and Local Authorities seek to work in partnership to discharge their duties and to incorporate: • Food Standards Scotland’s Regulatory Strategy, and • The Scottish Government’s approach to Better Regulation as set out in the Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code of Practice. The consistent application of controls by Local Authorities is essential in terms of the wellbeing of consumers, food businesses and the wider economy. The Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) underpins the necessary confidence of consumers and food businesses that all food purchased or traded in Scotland is manufactured, described and handled to consistent standards, irrespective of its origin. The obligations that apply to the delivery of official controls by local authorities include ensuring: i. the effectiveness and appropriateness of Official Controls. ii. that controls are applied at an appropriate risk-based frequency. iii. that they have a sufficient number of suitably qualified and experienced competent staff and adequate facilities and equipment to carry out their duties properly. iv. that staff are free from conflicts of interest. v. that they have access to an adequate laboratory capacity and capability for testing. The Food and Safety Service Plan 2026/2027 details how these obligations are being met and pursued within Midlothian and is attached at Appendix B. 3.2 Scottish Authorities Food Enforcement Reform (SAFER) In conformance with the Food Law Code of Practice, Midlothian Council Food Service will prioritise central government initiatives, based on risk assessment and where capacity allows. With the pressure facing Scottish Food Authorities, in 2023 FSS proposed Scottish Authorities Food Enforcement Rebuild (SAFER), a Page 296 of 356
Page 297
collaborative approach to implement a new model of food law delivery in Scotland. This has been rebranded as Scottish Authorities Food Enforcement Reform, supporting the wider public service reform agenda and will be a comprehensive overhaul of the way in which Food Services across Scotland will operate. Work began on this in October 2025 with the initial meeting of the multi- disciplinary SAFER programme board and creation of the Terms of Reference. Local Authority Environmental Health services will have an opportunity to shape the project outcomes through Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) that will provide expert operational insight and technical guidance to the board. Midlothian Council’s Team Manager Business Regulation will sit on the Food Law Professional Technical Advisory Group that informs the development, design and implementation of the projects and outcomes, leads on engagement of Local Authority Food Services’ and ensures consistent communication through the Food Liaison Group network. 3.3 As a precursor to SAFER commencing in February 2025, FSS required each Local Authority to carry out a Required Resource Calculation. The Food Service was tasked with identifying the Full Time Equivalent (FTE) resource required to fulfil the obligations of the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland). In June 2025, the final calculation was agreed between Midlothian Council Food Service and FSS as 6.5FTE, highlighting a shortfall of 2.5FTE between the required resource and the Food Service establishment of 4FTE. In addition to food law activities, Midlothian Council is an enforcement authority for workplace health and safety within Midlothian. The team execute statutory duties to enforce compliance with health and safety regulations in public-facing businesses, such as in leisure, retail, hospitality and offices. The full team resource calculation, incorporating these and other matters of responsibility, identifies a required staff resource of 8.5FTE and identifies a shortfall of 3FTE between the required resource and the team establishment of 5.5FTE. For the past 2 years, the Business Regulation Team have focused on building the capacity and capability of the team to provide food law enforcement. To strengthen the workforce resilience in health and safety enforcement, resources require to be allocated to planned H&S projects, identified by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as national priority topics for Local Authorities. As a result, the Food Service will be unable to complete all the programmed food law interventions due for 2026/2027. The Food Service will continue to prioritise planned interventions of the highest risk food businesses; approved premises, priority 1 and 2 category premises, defined in the annual plan, and serious food related incidents. Page 297 of 356
Page 298
3.4 Review of the previous plan 2025/2026 The review of service performance against the 2025/ 2026 Food Service Plan is attached at Appendix C. In summary: • 100% of planned priority inspections for the highest risk businesses were completed with a total of 378 food law inspections carried out and six statutory remedial action notices served (effectively stopping a food business or a process within a business from continuing until matters of concern are rectified) • inspections, and sampling, were carried out at 100% of the approved establishments, who manufacture and/ or handle products of animal origin • of the 202 service requests, 92% were responded to within service standards, and • whilst 89% of all applicable food businesses now hold a “Pass” certificate under the Food Hygiene Information Scheme, an 84% “Pass” rate was achieved by those businesses inspected in 2025/26 3.5 Food Law Enforcement Policy The Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) requires the Food Authority to have a documented and up-to-date Food Law Enforcement Policy available to Food Business Operators and consumers. Midlothian Council Food Service review this policy every 36 months. The revised Food Law Enforcement Policy is attached at Appendix D. 4 Report Implications (Resource, Digital and Risk) 4.1 Resource This is detailed in the Food and Safety Service Plan 2026/2027. Midlothian Council has undertaken a “grow our own” approach to mitigating the impact of the resource shortfall, aggravated by the national shortage of qualified Environmental Health Officers and food safety officers (FSO). Since 2024, Midlothian Council has onboarded 2 Food Safety Officers and 1 Modern Apprentice in Regulatory Services. 4.2 Digital There are no digital implications identified at this time. Page 298 of 356
Page 299
4.3 Risk Section 1 of the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) requires the statutory obligations be brought to the attention of local authority officials and / or elected member bodies responsible for agreeing budgets or other service arrangements relevant to the delivery of official controls. Environmental Health is a statutory function and the Food and Safety Service Plan is produced in pursuance of this function. Failure to produce and implement a food service plan leaves the local authority open to both the challenge of failing in its statutory duty and increased reputational risk. 4.4 Ensuring Equalities (if required a separate IIA must be completed) There are no known equality issues arising from the provisions of this annual plan. 4.4 Additional Report Implications (See Appendix A) See Appendix A Appendices Appendix A – Additional Report Implications Appendix B – Food and Safety Service Plan 2026/27 Appendix C – Review of Service Performance against the 2025/26 Food and Safety Service Plan Appendix D – Midlothian Council’s Food Law Enforcement Policy Appendix E - Background information/Links Page 299 of 356
Page 300
APPENDIX A – Report Implications A.1 Key Priorities within the Single Midlothian Plan Delivery of the food enforcement role as detailed in the Food and Safety Service Plan 2026/2027 significantly contributes to reducing the gap in health outcomes. This is achieved by ensuring the safety, composition and compliant labelling of food and reducing the gap in economic circumstances by ensuring consistent and appropriate enforcement on all aspects of the industry engaged with. A.2 Key Drivers for Change Key drivers addressed in this report: Holistic Working Hub and Spoke Modern Sustainable Transformational Preventative Asset-based Continuous Improvement One size fits one None of the above A.3 Key Delivery Streams Key delivery streams addressed in this report: One Council Working with you, for you Preventative and Sustainable Efficient and Modern Innovative and Ambitious None of the above A.4 Delivering Best Value This report relates to the delivery of statutory obligations. A.5 Involving Communities and Other Stakeholders The Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan is a requirement produced in accordance with Food Standards Scotland guidance to ensure delivery of the Council’s statutory obligations. A.6 Impact on Performance and Outcomes The Food & Safety Service Plan defines the priorities of the service to matters of highest risk and to those where positive outcomes can be achieved. Page 300 of 356
Page 301
A.7 Adopting a Preventative Approach The Food and Safety Service Plan establishes a programme of preventative interventions aimed at increasing compliance at food businesses and workplaces across Midlothian. A.8 Supporting Sustainable Development N/A Page 301 of 356
Page 302
APPENDIX E Background Papers/Resource Links Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) 2019 Food_Law_Code_of _Practice_2019.pdf Interventions Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) 2019 Interventions_Food _Law_Code_of_Pract Page 302 of 356
Page 303
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Summary Food Standards Scotland (FSS) require each local Food Authority to produce a periodic plan showing how it will meet the duty of the Authority to regulate and enforce food law in its area. In line with the Food Law Code of Practice Scotland 2019 the Food Service presents this plan to the Council’s Cabinet for approval. This plan covers the Protective Services, Business Regulation Team’s food and safety related activities, planned from 1 April 2026 – 31 March 2027. It has been prepared using risk rating data held for each food premises on our Management Information System and following the Local Authority Recovery Process Guidance and the Local Authority Required Resource Calculation 2.0, produced by Food Standards Scotland. This Food Service Plan for year 2026/2027 will be a continuation of the restart of the Food Law Intervention Programme, which began in April 2022 following the coronavirus pandemic. While the Food Service has had challenges completing the restart programme in full due to vacancies, the Service has in recent years focused on training and mentoring new officers and goes into 2026/27 in anticipation of achieving a full establishment of authorised food officers by May this year. With 975 registered food premises within Midlothian, the Business Regulation Food and Safety Team requires to carry out over 300 planned inspections each year to stay on target and meet the expectations of Food Standards Scotland. Within 2026/27, 359 registered food businesses are due to receive a planned food law intervention. In addition, missed inspections from previous years will be completed over 3 years, as per FSS guidance. This will require an additional 120 premises to be inspected this year. Midlothian has 11 approved food establishments, that handle and process products of animal origin, that require significant staff resource to ensure required standards of Official Control Verification. As these businesses are seen as our highest risk, the Business Regulation Food and Safety Team will be focusing on delivering these official controls. Midlothian Council Food Service has committed to fully engaging with Food Standards Scotland’s SAFER project (Scottish Authorities Food Enforcement Reform) to develop a new approach to food law delivery in Scotland that is fit for the future. In 2026/27, the Food and Safety Team plan to focus on implementing the workplace Health and Safety programme. This is essential to enable training of new officers and raise competency with health and safety matters, making the team and Local Authority more resilient. Using the Local Authority Required Resource Calculation 2.0 Guidance, dated December 2024, it is estimated that 6.5 FTE qualified food officers would be Page 303 of 356
Page 304
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 required to deliver the full range of annual food law-related activities. At the start of this plan for 2026/27, the Food Service will have an actual FTE of 4 Authorised Officers for food activities. To complete all regulated activities the Food & Safety Team requires a total calculated FTE of 8.5. At full complement with all establishment posts filled with fully qualified authorised officers, the Business Regulation, Food and Safety Team will have a 3 FTE shortfall between the calculated FTE required and the establishment FTE. The Food Service will be unable to fulfil all our statutory duties required in 2026/27. The following priorities have been set to focus on our highest risk premises. All planned official controls at our approved establishments will be prioritised. All Group 1, Group 2 & 3 Band D & E and scheduled initial inspections at Group 1 & 2 food businesses will be inspected within the required timescales, (see Annex 2 for additional information on risk groupings), this totals 50 businesses. Group 2 Band B & C businesses due for inspection this year will be allocated for inspection, in total 235. Missed inspections from previous years will be allocated based on risk. In 2026/27 49 previously missed Group 2 food businesses will be allocated for inspection. All other Group 2 and Group 3 food business inspections due this year and missed from previous years will not be allocated for inspection. Requests for service that are deemed to be significant will be investigated. Introduction Assimilated EU law sets out the obligations that apply to the delivery of Official Food Controls by Local Authorities (also known as Food Authorities), ensuring: - The effectiveness and appropriateness of Official Controls, - That controls are applied at appropriate risk-based frequency, - That they have a sufficient number of suitable qualified and experienced, competent staff and adequate facilities and equipment to carry out their duties properly, - That staff are free from conflicts of interest. Local Authorities must have regard to Codes of Practice issued by Ministers on the execution and enforcement of the applicable food laws; and regulations and orders made under it. Food Standards Scotland oversees that Local Authorities have in place arrangements for the delivery of the required Official Food Controls. This Service Plan is developed in line with the Food Law Code of Practice Scotland 2019 and takes recognition of the draft Administration and Service Planning, Food Law Code Practice (Scotland) 2020, provided by FSS. The coronavirus pandemic caused all planned food law intervention work to cease on 20 March 2020 when the Council moved into Category 1 responder mode. Environmental Health Officers (EHO’s) were classed as key workers and ceased normal duties to concentrate work on public health control measures. Page 304 of 356
Page 305
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 The continuing impact of the pandemic on the Food Service is still evident 4 years into the restart programme. Food Service Officers resumed unannounced inspections, in accordance with the Interventions Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland), in April 2022. Since then, the Food Service Plans have been prepared following the ‘Local Authority Recovery Project, Recovery Process Guidance’ developed by Food Standards Scotland and Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee, issued in December 2020. This guidance set maximum time periods, within which every food business must have a planned intervention. Between April 2022 and March 2026, all food premises in Midlothian had been allocated a scheduled intervention. If the Food Service could have stayed on track with the proposed restart programme, based on our reset date of April 2022, then all Midlothian food businesses would have had a food law intervention by the end of March 2026. However, due to vacancies within the team and additional unplanned inspections, the restart plan could not be completed fully. As of 1 April 2025, 352 programmed inspections had not been completed for years 2022/2023, 2023/2024 and 2024/2025. FSS have advised that these missed inspections should be spread over 3 years, equating to around an additional 120 inspections each year between 2025 – 2028. With the current establishment, even if the Food Service can maintain full complement, all the required food law inspections for this year will not be achieved. In practice allocation of tasks is prioritised and resources are utilised to address those considered highest risk. This plan covers the period from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. 1.1 Service Aims and Objectives The aims of the Food Service, delivered by the Business Regulation Team within Protective Services, are to: - Protect public health by ensuring that food (including drink), intended for sale for human consumption; produced, stored, distributed, handled, traded and/or consumed in Midlothian, is safe to eat and is described accurately to the consumer, - Carry out the statutory duties required of Midlothian Council as a Food Authority. To achieve these aims the following objectives have been set to: - Complete the food law interventions programme planned for 1 April 2026 – 31 March 2027, - Carry out approved premises interventions following the Official Control Verification (OCV) framework, Page 305 of 356
Page 306
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 - Undertake a programme of food sampling from manufacturing premises in Midlothian, - Contribute to national sampling surveys set by Food Standards Scotland, - Investigate food related complaints and respond to requests for service, - Investigate instances of food and water borne disease within Midlothian in a co- ordinated approach with the relevant Health Authorities, - Respond appropriately to relevant food alerts as required by Food Standards Scotland, - Ensure all Authorised Officers receive a minimum of 10 hours food related training to maintain competency. 1.2 Link to corporate objectives and plans Midlothian Council as part of the Community Planning Partnership has developed a Sin- gle Midlothian Plan with a stated vision that; • Individuals and communities in Midlothian have improved health and skills for learn- ing, life and work • No child or household need live in poverty. • Significant progress is made towards net zero carbon emissions Annex 1 shows the mapping of Food Service activity to the Single Midlothian Plan outcomes. In June 2023 the Council approved the Transformation Blueprint and supporting Medium Term Financial Strategy. Whilst recognising that there will be difficult choices to be made as the Council defines what services it will provide, where these services will be delivered and how, the blueprint maps the journey to be undertaken. It is intended to steer the Authority towards greater financial sustainability whilst seeking to ensure we have the technology, assets, skilled staff and multi-agency working to create more efficient and effective services for local people. Food Authorities have a duty under the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 to contribute to sustainable economic growth. Food Service Officers have regard to the principles of Better Regulation helping businesses to comply and grow sustainably, as outlined in the Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code of Practice. This is in line with the Single Midlothian Plan. However, exceptions are in place where this would be inconsistent with the execution of their function to protect public health. Food Officers take the appropriate action where required in line with the approved Midlothian Council Food Law Enforcement Policy. Page 306 of 356
Page 307
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 2. Background 2.1 Profile of Local Authority Midlothian Council is located to the south of Scotland’s capital city Edinburgh and serves an estimated population of about 99,880 (on 30 June 2024). Midlothian is pro rata, the fastest expanding area of Scotland for population growth and housing development, with a projected population increase to 111,292 by 2032, an increase of 14.7%. This is compared to 4.4% increase for Scotland as a whole, Midlothian - National Records of Scotland (NRS). This brings with it consequent pressures on council services. The Council shares its boundary with East Lothian, City of Edinburgh and Scottish Borders. The main centres of population are currently around Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg and Penicuik with much of the area rural in nature with small towns and villages. 2.2 Organisational Structure The Food Service sits within the Business Regulation Team, part of Protective Services, Place Directorate. The organisational structure is seen in Figure 1 and shows the current full-time equivalent (FTE) establishment within the Business Regulation Team, as at April 2026. The Business Regulation Team has allocated Business Support, 0.4 FTE is dedicated to food related administration. Senior Manager Protective Services Team Manager Public Health & Environmental Protection Team Manager Business Regulation FTE 1 Environmental Health Officer FTE 1 Environmental Warden Food and Safety Team Public Health & Environmental ProtectionTeam Environmental Health Officer FTE 1 Environmental Health Officer /Authorised Officer FTE 1 Environmental Health Officer Environmental Health Officer Environmental Health Officer (VACANT) Environmental Warden Senior Enforcement Officer FTE 1 Trading Standards Team Protective Services Organisational Structure Business Services 2.8 FTE April 2025 Lead Officer Food Environmental Health Officer Environmental Health Officer/Authorised Officer 1 FTE Chief Officer Place Executive Director PlaceChief Executive Principal Environmental Health Officer FTE 1 Principal Environmental Health Officer (VACANT) Principal Trading Standards Officer FTE 1 Business Services Manager Team Manager Health, Safety & Resilience Business Support Figure 1. Organisational Structure of Place with current Business Regulation Team Full Time Equivalent (FTE) as at April 2026. 2.3 Scope of the Food Service Page 307 of 356
Page 308
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 The Food Service is based at Fairfield House, 8 Lothian Road, Dalkeith, EH22 3AA - Tel. 0131 271 3559, email: foodandsafety@midlothian.gov.uk. The Service generally operates during Midlothian Council office hours, 9 - 5pm Monday to Thursday and 9 - 3.30pm Friday. However, a certain amount of inspection and reactive work is done out with these hours in order to access businesses that open in the early mornings, evenings or at weekends or to respond to public health concerns. Outwith core hours, contact for emergency purposes is on an ad-hoc “whom-failing” basis via the Midlothian Contact Centre - Telephone number 0131 663 7211. The organisational structure, lines of responsibility and establishment of the Environmental Health aspects of the Service are shown in Figure 1 above. The range of food activities involved in regulating businesses in Midlothian include; • Regular interventions with food business to check compliance with food law including safety, hygiene, food composition and labelling. • Approval of our highest risk businesses handling products of animal origin. • Licensing of certain premises i.e. mobile street traders, licensed premises. • Sampling of food to check on hygiene, composition and labelling. • Investigation of complaints from the public about food, food labelling and food premises. • Investigation of food and water related cases of infectious diseases. • Detection and investigation of food related fraud and food crime. • Enforcement of the legislation in relation to the above activities. • Providing advice and assistance to new or existing food business operators and to the public. • Scrutiny of planning and building warrant applications relating to matters of food safety. The Food and Safety team is also responsible for; • Enforcement of Health and Safety legislation in many workplaces in the Midlothian area, including the investigation of workplace accidents and incidents in those premises, • Environmental Health Officers contribute to the Council’s Safety Advisory Group providing advice to event organisers, • Enforcement of the Public Health (Scotland) Act and in partnership with NHS Lothian, the investigation and control of certain infectious diseases and other public health concerns, • Licensing and regulation of residential caravan sites, certain activities covered by Civic Government licencing and zoos. Page 308 of 356
Page 309
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 Enforcement Officers are authorised by the Council to enter premises, inspect and take samples, serve legal notices and make reports to the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). Any formal action taken is in line with our Food Law Enforcement Policy. City of Edinburgh Scientific Services are contracted by Midlothian Council to provide services of examination and analysis of samples with specific appointment of the Public Analyst and Food Examiner. 2.4 Demands on Food Service Service User Profile As at 1 April 2026, 975 food business were registered and operating in Midlothian. From 2011 – 2025 there had been a net year on year rise in food businesses, see figure 2. This rate of increase has slowed and plateaued since the pandemic. Figure 2 Number of food businesses registered with Midlothian Council from 2011 – 2026 The majority of the food premises in the area are small to medium enterprises. Most of these businesses rely on regular contact from the Business Regulation Team for advice and guidance on the legal requirements for food and safety. There are 11 premises located in the area approved for the manufacture and/or supply of high-risk products of animal origin to other food businesses and potentially national and international markets. A small number of food businesses export to non-EU countries. 679 681 709 747 768 765 803 816 843 840 950 976 982 990 993 975 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Number of premises Year Number of food premises at 1 April 2011 - 2026 Page 309 of 356
Page 310
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 Changes to Enforcement Practice The Interventions Food Law Code on Practice (Scotland) introduced the new Food Law Rating System (FLRS) in April 2019 and changed the way in which food businesses are risk rated after an inspection. A ‘Grouping’ and ‘Banding’ are given to each food business that determines the risk rating and the frequency at which it is inspected, see Annex 2 Food Law Rating System Performance Ladder. All food businesses are assessed on a wide range of aspects of food law covering hygiene, composition, labelling requirements and the risk of fraud. This risk rating scheme has resulted in increased frequency of inspections for higher risk businesses. Businesses deemed to be of the highest risk at their programmed inspection, due to serious non-compliance, receive intensive interventions, with further full inspections taking place within 1 month and 3 months. Food Standards Scotland have recognised that this new rating scheme is more resource intensive than previous and are currently reviewing this, with local authority’s input. FSS proposed revised inspection frequencies as an attempt to reduce this burden however, any change has now been postponed allowing further evaluation of the scheme under the SAFER programme. FSS Local Authority Recovery Process Guidance sets out 6 risk-based priorities from highest to lowest risk (see Annex 3). The Food Service will monitor and report on the highest risk of these, i.e. Priority 1 and Priority 2 at the end of the 12-month plan. The Food Service will also monitor the progress, quarterly, by the cumulative percentage of planned food premises inspections achieved in each month, for all priority categories. The changes above required updates to the Management Information System (MIS) used by the Food Service (UNIform - IDOX). There is a transitional period as food businesses are moved from one assessment regime to another. It was anticipated that all food businesses would be risk rated under the new FLRS system within 48 months of restarting the Food Law Intervention Programme, however this has been set back and may take another 24 months to be achieved. The way in which official controls are applied to approved establishments has changed with more frequent, in-depth interventions now required. Each establishment requires numerous visits within an annual cycle known as Official Control Verification (OCV). A record of the annual start date, interventions carried out and cycle completion date are made on our MIS. A notional risk rating of Group1 Band B under the Food Law Rating Scheme is given to each premises to ensure the annual cycle continues. A significant amount of officer time is needed to continue the implementation of this new process, with 2 officers required for each of these interventions. There are 11 approved premises within Midlothian. Future Demands Regulation of businesses is regularly changing and with it the demands on ensuring compliance. Midlothian Council Food Service will prioritise any national or local driven outcomes, including compliance with new legislation or improved compliance with existing legislation. The acceptance of this will be risk based and will take account of any additional burden and/or additional resource required. Page 310 of 356
Page 311
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 The Food (Promotion and Placement) (Scotland) Regulations 2025 are due to come into force on 1 October 2026. This regulation seeks to reduce the purchase of food and drink that is high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) to tackle obesity and improve health at a population level. The hope is to create a healthier food environment and encourage healthier choices at the point of purchase. While the expectation is for the local authority Food Service to enforce of these new regulations within the current Scottish Food Law Framework there has been no additional funding or staff resource allocated to this and due to conflicting demands local enforcement is therefore likely to be limited. Central Government Initiatives Midlothian Council Food Service will prioritise central government initiatives in compliance with the Food Law Code of Practice, based on risk assessment and where resources allow. With the pressures facing Scottish Food Authorities, FSS has initiated the SAFER Programme, Scottish Authorities Food Enforcement Reform. The programme is intended to redesign and implement a new model of food law delivery in Scotland, expected to embrace new technologies and ways of working and ensure financial stability, in line with Public Sector Reform. This will be a comprehensive overhaul of the way in which the Food Service operates. Midlothian Council Food Service will engage where possible with the SAFER programme. Midlothian Council’s Lead Food Officer will be a representative on the Food Law Professional Technical Advisory Group meeting every 6-8 weeks. The group will provide operational insight and technical input to the SAFER Programme Board, ensuring effective design and implementation of the new food law delivery model. There was an agreement at the meeting of SoLACE on 16 December 2022 to endorse the participation of Environmental Health colleagues in this work and the possible temporary relaxations that may be introduced on a risk basis to create the capacity for this work. 2.5 Enforcement Policy The Authority has a documented Food Law Enforcement Policy which was approved by Council in May 2024. This sets out how the Food Service will deal with non-compliance with food law and how we intervene to bring businesses back into compliance. Authorised Officers make enforcement decisions in line with Midlothian Council’s Food Law Enforcement Policy. 3. Service Delivery A robust resource calculation, encompassing all food related activities required by a fully functioning Food Service, was initiated in January 2025 with a revision in June 2025. This identified that Midlothian Council Food Service would require 6.5 FTE to complete all food activities required by the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland). This included work that is no longer carried out by the Food and Safety Team due to the previous reduction in establishment, e.g. promotional work and advisory visits. Page 311 of 356
Page 312
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 A further 2 FTE is required to complete other work carried out by the Food and Safety team. At present the Food and Safety Team have 5.5 FTE establishment positions, an overall identified deficit of 3 FTE. A breakdown the work required and priorities set by the Food and Safety Team is below. 3.1 Interventions at Food Business Establishments This plan covers the period from 1 April 2026 until 31 March 2027. There is a total of 359 programmed food law inspections due between 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. This includes planned inspections at businesses risk-rated under the Food Law Rating Scheme (FLRS) and newly registered food businesses. Table 1 shows the breakdown of the number of interventions due in each priority category. Food Inspections Due April 2026 – March 2027 Priority Category* Number of due interventions Highest Risk Premises Priority 1 24 High Risk Priority 2 26 Medium Risk Priority 3, 4 and 5 308 Lowest Risk Priority 6 1 Total 359 Table 1, Breakdown of Priority Category and Number of FLRS Inspections due 2026/27 *Priority category definitions See Annex 3 Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic restrictions, the Food Service had good quality, up to date risk ratings for the majority of the food businesses in Midlothian. To restart the intervention programme after Covid restrictions the Food Service followed the ‘Local Authority Recovery Project: Recovery Process Guidance’ December 2020, provided by Food Standards Scotland and Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee. This identified priority categories and set proposed timescales (see Annex 3) by which premises in each category were to receive an intervention. Rescheduled dates were set, within Midlothian Council’s Management Information System, for any premises that ‘missed’ their inspection, to schedule a planned intervention within proposed timescales. If the intervention restart programme remained on track, with the Food Service at full Page 312 of 356
Page 313
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 complement of staff, all the food businesses (registered with Midlothian Council by April 2022) could have received a food law intervention by end of March 2026. However, due to ongoing vacancies within the Food Service since 2022, as at 1 April 2025, 352 (cumulative) programmed inspections had not been completed for years 2022/2023, 2023/2024 and 2024/2025. FSS advised all LAs with missed inspections of this nature that these should be spread over 3 years, equating to around an additional 120 inspections each year between 2025 – 2028. In 2026/2027, the Food Service plans to complete 49 of these missed inspections, prioritising the higher risk Group 2 businesses. The Food Service will also continue to prioritise the known highest risk food businesses that operate within Midlothian. This includes priority 1 and priority 2 category businesses. As at 01 April 2026 there are 50 of these businesses in these categories that will receive planned interventions in 2026/2027. It is anticipated that a number of unplanned interventions will continue to arise throughout the year due to the identification of serious non-compliances, as evidenced in years 2022 – 2025. These non-compliant businesses will thereafter need to receive ‘intensive’ interventions at specified intervals, namely within 1 month of the initial inspection followed by a further full inspection after 3 months. The worst, highest risk premises will also have an additional intervention after a further 6-month period. The number of premises with serious non-compliances has increased over the last 4 years, thought to be due to a decline in standards as a result of the legacy of the pandemic including the resultant diminished opportunities for Authorised Officers to offer compliance advice and guidance to businesses at planned inspections. It is predicted that an additional 20 unplanned high-risk premises inspections could be required to be carried out within this year. Within the current year's plan, 308 medium risk premises, Priority 3, 4 and 5 category businesses, are due to receive an intervention. Of these, the service will allocate the 105 Group 2 Band C and 130 Group 2 Band B businesses for inspection. Group 2 Band A and Group 3 businesses within this risk group will not be allocated for inspection this year. Priority 6 category businesses are the lowest risk, they include small retailers selling pre-packed foods and childminders and home caterers preparing and selling low-risk ambient foods. It is anticipated that these businesses will not be allocated for inspection this year. As shown above, the number of new food businesses registering with Midlothian Council slowly increased over a 15-year period. This has now plateaued however, newly registered food businesses require a full inspection to allow them to be risk rated under the new system. The Food Service plan allocates resource to inspect 18 higher risk (Group 1 & 2) businesses within this year. Depending on the type of food business, officer resource to bring them in line with regulatory compliance can be significant. In the last 12 months Food Officers have been supporting new manufacturing establishments and food producers using complex processes and processing applications for transfers of approved premises. Throughout the year 2026/27 new applications will be received that will result in additional initial food law inspections. Page 313 of 356
Page 314
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 Approved premises that supply products of animal origin are classified as Midlothian Council’s highest risk food establishments. Year 2026 – 2027 will see Midlothian Food Service in year 5 of the Official Control Verification (OCV) process. This will include detailed review of businesses documented procedures, reality check inspections and focused audits. The Food Service will prioritise these planned interventions over other planned work. All approved premises will receive interventions in line with the Official Control Verification (OCV) Guidance, produced by FSS. This is a methodical approach of auditing the highest risk food businesses to secure high level public health protection and protects the reputation of Scottish food businesses. Implementation of this new process significantly increases the time spent on Official Controls at approved establishments. Utilising the FSS provided resource calculator it has been estimated that approximately 57.5 days of officertime will need to be allocated to these 11 premises this year. Due to the deficit in calculated FTE establishment positions, in 2026/2027 the Food Service will prioritise the 50 planned highest risk premises FLRS interventions, Official Control Verification interventions at approved premises and triage requests for service. Planned proactive Health and Safety interventions will be initiated this year with approximately 36 days work allocated to awareness raising projects aimed at improving worker health. Reactive work will continue to be triaged e.g. investigation of accidents and requests for service. If a serious and complex accident or an infectious disease outbreak requires investigation this would take priority over other planned work. At present 1.5 FTE is allocated to non-food related work, the resource calculation identifies that 2FTE would be required to complete all non-food related matters. 3.2 Food Complaints and Requests for Service A proportion of the service’s work relates to dealing with requests for service about food related matters. The team receives approximately 450 service requests each year, of which about 50% are food related. Food service requests include; • Complaints about food that people have bought or consumed e.g. foreign bodies in food, alleged food poisoning or allergen contamination. • Complaints about food premises which appear to be being run unhygienically, • Requests for advice about starting food businesses, legal requirements, food hygiene training, labelling or the layout and fittings of proposed premises, • Applications for Certificates of Compliance and licensing of mobile food street traders, • Scrutinising planning applications and building warrants received by the council relating to food premises and offering advice to applicants regarding premises layout and appropriate facilities etc., Page 314 of 356
Page 315
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 • Investigating cases and outbreaks of infectious disease associated with the consumption of food or water, in partnership with NHS East Region Health Protection Team, • Responding to intelligence concerning food incidents or food fraud from Food Standards Scotland and other local authorities, instigating food alerts for action, product recalls and allergy alerts. All service requests, where we have a statutory function, must receive a response to determine the extent to which further action is needed. Therefore, this work must take priority over planned inspection work. Response times are specified for some reactive work. For requests of service received officers should make first contact within 10 working days. It has been agreed with NHS Lothian that cases of gastrointestinal infection should be contacted within 2 days of notification, more serious cases of typhoid/paratyphoid, E.coli O157/STEC, Cholera 01, Shigella Dysenteries, Listeria, Legionella and Non-Sonnei Shigellas contacted on the day of notification. Mandatory health and safety investigations take priority and would be initiated on the day of notification. This would include fatalities or multiple serious injuries in a workplace. Some requests may result in significant amounts of work being required to resolve them. For example, a complaint about an unhygienic premises which leads to enforcement action and a subsequent report to the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS); a new food manufacturer requiring significant research into the processes involved; a fatal or serious workplace accident; a major infection control or public health incident. 3.3 Home Authority Midlothian Council has agreed to act as Home Authority to a large food manufacturer with the Head Office and decision-making base in Bonnyrigg and as such expects to receive communication from other Local Authorities. Where Home Authority agreements exist with other UK local authorities the Food Service will liaise with those authorities where appropriate when investigating food safety or food standards matters. 3.4 Advice to Businesses The Food Service currently provides advice freely to Midlothian businesses. Advice and guidance is given during routine food law interventions and in response to service requests from food businesses. Where new legislation and associated guidance has been produced, the Food Service may plan a targeted intervention to advise affected businesses. This is most likely to be by email or through social media channels. The Food Service no longer carry out planned pro-active advisory visits or training sessions. Page 315 of 356
Page 316
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 3.5 Food Sampling The sampling of food is an integral part of the work of the Food Service. The annual sampling plan covers Midlothian’s approved premises and manufacturers and also local outlets during nationally organised campaigns. Unplanned food samples are taken for investigatory purposes often relating to food complaints from members of the public. In 26/27, 30 samples are planned from approved premises, 50 samples from Midlothian manufacturers and approximately 30 samples for FSS survey sampling. Food sample examination involves assessing the microbiology of both ingredients and final products. It can give an indication of the conditions under which it is produced and the levels of hygiene controls during processing and handling both in the environment of the premises and the practices of the people producing it. Food sample analysis can determine; what a food is made of, whether the ingredients meet legal requirements e.g. % meat, if foodstuffs are contaminated or adulterated and if labelled or described accurately. Food samples are submitted to Edinburgh Scientific Services who employ the Authority’s appointed Food Examiner, Public Analyst and Agricultural Analyst. Authorised Officers from the Business Regulation Team take samples from approved premises, see table 2, and manufacturers during food law interventions and purchase samples as part of the FSS national survey. Table 2 – Annual Sampling Plan for Approved Establishments in Midlothian The Food Service participates in sampling surveys organised by Food Standards Scotland, Lothian and Borders Food Liaison Group and the Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee (SFELC) as resources allow. These sampling programmes and priorities aim to identify trends in the food supply where intelligence data suggests more information is required or a problem may already exist. Sampling is carried out by Local Authority Authorised Officers across Scotland Approved Establishments Annual Sampling Food Sampled Samples for Microbiological Examination Samples for Analysis Processed Milk 4 4 Cream 2 2 Meat Products 2 2 Pizzas and Ready Made Meals 2 2 Haggis/Savoury Puddings 4 4 Fish 1 1 Total 15 15 Page 316 of 356
Page 317
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 and the results collated centrally. This work is resourced by FSS and is coordinated by SFELC in collaboration with the Public Analyst. The Food Service is awaiting the FSS funded Local Authority National Sampling Programme for 2026 – 2027. An example sampling survey for Midlothian Council can be seen in Annex 4. 3.6 Control and Investigation of Outbreaks and Food Related Infectious Disease Authorised Officers of the Business Regulation Team investigate cases of infectious gastrointestinal illness. The policy is agreed between NHS East Region Health Protection Team (HPT) and Environmental Health services of the local authorities, City of Edinburgh Council, West Lothian, East Lothian and Midlothian Councils. The standard procedures for the investigation and management of sporadic cases and incidents of gastrointestinal infection are set out in the ‘Sporadic GI Policy’, updated December 2022. On average Midlothian Food Service receives approximately 28 reported cases of infectious disease per year. The Service has an agreed ‘Major Outbreak Plan for Lothian’ with NHS Lothian which confirms agreed procedures for the investigation and control of disease outbreak situations. The Joint Health Protection Plan for the Lothian area has been developed with multiple agencies and is an important document which acts as a reference point for assisting in the investigation and control of public health outbreaks and incidents. Authorised Officers work with the Director of Public Health and Consultants in Public Health Medicine to determine control measures to manage the outbreak and review the above mentioned documents. 3.7 Food Law Incidents Food incidents are events where there are concerns about actual or suspected threats to safety, quality or integrity of food that could require intervention to protect consumers’ interests. They are dealt with in accordance with the procedures detailed in the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland). The Food Service acts in partnership with FSS during food incidents. Responding to ‘Food Alerts for Action’(FAFA) where food, produced and distributed regionally or nationally, may need to be removed from sale by businesses in Midlothian. FAFA can require significant time resource often requiring immediate response out with office hours. The majority of incidents notified to the Food Service by FSS are Food Alerts for Information, providing details on product recalls and allergy alerts. 3.8 Liaison with other Organisations The Food Service meets at quarterly intervals with representatives of other local authority food enforcement teams at the Lothian and Borders Food Liaison Group. The group is also attended by representatives from Food Standards Scotland and the Public Analyst. Local liaison groups support the work of the national Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee (SFELC). SFELC supports the work of FSS by providing information and expert advice in relation to food law enforcement. It Page 317 of 356
Page 318
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 contributes to the development and implementation of FSS strategies and policies. It also provides a forum for the discussion of relevant topics, sharing best practice guidance and initiating surveys or projects. Regular liaison meetings also take place with NHS East Region Health Protection Team and Scottish Water on matters of public health including infection control. A similar liaison group arrangement exists to discuss health and safety matters with attendance by the Health and Safety Executive. 3.10 Food Law promotional work, and other Non-Official Controls interventions. Staffing levels and increased demands on the Food Service have meant that the service must prioritise the statutory requirements. Food safety promotional work, including education, awareness campaigns etc. are no longer carried out. As stated above, in 2026/2027 the Food & Safety Team plan to focus resource on nationally recognised health and safety concerns. A number of projects have been identified that target health risks related to work activities such as Musculo-skeletal disorders and asbestos and safety issues such as use of LPG, crushing injuries and work at height. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) determine these priority areas for local authorities to target interventions that improve health, safety and welfare within workplaces. As part of these targeted interventions the team plan awareness raising campaigns targeted at Midlothian’s highest risk businesses. Increasing compliance in one area e.g., Health & Safety, can often have a positive impact in other areas including food safety. 3.11 Food Crime and Fraudulent Activities Food fraud is a dishonest act or omission, relating to the sale or preparation of food, which is intended for personal gain or to cause loss to another party. Food crime is considered to be serious or complex fraud or serious and dishonest regulatory non- compliance in relation to food, drink and animal feed. The Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit (SFCIU) exists within FSS to prevent, investigate and detect fraud and deliberate non-compliance within the food and animal food chain. The Food Service cooperate with and will inform SFCIU at the earliest opportunity of any suspicions they have regarding food crime or food fraud. 4. Finance and Staffing 4.1 Financial Allocation The approved financial allocation for the Food and Safety Team within Business Regulation for all aspects of work for 2026/2027 can be seen in table 3. The budget for the provision of scientific services includes all sampling and services provided to the Environmental Health Service and other services within Midlothian Council. Page 318 of 356
Page 319
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 Direct Staffing costs 300,049 Inspection Services equipment and maintenance costs 4,163 Provision for scientific services 44,100 Transport costs 1,624 Total 349,936 Table 3: Food and Safety Team approved budget for 2026/2027 4.2 Staffing Allocation In 2022 a reorganisation of the Service Area, to Protective Services under Place Directorate, was agreed and initiated. At the inception of this new service Business Regulation, Food and Safety Team comprised of 6 FTE, including a Team Manager and Principal Officer. From April 2023 the Trading Standards Team now sits within Business Regulation. This has effectively reduced the FTE for the Food and Safety Team to 5.5 FTE. In January 2025, Food Standards Scotland required all local authority Food Services to calculate the resource required to carry out all food law activities, using guidance provided under ‘Local Authority Required Resource Calculation 2.0’ from December 2024 and data from a time measurement exercise carried out in 2024. Using this information and our own robust data, from over 10 years of recording, it was calculated that Midlothian Council Food and Safety Team require 8.5 FTE to complete all activities. The Food Service alone requires 6.5 FTE to complete all food activities and a further 2 FTE for other work carried out by the Food and Safety team. At present the Food and Safety Team in total have a 5.5 FTE establishment positions, a deficit of 3 FTE. The Food Service will begin the year 2026/27 with a 1FTE vacancy out of the full establishment of 5.5 FTE permanent positions. It is anticipated that the vacancy will be filled. Out of the total Food & Safety 5.5FTE, 4 FTE is dedicated to food law work. In addition to conducting planned work identified in this plan the Food & Safety Team must maintain capability to deal with matters which are not food safety related but require a priority response. Existing staffing levels have meant there is no “spare” capacity for contingencies and time has to be taken from food inspection work to deal with serious health and safety accidents, public health or environmental incidents, preparing prosecution reports, implementing changes to legal requirements and updating operational procedures. It should also be noted that the directing of available resources to food law intervention work has impacted proactive health and safety interventions. Lower risk food premises inspections have ceased altogether. No non-statutory food related activities are carried out. Page 319 of 356
Page 320
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 With a longer-term view, Midlothian Council Environmental Health and in particular the Food and Safety Team will continue to support student/trainee EHO’s and FSO’s where possible. Appointment of a Regulatory Services Modern Apprentice has been a welcome asset for the future succession planning of the service. 4.3 Staff Development The Food Law Code of Practice requires that all Authorised Food Officers obtain at least 10 hours of update training in food related matters during the year to maintain their competency. Use is made of on-line courses, many of them free through FSS. Regular training courses are organised through Royal Environmental Health Institute for Scotland (REHIS) and Scottish Food Safety Officers Association, for a small fee. Research by officers in matters that are unfamiliar to them is also considered Continuous Professional Development. Compliance with this matter is imperative and will be achieved. At present the Business Regulation Team have a training budget of £1,250 for 2026- 2027. Regular Food and Safety team meetings will be organised on a monthly basis throughout the year 2026-2027. Arranged by the Lead Food Officer, these meetings help to impart relevant updates and aid consistency. On a monthly basis the Principal EHO plans to arrange in-house training sessions on relevant subject areas to increase confidence and improve consistency amongst the team. Food Service staff are subject to the Council’s appraisal process – Making Performance Matter. This sets and monitors individual performance targets and identifies training and development needs. 5 Monitoring 5.1 Quality assessment and internal monitoring The Service relies on the professional skills of its Authorised Officers for the delivery of the service plan. In order to maintain the quality of the work we do, we; • Continually review our operational procedures to improve our service delivery and to take into account legislative and procedural changes. • Evaluate the consistency of our inspections through activities such as accompanied inspections by senior officers, team meetings, in-house training sessions and review of inspection recording to ensure consistency in the work of the service. • Ensure that officers authorised for food enforcement complete at least 10 hours food related training each year as part of the maintaining of their competency. • Are subject to periodic independent audit by Food Standards Scotland. • Report our performance on a number of our planned objectives to elected members at regular intervals. Page 320 of 356
Page 321
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 6 Review 6.1 Review against the Service Plan The Food Service Plan will be reviewed annually. 6.2 Areas of Improvement Any operational areas identified as requiring action will be detailed as part of the audit and review process. These will be addressed by the Protective Services Manager and / or the Team Manager Business Regulation as part of the review process. Action taken shall range from immediate action to inclusion in the Operational Plan for future years. Currently in 2026-2027, the Food Service plans to make the following improvements; - Food Service Policies and Procedures will continue to be reviewed in line with new/updated Codes of Practice and Guidance provided by FSS. This will be on a priority basis based on risk. - With the review of procedures, potential efficiencies will be considered to reduce food officer’s administrative burdens - The procedure of managing, recording and monitoring Official Controls carried out at Approved Premises will be further improved upon with the use of MS365 applications. - Further work will be carried out to verify the data upload from our MIS to the FSS Scottish National Database (SND). The need for this was identified during the FSS audit of Midlothian Council Food Service in 2025 and is in line with the FSS 2026/27 published audit plan. Page 321 of 356
Page 322
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 Annex 1: Mapping of Food Service activity to the Single Midlothian Plan outcome Single Plan Outcome Food Service activity Individuals and communities have improved health and skills for learn- ing, life and work No child or house- hold living in pov- erty Significant progress is made towards net zero carbon emissions. The regular inspection of food premises for food hygiene and food standards The sampling of food and animal feedstuffs to check on microbiological quality and composition Investigation of food related cases of infectious diseases Investigation of food related fraud Investigation of complaints from the public about food, food labelling and food premises. Enforcement of the legislation in relation to the above activities Providing advice and assistance to new or existing food business operators and to the public. Page 322 of 356
Page 323
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 Annex 2: Food Law Rating System Performance Ladder Page 323 of 356
Page 324
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 Annex 3 - FSS Priority Category for Food Law Intervention Restart Annex 5 Food Hygiene Annex 5 Food Standards FLRS Approved Premises Priority 1 a) All Group 1 premises follow- ing the timescales in the Interven- tions Food Law CoP, b) Group 2 and 3 Band Es deal with within 1 month of start date. c) Spread all Group 1 Unrated businesses throughout a 6- month period. LAs which have already imple- mented OCV – continue/restart the programme and schedule each premises within 12-month period. LAs which have not implemented OCV – start the implementation of OCV for Approved Premises and spread evenly over 12-month period. Priority 2 Category As spread over 6 months. Food Standards only premises Category As spread over 6 months. (a) Group 2 and 3 Band Ds spread over a 6-month period. (b) Spread all Group 2 Unrated businesses throughout a 12- month period. Priority 3 Category Bs spread evenly over 18-month period. Category As spread through- out 12 months. (a) Group 2, Band C over 18 months and Group 3 Band C over 36 months. (b) Spread all Group 3 Unrated businesses throughout a 24- month period. (c) Priority 4 Category Cs spread over 24 months. Category Bs that are Category Es for Food Hy- giene spread Group 2 Band B over 24 months and Group 3 Page 324 of 356
Page 325
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 over 24-month period. Band B over 48 months. Priority 5 Category Ds spread over 36 months Food Standards only Category Bs spread over 36 months. Group 2 Band As over the period of up to 48 months. Priority 6 Category E premises spread over 48 months Food Standards only Category Cs spread over 60 months. Group 3 Band As -decide if they need inspections, if so, spread over 60 months or are no proactive inter- vention. Page 325 of 356
Page 326
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 Annex 4 – Example of an FSS Funded Local Authority National Sampling Survey Priority No./ Survey Code Food Type Premises Type Testing parameters Rationale for sampling Additional Information Number of Samples Minimum Pack size Sample Schedule (Q2/Q3/Q4) MICROBIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION FSS222301 Reconstituted frozen raw coated chicken products Retailers Salmonella, generic E.coli Recent outbreak linked to such products, horizon scanning activities indicate issues with imported poultry meat and products • All size retailers (including supermarkets) • Sample frozen coated chicken products, such us nuggets, poppets, poppers, gou- jons, dippers, etc. • Must be reconstituted product, do not sample whole cuts of meat • Do not sample cooked products in- tended for re-heating • 2 • 100g • Q2 1. FSS222302 Soft and semi- soft ripened unpasteurised cheese Retailers, Caterers Listeria monocytogenes detection and enumeration, STEC, generic E.coli Issues continue to be detected through horizon scanning. Continued surveillance to monitor compliance • For retail setting - sampling should be tar- geted at delicatessens, cheesemongers, but can include supermarkets, with focus on cheese counters where possible. • For catering setting - sampling should be targeted at cheeseboards, focusing on un- packed cheeses and cheeseboards • Sampling should focus on soft and semi- soft ripened cheeses, (blue cheeses, sur- face-ripen cheeses, etc.) • 2 • 100g • Q3 2. FSS222303 Soft and semi- soft ripened pasteurised cheese Retailers, Caterers Listeria monocytogenes detection and enumeration, STEC, generic E.coli, Issues continue to be detected through horizon scanning. Continued surveillance to monitor compliance • For retail setting - sampling should be tar- geted at delicatessens, cheesemongers, but can include supermarkets, with focus on cheese counters where possible. • For catering setting - sampling should be targeted at cheeseboards, focusing on un- packed cheeses and cheeseboards • 2 • 100g • Q4 Page 326 of 356
Page 327
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 • Sampling should focus on soft and semi- soft ripened cheeses, (blue cheeses, sur- face-ripen cheeses, etc.) 3. FSS222304 Imported ready- to-eat cured meats Retailers Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes detection and enumeration, generic E. coli Issues continue to be detected through horizon scanning. Gathering data for the PATH-Safe project • Sampling should focus on small retailers, delicatessens • Sampling to include imported RTE cured meat, charcuterie style products, biltong, etc. • 2 • 100g • Q2 4. FSS222305 Imported (non- EU) melon and papaya - whole Retailers Salmonella, generic E. coli Issues detected through horizon scanning. Recent outbreak linked to imported melons Gathering data for the PATH-Safe project • All size retailers • Target whole fruit, any melon variety (but especially Galia and cantaloupe) and papaya imported from non-EU countries • Testing procedure to follow this protocol: 25 g cut-offs from both ends of the fruit (melon/papaya) – the fruit to be then submerged in broth for ~ 30 min and this broth-rinse to be then combined with the 25 g cut-off for incubation of the sample– thus the resulting isolate can come from the end-peels and/or just the surface of the fruit. There was no central fruit flesh used. • 1 • 100g • Q3 5. FSS222306 Imported (non- EU) melon and papaya - pre-cut Retailers Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes detection and enumeration, generic E. coli Issues detected through horizon scanning. Recent outbreak linked to imported melons Gathering data for the PATH-Safe project • All size retailers • Sample pre-cut fruit, any melon variety (but especially Galia and cantaloupe) and papaya imported from non-EU countries • Preference for fresh fruit, but frozen can be sampled if required due to availability. Do not sample dried fruit. • 2 • 100g • Q4 Page 327 of 356
Page 328
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 6. FSS222307 Flour Manufactu rers Retailers Bake houses STEC, generic E. coli Issues detected through horizon scanning. Gathering data for the PATH-Safe project • All retailers, manufacturers and bake houses/bakeries • 2 • 100g • Q2 7. FSS222308 Soft berries Retailers Generic E. coli Gathering data for the PATH-SAFE project • All size retailers, farmer markets, farm shops. • Sample raspberries, strawberries, blue- berries of both domestic and imported origin • Test samples as received – without wash- ing • 2 • 100g • Q3 8. FSS222309 Salad leaves Retailers Generic E. coli Gathering data for the PATH-SAFE project • Sample bagged or un-bagged products, domestic or imported • Preference for unwashed products, but washed can be sampled if required due to availability; please include in product description when uploading sample • 2 • 100g • Q4 9. FSS222310 Cooked, sliced ham and beef Retailers Generic E. coli Gathering data for the PATH-SAFE project • All size retailers, domestic or imported origin • 2 • 100g • Q2 10. FSS222311 Raw venison sausages and burgers Retailers Generic E. coli Gathering data for the PATH-SAFE project • Sampling should be at both small retail- ers (including butchers) and larger retail- ers including supermarket, to try to in- clude varied suppliers, but it is under- stood the number of suppliers of these products may be limited • 2 • 100g • Q3 Page 328 of 356
Page 329
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 11. FSS222312 Raw lamb mince Retailers Generic E. coli Gathering data for the PATH-SAFE project • All size retailers, including butchers and supermarkets • Domestic or imported samples are ac- ceptable • 2 • 100g • Q4 CHEMICAL ANALYSIS 12. FSS222313 Imported (non- EU) fishery products Importers Retailers Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury) and arsenic Issues detected through horizon scanning • All size retailers, including fish mongers – imported, non-EU products only. • Sampling focus on fresh and frozen prod- uct. Do not sample tinned, canned, smoked or process products • Targeting products such as tuna, sword- fish, squid, bivalve mollusc; farmed prawn and shrimp; when sampling crabs and lobster do not collect whole, live ani- mals. • 2 • 150g • Q2 13. FSS222314 Kombucha Manufactu rers Retailers Caterers Alcohol content Issues detected through horizon scanning • Sampling targeted to smaller producers, independent shops, but can also sample at larger retailers and catering establish- ments • 2 • 500ml • Q3 14. FSS222315 Fish/shellfish oil based supplements Retailers Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic) and FAME Issues detected through horizon scanning • All fish (or shellfish if applicable) oil sup- plements, such as cod liver oil, in either liquid or capsule/tablet form • All size retailers • 2 • 150g • Q4 AUTHENTICITY TESTING Page 329 of 356
Page 330
Appendix B Midlothian Council Food and Safety Service Plan 2026-2027 Midlothian Food Service Plan 26/27 15. FSS222316 Battered, breaded fin-fish products Retailers Fish Speciation To check that labelling of species is accurate and detect substitution with alternative species. • All size retailers. • Sampling targeted to fin-fish products with clear specification of species on the label to allow for assessment of compli- ance. • Do not sample shellfish products (e.g. do not sample scampi ) • Samples should be tested for presence of other fish species • 2 • 150g • Q2 ALLERGEN TESTING 16. FSS222317 Pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) products Retailers and caterers Milk, Gluten, Almond and Cashew Previous failures and to assess compliance with new legislation covering PPDS products • Sample products with no indication of the presence of the allergens being tested (i.e. do not sample products specifically labelled “gluten-free”, we are looking to sample products with no allergen men- tioned and test for its presence) • Target “on-the-go” foods (sandwiches, salads, baked goods), the products that the PPDS legislation was intended for • 1 • 200g • Q3 Page 330 of 356
Page 331
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) requires each Local Food Authority to produce a periodic review of the authority’s annual Food Service plan showing how it met the duty of the authority to regulate and enforce food law in its area. This review reports on the activity if the Food Service within the Protective Services, Business Regulation Team during the financial year from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. Introduction The Food Service continues to ensure that food businesses protect the public of Midlothian from harm that might arise from the food consumed. Interventions carried out include, inspections, audits, taking samples, investigating complaints and providing advice to encourage compliance with food law. The service covers all food businesses operating within Midlothian. Throughout 2025/26 food officers continued to take a graduated approach where possible to secure compliance. However, where non-compliance is sustained or where there is serious breach of the law authorised officers use their enforcement powers to require compliance. Actions taken by Authorised Food Officers is in line with Midlothian Council’s Food Law Enforcement Policy. Food Service Review 2025/26 FOOD SERVICE Food Fraud Food Safety & Hygiene Food Labelling & composition Food Sampling Food Complaints Infectious Disease Investigation Food Alerts Appendix C Page 331 of 356
Page 332
Food Business Profile As of 31 March 2026 there were 975 registered food businesses in Midlothian. Most of these businesses are small to medium enterprises who rely on contact from the Business Regulation Team for advice and guidance on the legal requirements of food law. 679 681 709 747 768 765 803 816 843 840 950 976 982 990 993 975 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Num ber of prem ises Year Number of registered food businesses at 31 March 2011 - 2026 11 food establishments located in Midlothian are approved for the manufacture and/or supply of high-risk products of animal origin to other food businesses nationally and some internationally. 975 registered food businesses with Midlothian Page 332 of 356
Page 333
Staffing In 2025 a comprehensive resource calculation was carried out identifying a requirement of 8.5 FTE for delivery of all related work activities. Our establishment remains at 5.5 FTE with 1 FTE vacancy continuing throughout the year after a resignation and failure to recruit a suitably qualified officer, impacted by the national shortage of Environmental Health Officers. The national shortage of qualified Environmental Health Officers (EHO)s is an ongoing issue for all local authorities in Scotland and is of major concern to the profession. To help alleviate this, Midlothian Council adopted a “grow our own” approach. The Food Service adapted the establishment EHO post within the existing structure to enable recruitment of an Authorised Officer who would initially work as a Food Safety Officer with a view to allowing their development to support the EHO’s with Health & Safety interventions. This revised post also allows for potential further development via an “Alternative Pathway” recognised by Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) to gain the qualifications required to become an Environmental Health Officer. During the first 6 months of this year the Business Regulation Food and Safety Team continued to experience challenges with recruiting and retaining qualified EHOs. At the beginning of the year the team had 1 permanent full-time Environmental Health Officer (EHO) supported by the Principal EHO and Team Manager. Temporary EHO contractors (1.6 FTE) were contracted to support the team while two Trainee Authorised Officers were going through training to complete the required qualifications to be authorised Food Safety Officers. Our trainees both passed the REHIS professional qualifications in October to become Authorised Officers in Food Safety. Development of our Authorised Officers continued with one of them completing and successfully passing the REHIS Certificate in Advanced Health and Safety. In 2025/26 the Food and Safety Team focused specifically on training and mentoring new officers to gain the relevant qualifications in Food Law improving the resilience of the Food Service for the future. The additional time resource required to train and mentor new officers meant that planned workplace health and safety interventions could not be initiated. Page 333 of 356
Page 334
Performance - Service Plan Objectives 303 food business were due a programmed food law inspection in 25/26. 50 businesses were identified as highest risk (Priority 1&2). 100% of these planned priority inspections were completed. Objective 1 Food Law Interventions 378 Food Law inspections were completed in 25/26 in total. 124 of these inspections were for businesses that had missed their inspection between 2022 and 2025. (target 120) 27 additional unplanned food law inspections were carried out due to serious non- compliances. These take priority over lower risk planned interventions Objective 2 Approved Establishment Interventions In 25/26 Official Control Verification (OCV) inspections were carried out at all approved establishments and samples were taken where relevant. No serious food safety concerns where identified. Midlothian has 11 approved establishments supplying products of animal origin, manufacturing and/or handling meat, dairy and fish products. 202 food related service requests were received by the Food Service from Midlothian residents and businesses. 92% of these were responded to within 10 working days (89% within 5 days) Objective 5 Food Related Service Requests 106 food samples were taken from Midlothian approved establishments and manufacturers. Unsatisfactory samples were generally minor labelling issues. All sample failures were followed up. 76% 22% 2% Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Borderline Objective 3 & 4 Food Sampling Page 334 of 356
Page 335
Objective 6 Food & Water Borne Disease Investigation 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 25/26 Salmonella Cryptosporidium Legionella E.coli Giardia Shigella 22 infectious gastrointestinal illnesses were notified to the Food Service by NHS HPT, for investigation. No outbreaks were identified in 25/26. Numbers have returned to normal in 25/26 after 2 years of elevated levels due to national Cryptosporidium outbreaks, thought to be related to travel and animal contact events. Q1 Notification of confectionary products containing Mineral Oil Hydrocarbons not authorised for use in the UK. 95 premises visited by the Food Service. Affected products removed from sale at 9 different premises. Q2 Notification of whisky and gin products manufactured without adequate controls to ensure safety of the product. 5 food businesses contacted. No affected product identified within Midlothian Q4 Notification of meat and meat products supplied by an approved establishment in Glasgow that were not considered safe due to lack of food safety controls. 3 businesses within Midlothian supplied with product were visited. A large amount of meat was voluntarily surrendered from one premises. Objective 7 Food Alerts for Action from FSS Objective 8 Authorised Officers CPD Minimum 10 hours food related competency training required. All Authorised Officers gained at least 10hrs CPD in 25/26. Page 335 of 356
Page 336
Food Enforcement Activity The Food Service continue to apply a graduated approach to non-compliances identified during food law interventions. Positive outcomes to secure compliance are generally achieved after interventions from authorised officers with the majority of Food Business Operators wishing to cooperate with officers and improve compliance. Where this approach is not successful and either sustained non-compliance or serious contraventions, requiring immediate action, are identified enforcement action is taken. The table shows a breakdown of enforcement activity over 2025/26 and a comparison with previous years from 2021. Remedial Action Notices (RANs), which have the effect of stopping a food business, or a process within the business, from continuing, until matters of concerns are rectified were served on businesses for serious food safety issues that required to be resolved immediately. In 2025/26 6 RANs were served on 4 Food Businesses; issues included significant pest issues and lack of food safety controls which could result in contaminated foods. From June to August 2025 the Food Service was audited by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) on their Food Law Enforcement Actions. The audit findings were very positive identifying an effective and consistent approach to enforcement, resulting in improved standards. While a lack of resilience in the team was a note of concern, steps have been taken to improve this and start 2026/27 with a full team of qualified food officers. Further work is required to ensure our data is accurate on the Scottish National Database, held by FSS. The Food Service has been notified that this will be the focus of FFS audit for 2026/27. Notice Type 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 25/26 Remedial Action Notice 2 8 9 12 6 Hygiene Improvement Notice 5 8 1 0 0 Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice 0 0 0 1 0 Voluntary Closure 0 1 1 1 0 Report to Procurator Fiscal Service 0 1 0 1 0 Food Detention Notice 0 0 0 0 0 Food Seizure Notice 0 0 0 0 0 Voluntary Food Surrender 1 1 1 1 1 Page 336 of 356
Page 337
The Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS) remains in operation across Scotland. This scheme allows consumers to view the outcome of the assessment made of any business within the scheme when it was last inspected by the Food Service. Businesses can choose to display a certificate at the premises and consumers can check the rating for any premises covered by the scheme on the Food Standards Scotland website at Food Hygiene Information Scheme | Food Standards Scotland | Food Standards Scotland. Businesses are awarded either a “Pass” certificate or an “Improvement Required” rating. 617 food businesses are within the Midlothian FHIS scheme with 89% achieving a PASS rating. Due to ‘missed’ inspections some data contributing to this calculation is historic. For comparison, the FHIS rating for 2025/26 are also presented, showing 84% of Midlothian food businesses achieving a PASS. 84% 16% PASS Improvement Required Food Hygiene Information Scheme FHIS Ratings for Premises Rated April 2025 to March 2026 FHIS Ratings for Midlothian Food Businesses within the scheme 89% 11% PASS Improvement Required Page 337 of 356
Page 338
Page 338 of 356
Page 339
MIDLOTHIAN COUNCIL PROTECTIVE SERVICES – BUSINESS REGULATION FOOD & SAFETY FOOD LAW ENFORCEMENT POLICY Approved By: Cabinet, Midlothian Council Date Approved: Status: Open Council Policy Scope: Food Law Enforcement Review Parameters: At 36-month intervals or whenever any substantial changes to the legislation or operational activities occur Target Review Date: 01 April 2029 Reviewed by: Team Manager Business Regulation Review Action: Appendix D Page 339 of 356
Page 340
MIDLOTHIAN COUNCIL FOOD LAW ENFORCEMENT POLICY Page 340 of 356
Page 341
Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4 1. General Statement of Intention ...................................................................................... 4 2. Business Regulation ....................................................................................................... 5 3. Communication with Food Businesses ............................................................................ 6 4. Enforcement ................................................................................................................... 7 5. Enforcement options ...................................................................................................... 8 Informal Action: Record of Intervention / Written Warnings ............................................... 8 Formal Action: Statutory Enforcement Notices ................................................................... 9 Hygiene Improvement Notice ...................................................................................... 10 Compliance Notice ....................................................................................................... 10 Remedial Action Notice ................................................................................................ 11 Prohibition Procedures ................................................................................................. 12 Detention and Seizure of Food ..................................................................................... 12 Formal Action Prosecution ............................................................................................... 13 6. Formal Action in Approved Premises ............................................................................ 15 7. Regulation in Low Risk Businesses ............................................................................... 15 8. Enforcement within Premises Operated by Midlothian Council ..................................... 16 9. Enforcement Following Food Sampling ........................................................................ 16 10. Monitoring and Review ............................................................................................. 16 Appendix 1 – National Food and Feed Compliance Spectrum....................................... 17 Page 341 of 356
Page 342
Introduction Midlothian Council is designated as a Food Authority by the Food Safety Act 1990 (as amended) and as an Enforcement Authority under the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006 to carry out official food controls within Midlothian. The Food Service responsible for the statutory duties under the above legislation sits within Protective Services. The Council’s Food Service is responsible for enforcing a wide variety of laws relating to food produced and consumed within Midlothian; the safety, hygiene and composition of food, food contact materials and information about food that must be provided to the consumer. This document describes how the relevant food law will be enforced. Authorised Officers of the Food Service also take recognition of the overarching Protective Services Enforcement Policy. 1. General Statement of Intention It is the policy of Midlothian Council to; 1.1. act to ensure that food and drink stored, handled, produced, distributed or consumed in food businesses within Midlothian is properly described to the consumer and is safe to eat. 1.2. carry out risk-based interventions at food businesses to check compliance with food law and take appropriate enforcement action using the full range of enforcement options available. Where non-compliance is identified actions will be taken to control the risk to public health or those that prejudice the consumer. 1.3. be reasonable, proportionate, consistent and appropriate when enforcing the law having regard to relevant Codes of Practice and Operational Prodedures. 1.4. appoint enough suitably qualified and experienced officers to carry out the food law enforcement duties of the Council. Competent officers are duly appointed as Authorised Officers. 1.5. reduce the risk of non-compliance by providing assistance, guidance and advice to any business that approaches us to help them meet their legal obligations. 1.6. be aware, when exercising our regulatory functions, of the duty on regulators under the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Scottish regulators' strategic code of practice - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) to contribute to achieving sustainable economic growth. Page 342 of 356
Page 343
2. Business Regulation 2.1. Business regulation and any associated enforcement of food law is carried out by Authorised Officers appointed by the Council. 2.2. Food law means any law, enacted in the UK and Scotland or assimilated European Union regulations covering food hygiene, safety or compositional standards, food information or the import or export of food. 2.3. Authorised Officers are suitably qualified and deemed competent to assess compliance with food law and have up-to-date information available to enable them to carry out their duties. This includes; relevant legislation, Food Law Codes of Practice and Practice Guidance, UK guides to Good Practice, guidance issued by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) other government departments and Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee (SFELC), guidance issued by Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Local Government Association (LGA), where they are relevant to Scotland, and relevant Industry Codes of Practice and technical guidance, where appropriate. 2.4. Regulation comprises of interventions to assess food business compliance with food law. Intervention activities include; inspection of food and food business premises, audit of food business documentation, visits to investigate complaints, sampling for the examination and analysis of foods. 2.5. The majority of Officical Control Interventions i.e. inspections, audits and sampling shall be carried out un-announced. Prior warning can be given in such cases as audits where the Food Business Operator’s presence is necessary. Where a business is operating from a private residence, a minimum of 24 hours notice will be given. 2.6. Authorised Officers have a legal right to enter any premises where food and/or drink is stored, manufactured, handled, sold or provided within the Council’s area, to check compliance with food law. 2.7. If we find during an intervention that food law is not being complied with, we will act to protect the safety and interest of consumers and to bring the business into a state of compliance with the law. 2.8. Where an intervention involves attendance at a premises we will leave a record of the inspection or visit, noting any actions to be taken by the Food Business Operator. This record will also detail any enforcement action taken or likely to be taken by the Authorised Officer. 2.9. Where officers are considering action, which may be inconsistent or not covered by relevant guidance, they can take reference from members of the Lothian and Borders Food Liaison Group. If a consensus of approach cannot be achieved the matter will be referred to Food Standards Scotland. Page 343 of 356
Page 344
2.10. During interventions including inspection or audit officers are permitted by law to take with them any suitably qualified and skilled person(s) they consider necessary who may provide expertise in a particular field. 2.11. Revisit inspections of food businesses should be undertaken by officers where there is significant or sustained non-compliance with statutory requirements and/or no confidence in compliance going forward.This includes failure to comply with; i. a single requirement that compromises food safety, public health or prejudices consumers; ii. a number of requirements that, taken together, indicate ineffective management iii. businesses where formal enforcement action has been taken as a result of a recent intervention. In this regard officers would seek to revisit businesses that have been risk rated as Band D or E, in any grouping, after an initial inspection. 3. Communication with Food Businesses 3.1. Authorised Officers will exercise their powers courteously and with respect to persons and property. 3.2. All communications regarding actions taken at food businesses including enforcement will be, where possible, in accordance with the relevant sections of the Food Law Codes of Practice (Scotland). 3.3. After all interventions at food businesses the Authorised Officer will issue a Record of Intervention as a written record of the visit for the Food Business Operator. 3.4. Where an informal approach is taken any written documentation issued will; Detail each contravention and the work which could be taken in order to comply with the law Make clear the distinction between action that is needed to meet legal requirements and recommendations of good practice. Give an indication of the time scale suggested for achieving compliance. For those of a significant or serious nature, definitive timescales will be given to allow steps to remedy non-compliance to be planned and prioritised. 3.5. Where a food business establishment is multi-site the officer will send communications directly to the head office and or registered office, unless the business has agreed other arrangements. Page 344 of 356
Page 345
3.6. When requested by the Food Business Operator, officers will discuss the intervention, any inspection records or warning letters issued and/or the rating applied to the business. 3.7. Where appropriate, in the case of a decision to adopt an informal approach in accordance with this policy, Authorised Officers should take recognition of any Home, Primary (England and Wales only), Originating or Enforcing Authority arrangements. 3.8. A copy of this policy can be made available upon request. 4. Enforcement 4.1. Following a food law intervention at a food business where officer(s) identify that there is non-compliance with food law there are a range of enforcement actions that can be taken. 4.2. Authorised Officers will decide on the appropriate action using a graduated approach where possible, taking recognition of the National Food and Feed Compliance Spectrum, Appendix 1, that supports effective targeting of food law enforcement. 4.3. Officers will consider the following options; i. No enforcement action necessary e.g. education or verbal advice only ii. Informal action e.g. issue a Record of Intervention or written warning iii. Service of Hygiene Improvement Notice iv. Service of Compliance Notice v. Service of Remedial Action Notice vi. Service of (Hygiene) Emergency Prohibitions Notices or voluntary closure agreement if appropriate vii. Formal notices to detain and/or seize food or voluntary surrender if appropriate viii. Report to the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) 4.4. Officers will seek the cooperation of the Food Business Operator in the first instance, using education, advice and informal action where possible. Where an informal approach is failing to secure compliance, the officer may progress to more formal action. If circumstances indicate a significant risk officers may initiate formal enforcement action immediately. 4.5. Where the contravention(s) identified appear to relate to a deliberate act to mislead or defraud consumers or other Food Business Operators and there is evidence of a criminal offence, the graduated approach should not be applied. Page 345 of 356
Page 346
Consideration will be given to submitting a report to the COPFS in discussion with the Lead Food Officer. 4.6. Any departures from this policy should be exceptional and discussed with the Lead Food Officer, where possible in advance of the departure, and the reasons for departure recorded by the officer. 5. Enforcement options Informal Action: Record of Intervention / Written Warnings 5.1. Informal action is used to enable, educate and encourage food businesses into compliance. This will be considered appropriate where the nature of the breach is minor and the risk to public health is low, there is good history of compliance of the Food Business Operator and/or their willingness to undertake the work identified has been established. 5.2. A Record of Intervention is issued, on-site, by the officer at the end of every food law inspection, providing a written record of the visit for the Food Business Operator. This includes when the visit is for advisory purposes only and/or the conditions at the time of the visit are satisfactory. 5.3. Written Warnings are a formal letter sent to the Food Business Operator to advise them that they are not complying with the law. 5.4. We are most likely to issue a written warning following an inspection in any of the following circumstances: - i. Our assessment of the food business operator indicates that compliance can be achieved by a written warning. ii. Contraventions of the law were considered not to pose an immediate or significant risk to public health or of misleading the consumer. However, we consider that hazards to food safety in the business need to be more effectively controlled or improvements made to food information. iii. There were structural or operational contraventions of the law that need to be improved to prevent risk to public health or detriment to the consumer. iv. A surveillance sample of food from the business indicates that there are improvements to practices which need to be made. Page 346 of 356
Page 347
Formal Action: Statutory Enforcement Notices 5.5. Authorised Officers can serve a range of statutory enforcement notices to bring a food business into compliance. 5.6. Officers will follow all relevant legal procedures and guidance within Codes of Pratice and any operational procedures developed by Midlothian Council relating to the use and service of statutory enforcement notices. 5.7. Officers shall have sufficient evidence to justify the service of a statutory notice and prove non-compliance. Evidence must be sufficient to satisfy proceedings where a Food Business Operator can appeal the service of a notice or fails to comply with a statutory notices that may result in a report to the COPFS. 5.8. At the earliest opportunity, Authorised Officers should discuss any formal enforcement action (including voluntary undertakings) being considered with a manager. 5.9. Statutory Enforcement Notices will only be signed by officers properly authorised by the council and who have witnessed the contravention. 5.10. An enforcement notice would be considered appropriate where; i. It is found that significant hazard(s) to food safety has not been identified by the food business and are not being controlled. ii. Any non-compliance is likely to cause a risk to the health of consumers should the contravention persist. iii. There is a history of non-compliance following previous regulatory activity including failure to respond to written warnings. iv. There is a lack of confidence that the Food Business Operator will respond to an informal approach e.g. written warning. 5.11. Formal enforcement action (including voluntary undertakings) taken by an Authorised Officer shall be witnessed by a second officer appointed by the Council. Where this is not possible the Authorised Officer will discuss with the Lead Food Officer or a manager, prior to service of any enforcement notice. 5.12. Any Notice served will state, where required: • What law is not being complied with • Why the officer believes the law is not being complied with • What the food business needs to do to comply with the law • A time limit for doing what is required, and • Any rights to make representation to a court or to appeal against the requirements of a notice and any time limit for doing so. Page 347 of 356
Page 348
5.13. Failure to comply with a statutory notice is likely to result in a report to the COPFS. The Authorised Officer will discuss this with the Lead Food Officer prior to any decision. Hygiene Improvement Notice 5.14. A Hygiene Improvement Notice can be issued by an Authorised Officer where there is evidence of a significant or sustained contravention of food law. The notice requires the business to remedy the contravention by a specified timescale. 5.15. Service of a Hygiene improvement Notices is considered appropriate in the following circumstances; i. Formal action is proportionate to the risk to public health ii. There is history of non-compliance with food law iii. An informal approach will, in the opinion of the Authorised Officer, not be successful. 5.16. It will not be considered appropriate where; i. The contravention is/might be continuing and would only secure compliance at one point in time e.g. personal cleanliness of staff, cleanliness issues. ii. Transient situations e.g. a one day event requires timeous enforcement action iii. There is serious or imminent risk and the use of Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice(s) or Remedial Action Notice(s) would be more appropriate. iv. Where the issue is a failure of good hygiene practice and no contravention of food law has occurred. 5.17. Before service of the notice the officer should discuss with the Food Business Operator, and preferrably agree, an appropriate and realistic timescale. 5.18. The officer should be prepared to discuss the measures that are specified in the notice to be carried out and any alternative actions suggested by the Food Business Operator that would have an equivalent effect to those specified. 5.19. Where agreement cannot be reached, regarding timescales or measures to be taken, between the Authorised Officer and the Food Business Operator this shall be brought to the attention of the Lead Food Officer for review. Compliance Notice 5.20. A Compliance Notice may be issued by an Authorised Officer to any food business that manufactures or retails a food product where there is evidence of a breach with regard to food information, food standards, composition or labelling. Page 348 of 356
Page 349
5.21. A Compliance Notice allows the Authorised Officer to instruct a food business to rectify any food standards non-compliances within a defined timescale. 5.22. Use of this statutory enforcement notice allows for a graduated and proportionate approach to encourage business compliance before consideration of detention and seizure of any product or a report to the COPFS. 5.23. An Authorised Officer may issue a Compliance Notice where; i. An informal approach would, in the opinion of the Authorised Officer, not be successful ii. Formal action is proportionate to the breach, or iii. There is evidence that there has been a breach of one of the relevant offences 5.24. Service of a Compliance Notices will not be considered appropriate where; i. transient situations, e.g. a one day event requires timeous enforcement action ii. the breach falls under any hygiene regulations iii. it is not possible to provide a suitable corrective action(s) for compliance, or where corrective action(s) will only achieve partial compliance iv. there is a significant risk to public health as a result of the breach. An alternative enforcement decision would be more appropriate. v. the breach is deliberate, the result of fraudulent activitiy or the business has sustained poor compliance history where more serious enforcement action may be required Remedial Action Notice 5.25. A Remedial Action Notice may be issued by an Authorised Officer in relation to any food establishment where there is evidence of a breach of the hygiene regulations or an inspection under these regulations is being hampered and action is required promptly. This action is appropriate where there is serious non- compliance and a risk to food safety. 5.26. The notice can direct the Food Business Operator to stop the use of any piece of equipment, process or part of a the food establishment, or modify a process or rate of operation. Any conditions imposed must remove any risk to health or prevent obstruction of an officer. 5.27. Once the Authorised Officer, (preferrably the person who issued the notice) is satisfied the required action(s) has been taken, the notice will be withdrawn in writing by issuing a Notice of Withdrawal of a Remedial Action Notice. Page 349 of 356
Page 350
5.28. Where a Remedial Action Notice has been issued by an Authorised Officer they may also consider whether food at the establishment should be detained or seized. Prohibition Procedures 5.29. A Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice (HEPN) immediately closes a food business, prohibits a process or use of equipment where there is evidence that the health risk condition is fulfilled. This action is appropriate where there is an imminent risk of injury to health. 5.30. The health risk condition is defined under The Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regualtions 2006, Regulation 7(2) / Regulation 8(4). Emergency procedures will be undertaken in accordance with the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) and Midlothian Council Operational Procedures. 5.31. Any notices and associated documentation will only be signed by a compentent Authorised Officer who has witnessed the contravention(s). 5.32. An Emergeny Prohibition Notice (EPN) may be issued to the proprietor by an Authorised Officer where there is evidence of an imminent risk of injury to health defined under The Food Safety Act 1990, Section 12. 5.33. Examples of when this may be appropriate include; a process or treatment introducing into food a tertatogenic chemical which may cause injury to a developing fetus or a genotoxic chemical that damages genes or chromosomes. 5.34. Voluntary procedures to close a premises, may be suggested by the Authorised Officer, only where there is sufficient evidence of an imminent risk of injury to health. Any accepted voluntary closure must be in writing and agreed between the Authorised Officer and Food Business Operator (FBO) that the premises will remain closed until the officer is satisfied there is no longer a risk to public health. 5.35. Before accepting voluntary procedures the Authorised Officer shall: • Consider if there is a risk the establishment may re-open without agreement, in which case formal prohibition procedures should be followed, • Explain to the FBO that by making the offer to close any right to compensation is lost and formal procedures could still be used if necessary for any breaches of legislation. Detention and Seizure of Food 5.36. Authorised Officers have powers to inspect, detain or seize food suspected of not complying with food safety requriements. 5.37. Enforcement action to detain or seize food is appropriate where the Authorised Officer is of the opinion that; Page 350 of 356
Page 351
• food has not been produced, processed or distributed in accordance with food law and has been certified (in accordance with Regulation 27 of the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulation 2006) by the officer. • There is a serious breach of Food Information Law, relating to substitution, authenticity, adulteration and misleading descriptions. • There is use of an unauthorised Novel Food. 5.38. A Detention Notice may be issued by an Authorised Officer to stop food entering the food chain while checks are made on its compliance with safety and / or labelling requirements. 5.39. Where evidence or information indicates that detained food is safe and can be released, the Authorised Officer will withdraw the Detention Notice in writing issuing a Notice of Withdrawl of a Detention Notice. 5.40. Where there is sufficient evidence that; i. food is unfit or unsafe and cannot be treated or processed before consumption to make it safe, ii. there are serious breaches of food information law, or iii. there is use of an unathorised Novel Food, 5.41. an Authorised Officer may issue a Food Condemnation Notification, warning of the intention to take to the food before a Sheriff and apply for its destruction. 5.42. Voluntary procedures to remove unfit or unsafe food from the food chain may be used. The Authorised Officer may initiate this when the owner of the food agrees that the food is not suitable for human consumption. 5.43. Where voluntary procedures are used by the Authorised Officer they will issue a receipt to the owner of the food. Authorised Officers will agree arrangements with the owner of the food for the destruction or disposal of the food. The officer will seek, and confirm in writing, agreement from the owner of the food that the owner will pay reasonable expenses for the destruction or disposal of the food. 5.44. Midlothian Council will ensure appropriate destruction of food that has been seized or voluntarily surrendered. Evidence of appropriate disposal will be obtained by the Authorised Officer. Formal Action Prosecution 5.45. A report may be submitted to the COPFS recommending prosecution for offences committed under food law. 5.46. In deciding whether there are sufficent grounds to recommed that prosecution be sought by the COPFS, due consideration will be given to relevant guidelines. A decision to initiate a report will be discussed and agreed with the Lead Food Officer at the earliest opportunity. Page 351 of 356
Page 352
5.47. In addition to any of the enforcement action described above a report may be submitted to the COPFS in any of the following circumstances; i. Where a statutory notice has not been complied with ii. Where the alleged offences involve a blatant breach of the law and public health is, or has been, put at risk iii. Where it appears there is deliberate intent to adulterate food, defraud, or mislead the consumer as to the nature or composition of food iv. Where there are significant contraventions of the law relating to the composition of food or it’s labelling v. Where the alleged offender has been given reasonable opportunity to correct a potentially serious risk to food safety identified to them by an Authorised Officer but has failed to do so vi. Where there is a history of similar offences related to risk to public health vii. Where there has been deliberate obstruction of an Authorised Officer. 5.48. We will only make a report to the COPFS where there is sufficient evidence to support a reasonable likelihood of conviction and it is in the public interest to proceed. Factors we consider include; i. the degree of harm caused, or potentially caused, by the offence ii. the compliance history of the offender iii. the likelihood of a due diligence defence being established iv. the ability and willingness of important witnesses to cooperate v. the willingness of the offender to prevent a recurrence of the problem vi. the public benefit of a prosecution vii. any explanation offered by the offender. 5.49. Where prosecution could result in the imposition of a Prohibition Order by the Court (banning a person from being a Food Business Operator) appropriate information to support the prohibition will be provided to the COPFS as detailed in the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) and Practice Guidance. 5.50. The Authority will notify details of any Prohibition Order made against a person to Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS). 5.51. Where it is considered in the public interest the Authority will publicise details of a successful prosecution. Page 352 of 356
Page 353
6. Formal Action in Approved Premises 6.1. Authorised Officers have additional powers in food businesses that are approved under Regulation (EC) No 853/2004. 6.2. Officers will have regard to the guidance given in the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland), Practice Guidance and Approved Establishments Scottish National Protocol when determining the level of enforcement action that is appropriate. 6.3. Action to suspend or withdraw the approval for an establishment will be taken when all other enforcement options are considered insufficient to control the food hazards presented by the establishment. 6.4. Suspension or withdrawal of approval will be considered by the Authority where an Authorised Officer has; i. identified serious deficiencies, or, has to stop production at an approved establishment repeatedly and ii. the food business operator is not able to provide adequate guarantees regarding future production, or iii. where a Hygiene Prohibition Order has been made against the Food Business Operator. 6.5. The Authority may suspend an establishment’s approval temporarily if the Food Business Operator cannot guarantee that it will resolve deficiencies within a reasonable time. 6.6. Where an officer takes the above action they shall also consider if action is required to deal with any food that is a risk to public health. 7. Regulation in Low Risk Businesses 7.1. Some food businesses present a very low risk to the consumer. Where there is sufficient information an Authorised Officer can risk rate a food business as a Group 3 Band A. 7.2. Where the Lead Food Officer agrees that there is minimal inherent risk there will be no proactive inspection of the premises. 7.3. Where no proactive inspection of a food business will take place the Food Business Operator will be notified. 7.4. Complaints received will still be investigated and requests for advice and guidance will still be a actioned, where appropriate. Page 353 of 356
Page 354
8. Enforcement within Premises Operated by Midlothian Council 8.1. Food establishments operated by Midlothian Council will be subject to the same food law intervention procedures and enforcement actions as any other food business. 8.2. Written communications concerning contraventions noted during inspections will be sent to the appropriate Head of Service. 8.3. Any serious breaches of food law shall be brought to the attention of the Executive Director or Chief Executive. 9. Enforcement Following Food Sampling 9.1. Food samples from businesses in Midlothian are taken according to the requirements of the annual food safety plan and the food sampling policy. 9.2. Where a sample taken for surveillance purposes produces an adverse result – being unhygienic or not of the described nature, an informal approach will be used to bring this to the attention of the Food Business Operator. 9.3. Where an informal approach has not been effective or a formal sample produces an adverse result, formal enforcement action will be considered. 10. Monitoring and Review 10.1. It is the policy of the Authority to monitor the consistency of its enforcement activity to ensure that this policy is properly followed. 10.2. This policy will be reviewed every 36 months Page 354 of 356
Page 355
Appendix 1 – National Food and Feed Compliance Spectrum Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) | Food Standards Scotland | Food Standards Scotland Page 355 of 356
Page 356
Page 356 of 356