Agenda Document Pack - Cabinet - 30/05/2023
North Ayrshire Council · 30 May 2023
Back to Cabinet — 30 May 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE Cabinet A Meeting of the Cabinet of North Ayrshire Council will be held in the Council Chambers, Ground Floor, Cunninghame House, Irvine, KA12 8EE on Tuesday, 30 May 2023 at 14:30 to consider the undernoted business. Meeting Arrangements - Hybrid Meetings This meeting will be held on a predominantly physical basis but with provision, by prior notification, for remote attendance by Elected Members in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 2003. Where possible, the meeting will be live-streamed and available to view at https://north-ayrshire.public- i.tv/core/portal/home. 1 Declarations of Interest Members are requested to give notice of any declarations of interest in respect of items of business on the Agenda. 2 Minute The accuracy of the minutes of meeting of the Cabinet held on 2 May 2023 will be confirmed and the Minutes signed in accordance with Paragraph 7 (1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (copy enclosed). EDUCATION ITEMS FOR DECISION 3 School Attainment Results 2022 Submit a report by the Executive Director (Communities and Education) to update Cabinet on the overall performance of the 2022 North Ayrshire Council school leavers as highlighted in the INSIGHT benchmarking tool and Curriculum for Excellence attainment levels in literacy and numeracy for 2022. (copy enclosed) 1
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE 4 Educational Achievement of Care Experienced Learners in North Ayrshire in 2022 Submit a report by the Executive Director (Communities and Education) to update Cabinet on Curriculum for Excellence Broad General Education (BGE) attainment levels of care experienced learners in 2022, Senior Phase attainment of care experienced school leavers in 2022 and post- school participation of care experienced learners. (copy enclosed) 5 Proposal to amend the primary school catchment boundary between Saltcoats and Stevenston Submit a report by the Executive Director (Communities and Education) to provide feedback to Cabinet on the outcome of the Statutory Public Consultation and seek approval to amend the primary school catchment boundary between Mayfield and Glencairn, St Anthony’s and St John’s Primary Schools. (copy enclosed) GENERAL BUSINESS FOR DECISION Reports by the Chief Executive 6 Equality Mainstreaming Report 2020-22 and Outcomes 2021-2025 Mid-Term Report Submit a report by the Head of Service (Democratic Services) to present the Equality Mainstreaming Report 2020-22 and Outcomes 2021-2025 Mid-Term Report (encompassing the Education Authority) Mid-Term Report. (copy enclosed) 7 Appointment of Older People’s Champion Submit a report by the Head of Service (Democratic Services) to consider the appointment of an Older People’s Champion following the resignation of the previous representative. (copy enclosed) 8 Revenue Budget 2022/23 : Financial Performance to 31 March 2023 Submit a report by the Head of Service (Finance) to advise Cabinet of the financial performance for the Council for 2022/23. (copy enclosed) 9 Capital Programme Performance to 31 March 2023 Submit a report by the Head of Service (Finance) to advise Cabinet of progress in delivering the Capital Investment Programme for 2022/23. (copy enclosed) Report by the Executive Director (Communities and Education) 10 Cost of Living Crisis Submit a report by the Executive Director (Communities and Education) to provide a second progress report to Cabinet in relation to the North Ayrshire Council responses to the current cost-of-living crisis and associated investments and funds. (copy enclosed) 2
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE Reports by the Executive Director (Place) 11 Regeneration Delivery Plan Action Programme and Funding Proposals Submit a report by the Executive Director (Place) to seek approval for the proposed Regeneration Delivery Plan action programme and funding proposals. (copy enclosed) 12 North Ayrshire Community Transport Pathfinder Submit a report by the Executive Director (Place) to set out initial proposals for a Community Transport Pathfinder project in North Ayrshire. (copy enclosed) 13 Decarbonisation of the Council’s Fleet Submit a report by the Executive Director (Place) to provide an update on the journey to date and further proposals to decarbonise the Council’s vehicle fleet. (copy enclosed) 14 Ardrossan Harbour Redevelopment Procurement Agreement Submit a report by the Executive Director (Place) to seek Cabinet’s agreement to enter a procurement agreement with Ardrossan Harbour Company Limited to allow the Ardrossan Harbour Redevelopment tender process to proceed. (copy enclosed) 15 UK Shared Prosperity Fund – Communities and Place Fund Submit a report by the Executive Director (Place) to update Cabinet on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) and seek approval of the proposed approach to the Communities and Place Grant Fund. (copy enclosed) 3
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE Webcasting Please note: this meeting may be filmed/recorded/live-streamed to the Council's internet site and available to view at https://north-ayrshire.public- i.tv/core/portal/home, where it will be capable of repeated viewing. At the start of the meeting, the Provost/Chair will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed/recorded/live-streamed. You should be aware that the Council is a Data Controller under the Data Protection Act 2018. Data collected during the webcast will be retained in accordance with the Council’s published policy, including, but not limited to, for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available via the Council’s internet site. Generally, the press and public seating areas will not be filmed. However, by entering the Council Chambers, using the press or public seating area or (by invitation) participating remotely in this meeting, you are consenting to being filmed and consenting to the use and storage of those images and sound recordings and any information pertaining to you contained in them for webcasting or training purposes and for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available to the public. If you do not wish to participate in a recording, you should leave the meeting. This will constitute your revocation of consent. If you have any queries regarding this and, in particular, if you believe that use and/or storage of any particular information would cause, or be likely to cause, substantial damage or distress to any individual, please contact dataprotectionofficer@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. 4
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE Cabinet Sederunt Elected Members Marie Burns (Chair) Shaun Macaulay (Vice-Chair) Tony Gurney Alan Hill Margaret Johnson Christina Larsen Church Representatives Mr Andrew Bruce Ms Elizabeth Turbet Rev Mark Goodman Teaching Representative Ms Jacqui MacKenzie Youth Council Representatives Chair: Apologies: Attending: 5
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Cabinet 2 May 2023 At a Meeting of the Cabinet of North Ayrshire Council at 2.30 p.m. involving a combination of participation by remote electronic means and physical attendance within the Council Chambers, Irvine. Present (Physical Participation) Tony Gurney, Marie Burns and Margaret Johnson; and Rev Mark Goodman (Church Representative) and Jacqui MacKenzie (Teaching Representative) (Agenda Item 3). Present (Remote Electronic Participation) Shaun Macaulay. Also Present (Physical Participation) Cameron Inglis, Chloé Robertson and Davina McTiernan. In Attendance (Physical Participation) C. Hatton, Chief Executive; C. Cameron, Director (Health and Social Care Partnership); A. Sutton, Executive Director, A. McClelland, Head of Service (Education) and R. Leith, Head of Service (Connected Communities) (Communities & Education); M. Boyd, Head of Service and S. Paisley, Senior Manager (Transformation) (Finance); F. Walker, Head of Service (People and ICT); D. Hammond, Head of Service (Sustainability, Transport & Corporate Property), L. Kirk, Interim Head of Service (Economic Development and Regeneration) and E. McMullen, Senior Manager (Economic Policy) (Place); and A. Craig, Head of Service, J. Hutcheson, Senior Communications Officer, S. Wilson and C. Stewart, Committee Services Officers (Democratic Services). Apologies Alan Hill and Christina Larsen and Lay Members Andrew Bruce and Elizabeth Turbet. Chair Councillor Gurney in the Chair. 1. Chair’s Remarks Prior to commencing with the business of the meeting, Councillor Gurney advised Cabinet that, notwithstanding the Chair’s presence, he would be standing in for Councillor Burns as Chair for this meeting, as she was recovering from illness. Noted. 2. Declarations of Interest There were no declarations of interest by Members in terms of Standing Order 11 and Section 5 of the Code of Conduct for Councillors. Agenda Item 2 7
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3. Minutes The Minutes of the Meeting of the Cabinet held on 21 March 2023 were confirmed and the Minutes signed in accordance with Paragraph 7 (1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. 4. Review of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Hourly Rate for Funded Providers Submitted a report by the Executive Director (Communities and Education) seeking approval to increase the rate of payment to funded providers of early learning and childcare (ELC) in North Ayrshire contracted by the Council to deliver funded ELC to eligible 2-5 year-olds. Members asked questions and were provided with further information in relation to: • the rate proposed and how this compared with that of neighbouring authorities and the national average; and • how the Service would engage with providers to encourage participation in the Scottish Government annual survey as well as a local exercise to continue to build on working relationships with partners across North Ayrshire. The Cabinet agreed (a) to increase the hourly rate paid by the Council to funded providers for provision of ELC to all entitled children aged 2-5 years from £5.31 to £5.76 for session 2022-23; (b) that this rate should be paid retrospectively from 1 August 2022, to be in place until 31 March 2024; and (c) to receive a further report on proposed changes to be implemented from 1 April 2024 following a further review of the sustainable rate following the national review of the Real Living Wage in November 2023. 5. Digital North Ayrshire Strategy Submitted a report by the Head of Service (Finance) providing details of the refreshed Digital Strategy. The Digital Strategy was attached at Appendix 1 to the report. Members asked questions and were provided with further information in relation to: • the uptake in registrations since the ‘My Account’ service was introduced and how further users would be encouraged to sign up for it; • the internal Digital Innovation Hub and how it was used across the authority; and • what supports and information were available for members of the public who lack confidence in using Information Technology systems. The Cabinet agreed to approve the refreshed North Ayrshire Digital Strategy set out at Appendix 1 to the report. 8
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6. Proposals for Community Investment Fund (CIF) Expenditure Submitted a report by the Executive Director (Communities and Education) on applications by Locality Partnerships to allocate CIF funding to proposed projects. Appendices 1-3, respectively, set out applications by Ardrossan Scouts Group for £100,000, Ardrossan Community Sports Hub for the early release of £15,000 from a previously agreed grant and West Kilbride Community Sports Club (WKCSC) and Friends of Kirktonhall Glen (FOKG) for £6,750. The Head of Service (Democratic Services) advised that consideration of the application from Ardrossan Community Sports Hub for the early release of funds from a previously approved grant would require suspension of Standing Orders as the decision to award the grant was taken fewer than six months previously. The Cabinet unanimously agreed, in terms of Standing Order 23.1, to suspend Standing Order 25 to allow consideration of the application for CIF funding from Ardrossan Community Sports Hub. The Cabinet, having reviewed the applications from the North Coast and Cumbraes and Three Towns Locality Partnerships set out in the appendices to the report in line with CIF criteria, agreed to approve (a) the award of CIF funding to (i) Ardrossan Scouts Group in the amount of £100,000 and (ii) the West Kilbride Community Sports Club and Friends of Kirktonhall Glen in the amount of £6,750; and (b) the early release of £15,000 of the £100,000 grant to Ardrossan Community Sports Hub which was approved by Cabinet on 24 January 2023 to facilitate progression of the project. 7. Lochshore Hub Lease Submitted a report by the Executive Director (Place) seeking approval to provide a lease of the Lower Ground Floor of the new Lochshore Hub to Garnock Rugby Club. A plan of the site was attached at Appendix 1 to the report. The Cabinet acknowledged and thanked the team for the level of work that was involved in securing this package of funding, noting that the Lochshore Hub was welcomed and well-used by the community. The Cabinet agreed to approve the lease disposal of the Lower Ground Floor at Lochshore Hub to Garnock Rugby Club for a period of 25 years at an initial rent of £5,500 per annum, exclusive of VAT, as detailed in the report and illustrated in the plan at Appendix 1. 8. Scottish Government Consultation on Building Community Wealth in Scotland Submitted a report by the Executive Director (Place) on the proposed development of Community Wealth Building legislation by the Scottish Government and seeking approval for the proposed submission to the consultation on Building Community 9
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Wealth in Scotland. The proposed consultation response was set out at Appendix 1 to the report. The Cabinet thanked the team for the extensive work carried out in relation to Community Wealth Building and noted that this was a key component of the Council’s approach. The Cabinet agreed to (a) approve the submission of the proposed consultation response provided at Appendix 1 to the report; and (b) otherwise note (i) the Scottish Government’s intention to develop Community Wealth Building legislation in the current Parliamentary term, (ii) the Council’s participation in the Bill Steering Group and other Scottish Government events to inform the development of the legislation, (iii) the extensive cross-service engagement to inform the proposed consultation response, and (iv) that a separate regional response was being prepared on behalf of the Community Wealth Building Commission. The meeting ended at 3.15 p.m. 10
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: School Attainment Results 2022 Purpose: To update Cabinet on: i. The overall performance of the 2022 North Ayrshire Council school leavers as highlighted in the INSIGHT benchmarking tool and; ii. Curriculum for Excellence attainment levels in literacy and numeracy for 2022 Recommendation: That Cabinet: a) Notes the content of the report, including the progress being made by learners, specifically in literacy and numeracy; b) Notes the achievements of school leavers in SQA examinations in 2022 and; c) Approves the measures being taken to make further improvements to attainment and achievement levels across all schools. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 This report summarises the key performance measures of pupil attainment in the session 2021-22, based on the benchmarking analysis tool INSIGHT, update released at the end of February 2023. 1.2 Highlights include the impact of improvement measures taken in BGE Literacy and Numeracy to recover from the pandemic. This is demonstrated through significantly improved “Achievement of a Level” data. 1.3 North Ayrshire school leavers recorded their highest ever positive destination figure with nearly 96% achieving an initial positive destination. 1.4 In the attainment for all measures, performance is continuing to improve following a dip after the previous change in policy affecting the number of subjects studied in S4. In 2022, leavers from across almost all SIMD deciles in North Ayrshire performed better than the national average, although there is room for further improvement. Agenda Item 3 11
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2. Background 2.1 Since 2014, the Scottish Government has produced a customised web interactive analytical tool to benchmark and inform performance evaluation in schools and education authorities. INSIGHT is consistent with the Curriculum for Excellence ethos as it emphasises the best achievement at the point of exit from school1, rather than at stage-by-stage level, although it still allows users to drill down to cohort, level, subject or socio-demographic characteristics of pupils. 2.2 The benchmarking methodology used by INSIGHT is centred on the idea of a "Virtual Comparator". This virtual school is built around four key characteristics, which constitutes the make-up of any school. From these four areas, the tool matches ten leavers from across Scotland to every one of the leavers in each school/authority and treats this matched group as the virtual school/authority. 2.3 The main analysis of each year’s attainment and achievement for secondary schools is released by the Scottish Government in February of the following year of the diet analysed2. The INSIGHT analysts have also provided the performance of the South West Education Improvement Collaborative (SWEIC) region as comparison and these values are represented in the supporting tables and charts3. This Report is structured – as in previous years - along the four key national benchmarking measures aimed at: • Improving attainment in Literacy and Numeracy (% of candidates attaining Literacy and Numeracy qualifications) • Improving attainment for all (Average Total Tariff Score distribution) • Tackling Disadvantage by Improving the Attainment vs. Deprivation Gap (Average Total Tariff Score by SIMD decile) • Increasing post-school participation (School Leaver Destinations for 2022). 2.4 Improving Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy (these highlights are supported by charts in Appendix 1) 2.4.1 Performance of North Ayrshire school leavers in attaining Literacy at Level 4 and Level 5 displays a positive 5-year picture. Our schools remain above or in line with the Virtual Comparator, the SWEIC authorities and the National performance in all 5 years of this analysis. At level 4, North Ayrshire school leavers increased the gap between their achievement and the Virtual Comparator and National performance with 95.07% achieving Level 4. Similarly for Level 5, school leavers also increased the gap between their achievement and Virtual Comparator and National performance with 83.75% of learners achieving Level 5. 2.4.2 The performance of North Ayrshire school leavers in attaining Numeracy at Level 4 and Level 5 displays a positive 5-year trend with both figures above the Virtual Comparator. 1 The annual benchmarking "point of exit" indicators published in INSIGHT in February each year are called "National Benchmarking Measures". The set of similar indicators referring to specific cohorts of pupils on the school roll (S4, S5, S6) are designated as "Local Benchmarking Measures" in INSIGHT. 2 Therefore, the February 2023 INSIGHT update refers to the performance of the 2022 cohort and – for comparison - the 4 years before that. The data for previous years’ attainment is annually updated, to account for some corrections in the national methodology and the inclusion of some school leavers’ records that were not available at the time. 3 The SWEIC region comprises of North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway local authorities. 12
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For Level 4, 91.18% of leavers achieved this which is the second highest figure in the 5-year trend. Similarly for Level 5, 71.38% of leavers achieved this which is also the second highest figure in the 5-year trend. 2.5 Improving attainment for all (These highlights are supported by charts in Appendix 2) 2.5.1 This measure focuses on the average total tariff score of the candidate’s latest and best qualifications. Tariff points are assigned to each unit or course achieved by learners – in all SCQF-graded awards, not only those provided by SQA. This acknowledges to a greater extent the drive towards wider achievement qualifications and encourages schools to offer curricular choices tailored to a variety of pupil abilities and aspirations. The information is presented as the total tariff score per average leaver in one of three categories of the lowest attaining 20%, the middle attaining 60% and the highest attaining 20%. 2.5.2 The average total tariff score for lowest attaining 20% of learners is above the Virtual Comparator and SWEIC performance and in line with the National Performance. Although lower than 2021, it is significantly above 2019 and 2020 performance. 2.5.3 The average total tariff score of the middle attaining 60% of leavers is the second highest on record in the 5-year trend. Though slightly below the Virtual Comparator, a positive 5-year trend is evident, particularly in the years since the change of curriculum structure in S4. The policy on the number of subjects studied in S4 was revised in late 2018, with the first results of this decision being visible in 2020. 2.5.4 The average total tariff score of the highest attaining 20% of leavers is the highest on record in the 5-year trend. The figure is above the Virtual Comparator and a consistent 5-year positive trend is evident. 2.6 Attainment Vs Deprivation (These highlights are supported by charts in Appendix 3) 2.6.1 The INSIGHT measure aimed at tackling disadvantage presents the Average Total Tariff Score (ATTS) compared across the SIMD datazone deciles where the school leavers reside4. 2.6.2 The Attainment vs. Deprivation chart for 2022 SIMD decile performance shows that North Ayrshire school leavers in deciles 1 through to 9 have performed above or in-line with school leavers living in the same SIMD deciles across the rest of the country. Significantly, this accounts for the vast majority, just over 98%, of our school leavers in North Ayrshire in 2022. The proportion of school leavers living in SIMD decile 10 in North Ayrshire is significantly smaller than the national share and the attainment performance of this group in North Ayrshire remains lower than the national cohort. 2.7 Increasing Post-School Participation (These highlights are supported by charts in Appendix 4A and 4B) 4 The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) – 2017 update - ranks the 6976 datazones across Scotland according to a composite of measures of socio-economic deprivation. The SIMD decile of the area where a pupil resides using the pupil's postcode is collected as part of the annual School Census. SIMD decile 1 represents the 10% most deprived datazones in Scotland while SIMD decile 10 represents the least SIMD deprived of datazones in Scotland. INSIGHT has now updated their analysis, which is based on SIMD2020 and the new (redrawn) datazones based on the 2011 population census. 13
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2.7.1 At 96%, the proportion of leavers in North Ayrshire moving into an initial positive destination is the highest on record, above the Virtual Comparator and National Performance. To maximise the percentage of school leavers entering and sustaining positive destinations, schools continue to work hard in strong partnership with Skills Development Scotland. 2.7.2 The Annual Participation Measure (APM) is a measurement of the proportion of 16-19- year-olds participating in education, training, or employment over a full year (1st April – 31st March). The indicator provides a measure of the status of the wider aged 16-19 cohort – not just those who have left school. 2.7.3 The APM has been adopted in the Scottish Government’s National Performance Framework as the measure of young people’s participation. This has replaced the school leaver destination follow up as the source of data for the national indicator in the framework: Percentage of young adults (16-19-year-olds) participation in education, training or employment. 2.7.4 The 2022 APM showed that of the 5,785 16-19-year-olds in North Ayrshire, 90.8% were in education, employment, or training and personal development. This is the second highest on record since the APM started in 2016. 2.7.5 As demonstrated in Appendix 4B, the Participation Measure decreases with age. 99.3% of 16yr olds are engaged in participation which is in line with the national figure. This figure decreased to 79.7% for 19yr olds which is below the national figure. 2.8 Attainment in Broad General Education – Attainment of Curriculum for Excellence Level (ACEL) in P1, P4 and P7 (These highlights are supported by charts in Appendix 5) 2.8.1 In 2016, the Scottish Government began to collect statistics on the Curriculum for Excellence level achieved in Literacy (Listening and Talking, Reading, Writing) and Numeracy by pupils in the Broad General Education stages P1, P4, P7 and S3. This is based on teacher judgement about each pupil’s achievement of expected level made at the end of June each session5. This data collection by the Scottish Government was suspended in 2020 for all schools due to the impact of the pandemic. Data collection resumed in 2021 for stages P1, P4 and P7 though not S3. In 2022, data was collected from all stages (i.e., P1, P4, P7 and S3). 2.8.2 Appendix 5 presents the summarised attainment levels in Literacy and in Numeracy overall for the past 5 years, minus 2020 which was not recorded. Achievement figures for 2022 demonstrate the significant steps taken towards recovery. Combined Numeracy achievement for P1, P4 and P7 is 76% which represents a 9-percentage point increase on the previous year and is almost back to the achievement levels before the pandemic. Similarly, combined Literacy achievement for P1, P4 and P7 is 71%, which is 8 percentage points higher than the previous year, again almost returning to pre-pandemic levels. It is evident that the additional interventions in literacy and numeracy, implemented throughout session 2021-22, have had a significant impact in continuing recovery from the pandemic. 5 P1 pupils are expected to attain the Early level in Literacy components and Numeracy by the end of their first year in school, P4 pupils – First level and P7 Pupils – Second level. S3 pupils are expected to achieve Level 3 or better in Literacy and Numeracy, with some having also achieved Level 4 by the time they finish their Broad General Education 14
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2.9 Proposed Improvement Actions 2.9.1 The following improvement actions are proposed in respect of the key performance measures in pupil attainment: 2.9.2 Improving attainment in Literacy and Numeracy: the service improvement plan includes specific actions to improve attainment in literacy and numeracy, including: the implementation of a new learning, teaching and assessment policy; the revision of our existing literacy and numeracy frameworks; the design and implementation of a 3-year raising attainment strategy and a further focus on effective moderation across and within schools. In parallel to this, schools will continue to be supported through school improvement planning processes, quality assurance processes and the work of the Professional Learning Academy. 2.9.3 Improving Attainment for All: There will be a continuation of the focus on the lowest and highest achieving learners to ensure that our performance continues to reduce the gap between North Ayrshire and the National performance. Part of our work will include a further expansion of available courses and units to ensure that the Senior Phase is meeting the learning needs and aspirations of all learners. The re-designed senior phase curriculum structures in many schools will also enable further targeted programmes to be developed for the lowest achieving learners, particularly in S4. 2.9.4 Attainment versus Deprivation: North Ayrshire’s Attainment Challenge and Pupil Equity Fund will continue to implement interventions for pupils living in the most deprived areas to improve their levels of attainment and achievement. Establishments will continue to focus specifically on the learners living in deciles 3 and 10 to endeavour to bring their performance into line with national levels. 2.9.5 Increasing Post-School Participation: To continue and enhance partnerships working with Skills Development Scotland, Ayrshire College, and the Local Employability Partnership. 2.9.6 In addition to the measures outlined above, all secondary schools will make improved use of the 16+ tab in Seemis Click and Go as a means of identifying target groups more effectively and consistently across North Ayrshire, thereby enabling interventions to be more closely tracked across all schools. 3. Proposals 3.1 It is proposed that Cabinet: a) Notes the content of the report, including the progress being made by learners, specifically in literacy and numeracy; b) Notes the achievements of school leavers in SQA examinations in 2022; and c) Approves the measures being taken to make further improvements to attainment and achievement levels across all schools. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 None. 15
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Human Resources 4.2 None. Legal 4.3 None. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 None. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 None. Key Priorities 4.6 NAC Council Plan 2019-2024: Aspiring Communities: “Children and Young People Experience the Best Start in Life”. This work relates to the following priorities in the Education Service Plan 2022-23: Priority 1: Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy. Priority 2: Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people. Priority 3: Improvement in skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for all young people. Community Wealth Building 4.7 None. 5. Consultation 5.1 There is a robust Quality Improvement Framework in place to support schools to evaluate and analyse their performance and plan future improvements. This quality improvement process features regular evaluative visits to schools by Senior Officers. These visits feature evidence-based, challenging discussions to explore how school are using the analysis of their attainment as a mechanism to inform targets for improvement. Furthermore, as part of our annual review process, we have consulted staff across the service on the improvement priorities for the coming session, and schools have in turn engaged with their school communities on their own priorities for improvement. Audrey Sutton Executive Director (Communities and Education) For further information please contact Kevin Herron, Senior Manager (Education), on 01294 324450. Background Papers 16
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Appendix 1: Literacy & Numeracy Charts Appendix 2: Attainment for All (2021 –2022) Appendix 3: Attainment vs. Deprivation Charts (2021-2022) Appendix 4A: Positive Destinations Insight (2021 – April 2022) Appendix 4B: Participation Measure Statistics (August 2022) Appendix 5: BGE Attainment (2016–2022 Charts) 17
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90.00 91.00 92.00 93.00 94.00 95.00 96.00 97.00 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Percentage of school leavers attaining SCQF level 4 or better in Literacy North Ayrshire South West Collaborative Virtual Comparator National 78.00 79.00 80.00 81.00 82.00 83.00 84.00 85.00 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Percentage of school leavers attaining SCQF level 5 or better in Literacy North Ayrshire South West Collaborative Virtual Comparator National 87.00 88.00 89.00 90.00 91.00 92.00 93.00 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Percentage of school leavers attaining SCQF level 4 or better in Numeracy North Ayrshire South West Collaborative Virtual Comparator National 63.00 64.00 65.00 66.00 67.00 68.00 69.00 70.00 71.00 72.00 73.00 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Percentage of school leavers attaining SCQF level 5 or better in Numeracy North Ayrshire South West Collaborative Virtual Comparator National Appendix 1 18
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2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 North Ayrshire 1785 1665 1797 1862 1914 South West Collaborative 1793 1770 1865 1931 1933 Virtual Comparator 1786 1746 1875 1927 1895 National 1851 1829 1930 1998 1968 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 Attainment for All - Average total tariff score of the highest attaining 20% 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 North Ayrshire 815 697 782 845 819 South West Collaborative 817 770 829 889 842 Virtual Comparator 795 734 830 891 821 National 858 821 888 955 887 650 700 750 800 850 900 950 1000 Attainment for All - Average total tariff score of the middle attaining 60% 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 North Ayrshire 170 145 140 161 156 South West Collaborative 169 151 145 165 155 Virtual Comparator 141 119 127 159 141 National 164 151 151 165 156 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 Attainment for All - Average total tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% Appendix 2 19
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Page 1 of 2 687 725 755 932 1068 1028 1098 1246 1258 1239 666 703 779 826 916 970 1051 1125 1234 1391 350 550 750 950 1150 1350 1550 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11SIMD Decile Average Total Tariff Score by SIMD decile ‐ All School leavers 2022 North Ayrshire National Trend line ‐ North Ayrshire Trend line ‐ National Appendix 3 20
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Page 2 of 2 657 767 842 959 1070 1156 1099 1222 1192 1306 689 754 816 893 970 1027 1106 1163 1269 1433 350 550 750 950 1150 1350 1550 1750 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11SIMD Decile Average Total Tariff Score by SIMD decile ‐ All School leavers 2021 North Ayrshire National Trend line ‐ North Ayrshire Trend line ‐ National Appendix 3 21
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95.6 94.0 92.5 95.2 96.0 94.2 94.4 94.3 95.8 96.7 93.2 94.0 92.3 95.1 94.9 94.4 95.1 93.4 95.5 95.7 90.0 91.0 92.0 93.0 94.0 95.0 96.0 97.0 98.0 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Comparative Performance on % of School Leavers Moving into Positive Destinations North Ayrshire South West Collaborative Virtual Comparator National Appendix 4 22
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90.8 99.3 95.4 88.5 79.7 92.4 99.3 96.3 89.8 84.2 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0 90.0 100.0 % All 16‐19 year‐olds %16‐year‐olds %17‐year‐olds %18‐year‐olds %19‐year‐olds Participation Rate_August 2022 North Ayrshire Scotland Appendix 4B 23
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77% 80% 79% 67% 76% 69% 72% 74% 59% 67% 76% 78% 79% 75% 78% 69% 71% 72% 67% 71% 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 NUMERACY LITERACY Curriculum for Excellence Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy - P1, P4, P7 - combined NAC National Appendix 5 24
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: Educational Achievement of Care Experienced Learners in North Ayrshire in 2022 Purpose: To update Cabinet on: i. Curriculum for Excellence Broad General Education (BGE) attainment levels of care experienced learners in 2022; ii. Senior Phase attainment of care experienced school leavers in 2022; ii. Post-school participation of care experienced learners Recommendation: That Cabinet: a) Notes the content of the report, including the progress being made by learners, specifically in literacy and numeracy; b) Notes the achievements of school leavers in SQA examinations in 2022. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 This report summarises the key performance measures of care experienced1 and looked after learners2, focusing specifically on the published 2022 attainment data and trends over time. Overall, educational outcomes for care experienced learners have improved over the last five years. However, there remains a significant gap between the educational outcomes achieved by care experienced learners and all learners, both in North Ayrshire and nationally. 1.2 Care experienced school leavers are achieving better in literacy and numeracy than their counterparts nationally and in the South West Educational Improvement Collaborative (SWEIC) and there has been a positive trend in average total tariff score over the last 5 years. The proportion of care experienced learners entering a positive destination has been above the national figure for the last 5 years. 1 Care Experienced is a term we use in education; it has no statutory basis. Care experienced is an umbrella term which can mean children / young people who are: Looked after at home through a Compulsory Supervision Order; Looked after away from home; Previously looked after, where at some point in their lives they have had any of the above experiences. 2 Looked after young people include those: Looked after at home through a Compulsory Supervision Order (CSO) or Looked after away from home in a residential children’s house, in a foster placement or a kinship placement. Agenda Item 4 25
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2. Background 2.1 Care experienced young people are categorised for the purposes of our management information system SEEMIS as: Looked After at Home, Looked After Away from Home and Previously Looked After. The total number of care experienced young people in North Ayrshire at the annual census date in September each year is shown in the charts in Appendix 1. In 2022 there were 842 care experienced young people enrolled in North Ayrshire schools. 2.2 This report focuses on the following key measures: • Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy across the Broad General Education for care experienced learners for 2022. • Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy and overall attainment in all qualifications at Senior Phase level for care experienced school leavers in 2022. • Average Total Tariff Score of school leavers and the impact of the stage at which they leave school. • Post-school participation of care experienced school leavers for 2022. 2.3 Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy in Broad General Education for Care Experienced Learners (These highlights are supported by charts in Appendix 2) 2.3.1 The charts at Appendix 2 indicate that the attainment of care experienced learners at BGE stages P1, P4 and P7 continues to recover steadily towards pre-pandemic levels. At all stages, achievement of Literacy and Numeracy levels have increased for care experienced learners from 2021 figures. This mirrors the recovery journey overall for all learners in North Ayrshire, with a similar pattern occurring for the full cohort groups. Nevertheless, there remains a gap between the achievement of care experienced learners and all learners across North Ayrshire. 2.4 Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy and overall attainment in all qualifications at Senior Phase level for Care Experienced school leavers (These highlights are supported by charts in Appendices 3-5) 2.4.1 It should be noted that the cohort size for care experienced school leavers varies from year to year and is generally between 40-50 young people. Therefore, care must be taken when analysing variations in performance for this group. For example, one care experienced learner attaining/not attaining a specific qualification may account for more than 2 percentage points of a difference in the overall attainment measures for care experienced learners (whereas in the general population, one pupil would make less than 0.07 percentage points of a difference in the same attainment measure). 2.4.2 Performance in Literacy and Numeracy at SCQF levels 4 and 5 is consistently lower for care experienced leavers than for the overall school leaver cohort in North Ayrshire. However, North Ayrshire care experienced school leavers perform generally better than their counterparts nationally and in the SWEIC authorities (see Appendix 3). 2.4.3 For Level 4 Literacy (81.6%) and Numeracy (79.6%), care experienced leavers in North Ayrshire are above both the National and the SWEIC performances. These figures are also the highest recorded in the 5-year trend. For Level 5 Literacy (51%) and Numeracy (32.7.%), leavers are also above both the National and SWEIC performances. 26
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2.4.4 Care experienced leavers in North Ayrshire are continuing a positive 5-year trend of attainment in the number of Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications achieved (see Appendix 4). In 2022, 90.3% of North Ayrshire’s care experienced leavers attained at least one qualification at SCQF Level 4 or better, the highest performance in 5-year trend. In 2022, 67.7% of care experienced leavers achieved at least one qualification at SCQF Level 5, which is also the highest performance in the 5-year trend. The percentage of care experienced learners achieving at least 1 Level 6 award fell in comparison to 2021 with 34.4% achieving this. However, this is in line with all school leavers and at 34.4%, this is still the second highest performance for NAC care experienced leavers in the last 5 years. 2.4.5 The average total tariff score for NAC care experienced leavers continues to increase, with the figure in 2022 rising to 457, the best performance to date. There is still a significant gap between the attainment of care experienced learners and those who are not care-experienced, both locally and nationally. In North Ayrshire, the gap is gradually closing. Over the last three years from 2020-22, the gap between care experienced average total tariff scores and all North Ayrshire school leavers has been on average 491 points, compared to an average of 526 points for the three years previously from 2017-2019. Whilst this is clear progress, there is still a significant amount of work to be done to reduce the gap more consistently and at a faster rate. 2.5 Post-school participation of care experienced school leavers (These highlights are supported by charts in Appendix 6) 2.5.1 The overall percentage of North Ayrshire care experienced school leavers entering a positive destination has remained consistently above the national performance for this group over the last five years. In 2022, the percentage of NAC care experienced school leavers in a positive destination is 91.4%, the 2nd highest figure recorded since 2016. 2.6 Proposed Improvement Actions The Education Service continues to focus on improving positive outcomes for care experienced learners at all stages. It is acknowledged that, whilst educational outcomes for care experienced learners have improved over time, there is still significant scope for further improvement. Attainment and achievement for this group of learners is an area of focus during quality improvement visits in all schools and the annual attainment review in each secondary school. The Education Service Improvement Plan makes specific reference to actions impacting positively on care experienced learners. 3. Proposals 3.1 It is proposed that Cabinet: a) Notes the content of the report, including the progress being made by learners, specifically in literacy and numeracy; b) Notes the achievements of school leavers in SQA examinations in 2022. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 None. 27
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Human Resources 4.2 None. Legal 4.3 None. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 Tackling inequality is a key aspect of this report. The Council is committed to a continued focussed approach to improve outcomes for care experienced leavers. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 None. Key Priorities 4.6 NAC Council Plan 2019-2024: Aspiring Communities: “Children and young people experience the best start in life”. This work relates to the following priorities in the Education Service Plan 2022-23: Priority 1: Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy Priority 2: Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people Priority 3: Improvement in skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for all young people Community Wealth Building 4.7 The Council will continue to consider the pillars of community wealth building in any future developments in this area. 5. Consultation 5.1 None specifically related to this report. Audrey Sutton Executive Director (Communities and Education) For further information please contact Kevin Herron, Senior Manager (Education), on 01294 324450. Background Papers Appendix 1: LAC Census Rolld (2014-2022) Appendix 2: Care Experienced ACEL (2019-2022) Appendix 3: LAC Leavers Literacy & Numeracy attainment insight (2022) Appendix 4: Care Experienced and LAC Leavers Highest SCQF Levels 28
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Appendix 5: Care Experienced and LAC Leavers ATTS Appendix 6: Insight LAC Leavers entering Positive Destination 2016-2022) 29
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218 273 291 211 239 224 217 208 204 337 367 384 351 346 344 370 346 342 186 174 176 277 293 330 322 294 296 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Care Experienced Pupils ‐ All Schools At home Away From Home Previously Looked After Appendix 1 30
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-23.3 -25.9 -31.1 -28.9 -6.8 -22.7 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Numeracy Literacy PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN ACHIEVING CFE LEVEL North Ayrshire CE attainment gap P1 - Early Level - 2022, 2021, 2019 (percentage points) Care Experienced Children - 2019 All pupils (not CE) 2019 Care Experienced Children - 2021 All pupils (not CE) - 2021 Care Experienced Children - 2022 All pupils (not CE) - 2022 Appendix 2 -30.7 -30.6 -26.5 -30.7 -27.9 -27.9 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Numeracy Literacy PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN ACHIEVING CFE LEVEL North Ayrshire CE attainment gap P4 - First Level - 2022,2021, 2019 (percentage points) Care Experienced Children - 2019 All pupils (not CE) 2019 Care Experienced Children - 2021 All pupils (not CE) - 2021 Care Experienced Children - 2022 All pupils (not CE) - 2022 -32.1 -26.3-30.0 -31.7 -35.0 -34.2 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Numeracy Literacy PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN ACHIEVING CFE LEVEL North Ayrshire CE attainment gap P7 - Second Level - 2022, 2021, 2019 (percentage points) Care Experienced Children - 2019 All pupils (not CE) 2019 Care Experienced Children - 2021 All pupils (not CE) - 2021 Care Experienced Children - 2022 All pupils (not CE) - 2022 31
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71.7 55.0 40.0 33.3 71.2 61.5 41.0 27.1 70.3 58.8 37.2 29.1 75.0 71.2 40.2 28.0 76.8 70.7 44.6 30.1 81.6 79.6 51.0 32.7 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 60.0 65.0 70.0 75.0 80.0 85.0 90.0 % Level 4 Literacy % Level 4 Numeracy % Level 5 Literacy % Level 5 Numeracy LAC attainment in Literacy and Numeracy ‐ North Ayrshire vs. National and SWEIC ‐ 2020‐2022 (percentage attaining out of annual leavers' cohort) NAC 2020 NAC 2021 NAC 2022 National 2020 National 2021 National 2022 SWEIC 2020 SWEIC 2021 SWEIC 2022 Appendix 3 32
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85.1% 84.7% 77.2% 86.1% 90.3% 80.9% 77.4% 76.9% 80.3% 87.8% 98.1% 97.3% 97.1% 97.4% 97.3% 70.9% 69.8% 71.8% 70.9% N/A 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0% 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Percentage of School Leavers achieving 1 or more qualification at SCQF level 4 or better NAC Care experienced NAC Looked After NAC All Other Leavers (not CE) Looked after leavers - National 50.0% 50.6% 53.2% 62.4% 67.7% 40.4% 37.7% 53.8% 50.8% 67.3% 89.9% 89.4% 88.6% 91.7% 89.9% 36.1% 34.6% 38.1% 37.6% N/A 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0% 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Percentage of School Leavers achieving 1 or more qualification at SCQF level 5 or better NAC Care experienced NAC Looked After NAC All Other Leavers (not CE) Looked after leavers - National 20.3% 27.1% 29.1% 40.6% 34.4% 10.6% 17.0% 30.8% 32.8% 26.5% 68.0% 67.5% 69.8% 73.0% 70.2% 11.9% 10.6% 14.2% 14.9% N/A 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0% 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Percentage of School Leavers achieving 1 or more qualification at SCQF level 6 or better NAC Care experienced NAC Looked After NAC All Other Leavers (not CE) Looked after leavers - National Appendix 4 33
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324 382 295 252 404 348 377 332 383 352 327 393 448 457 919 917 911 811 888 949 935 282 293 291 273 293 341 378 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Average Total Tariff Score for LAC, Care Experienced and all non‐LAC School Leavers NAC vs. National performance for LAC children North Ayrshire LAC North Ayrshire Care Experienced NAC all Leavers ‐ not Care Experienced* National ‐ LAC Leavers Appendix5 *not looked after and not previously looked after‐ and unable to determine status for 2016 only 34
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83.0 87.3 80.9 83.0 84.6 93.4 85.7 73.6 76.4 80.4 82.4 81.4 87.9 86.0 73.1 77.9 80.0 76.5 86.7 91.9 88.6 83.1 88.1 83.8 88.2 84.8 94.1 91.4 95.5 93.7 96.3 94.4 93.0 95.3 96.3 70.0 75.0 80.0 85.0 90.0 95.0 100.0 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Percentage of Care Experienced and Looked After Leavers entering a Positive Destination North Ayrshire ‐ LAC National ‐ LAC South West Collaborative ‐ LAC Care Experienced ‐ NAC Leavers not Care Experienced ‐ NAC Appendix 6 35
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: Proposal to amend the primary school catchment boundary between Saltcoats and Stevenston Purpose: • To provide feedback to Cabinet on the outcome of the Statutory Public Consultation. • To seek approval to amend the primary school catchment boundary between Mayfield and Glencairn, St Anthony’s and St John’s Primary Schools. Recommendation: That Cabinet agrees to: • Note the content of the Consultation Report at Appendix 1 of this document. • Amend the primary school catchment boundary lines between Mayfield and Glencairn, St Anthony’s and St John’s Primary Schools from August 2023. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 On 29 November 2022, as a result of a new housing development in Saltcoats, Cabinet agreed to commence a Statutory Public Consultation on the proposal to amend the catchment boundary lines between the following primary schools: • Mayfield Primary School • Glencairn Primary School • St Anthony’s Primary School • St John’s Primary School 1.2 The consultation opened on Monday 9 January and closed on Thursday 2 March 2023. Thereafter, Education Scotland provided their report and a copy of this is attached as Appendix 3 to the Council’s Consultation Report (Appendix 1 of this report). This was made available to the public from 17 April to 7 May 2023. 1.3 Twenty-five formal online responses were received, however 2 of these were not valid as the respondents referred to another building development in Saltcoats and not the Mayfields site, the development which has highlighted the issue under consideration. Two respondents agreed with the proposal and 21 were against. Agenda Item 5 37
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1.4 A further 56 responses were received from P4-7 pupils across the four directly affected primary schools. These were equally split, with half of the children supporting the proposal and others that have some reservations. 1.5 Various themes emerged across all responses received. The Council has set these out, along with its response to each theme, in its report at Appendix 1 of this document. Education Scotland is of the view that the proposal to change the catchment areas as stated by the Council is sufficient in terms of educational benefits. Although around half of stakeholders who met with HM Inspectors are opposed to the proposals, HM Inspectors are satisfied that the Council has systems in place to carefully manage school admissions. 1.6 All responses received were carefully considered and the proposal was reviewed taking these into account. The report at Appendix 1 aims to respond and reassure the public that the proposal has been robustly developed. After reviewing and considering all responses, feedback from the public meeting and Education Scotland’s report, North Ayrshire Council’s proposal to amend the primary school catchment boundaries remains unchanged. Cabinet is therefore asked to approve the report recommendation from August 2023. 2. Background 2.1 On 29 November 2022, Cabinet agreed to commence a Statutory Public Consultation. The Proposal Document was emailed to statutory consultees on 9 January 2023. The link to the document was made available to all parents/carers via email and copies were also available from: • All Saltcoats and Stevenston Primary Schools • Saltcoats Town Hall and Saltcoats Library • Stevenston Library • Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE, or • By calling 01294 324442 2.3 The formal responses received are set out in the table below. Of the 25 formal online responses received, 2 were deemed to be invalid as the respondents referred to separate Saltcoats Persimmon site. Two respondents agreed with the proposal and 21 were against. Response Yes No Not valid Number 2 21 2 Breakdown 1 1 12 8 1 1 1 Interest Parent/ carer Other Staff Parent/ carers Other Staff Other 38
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2.4 Key themes that emerged can be summarised as follows: • Pupil numbers within classes • Capacity at Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary Schools • Occupancy at St John’s and Glencairn Primary Schools • Transition, particularly from Mayfield PS Early Years Class into P1 • Traffic management 2.5 Children in P4-7 across the 4 directly affected primary schools were asked to complete an online form to share their thoughts and views on the proposal. In consultation with the Head Teacher, the following questions were asked: (i) New houses are being built beside Tesco and the Council would like these children to go to St Anthony’s Primary School or Mayfield Primary School. Do you agree with this? (ii) Why have you answered yes or no to the question? 2.5.1 A total of 56 responses were received from pupils and the table below provides a breakdown of the answers to question (i): School Yes No Glencairn Primary 6 10 Mayfield Primary 10 2 St Anthony's Primary 11 5 St John's Primary 1 11 Total 28 28 2.6 Key themes from the primary school pupils can be summarised as follows: • Making new friends • Going to the closest school • Are the schools big enough for the extra children? • Being able to choose their school • Low pupil numbers at St John’s Primary School 2.7 The Council welcomes all feedback and is grateful to all who participated in the Statutory Public Consultation. The detail of all issues raised and the Council’s response to these is contained within the published report at Appendix 1. 2.8 The consultation closed on 2 March 2023 and all documents were sent to Education Scotland. The Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 requires that Education Scotland provides an independent and impartial consideration of this proposal. In preparing their report, HM Inspectors undertook the following activities: • Attendance at the public meeting held on 18 January 2023 in connection with the Council’s proposals; 39
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• Consideration of all relevant documentation provided by the council in relation to the proposal, specifically the educational benefits statement and related consultation documents, written and oral submissions from parents and others; • Visits to the sites of Mayfield, Glencairn, St John’s and St Anthony’s primary schools, including discussion with relevant consultees; and • Engagement with the Diocesan Representative for North Ayrshire. 2.9 Education Scotland is of the view that the proposal to change the catchment areas as stated by the Council is sufficient in terms of educational benefits. Although around half of stakeholders who met with HM Inspectors are opposed to the proposals, HM Inspectors are satisfied that the council have systems in place to carefully manage school admissions to the schools impacted. 2.10 After reviewing and considering all responses, feedback from the public meeting and Education Scotland’s report, North Ayrshire Council’s proposal to amend the primary school catchment boundaries remains unchanged. The Council’s Consultation report, attached as Appendix 1 of this report, aims to reassure the public that the proposal has been robustly developed. 2.11 Maintaining the current catchment boundaries would mean that children with a Saltcoats address would live in the catchment area for a primary school in Stevenston. The key aim of this proposal is to provide children with a place at the primary school nearest to their home, along with their neighbours and to be able to walk a short distance to school. The proposal will, through the creation of new catchment boundaries, offer a more equitable split of pupil numbers in the Saltcoats area. Access to reliable local data allows the Council to strategically forward plan to accommodate appropriate education provision for future years and parents/carers will still be able to exercise choice of school via the existing placing request process. On balance, this proposal best meets the educational and wellbeing needs of all children who will live in the area. 3. Proposals 3.1 That Cabinet agrees to: • Note the content of the Consultation Report at Appendix 1. • Amend the primary school catchment boundary as proposed from August 2023. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 There are no financial implications directly arising from this report. Human Resources 4.2 There are no human resource implications arising from this report. Legal 4.3 The process being followed is in accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. 40
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Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 They key aim of this proposal is to provide children with a place at the primary school nearest their home, along with their neighbourhood peers. This includes continuity in support of their education and social development and plays a significant role in the early social cohesion of the new community which this significant housing development will deliver. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 The proposal should support walking to school. The proposed boundary change creates a local catchment area, with a walk of less than 0.5 miles from the new development to Mayfield Primary School. St Anthony’s Primary School is 0.7 miles from the new housing development, whilst St John’s Primary School is 1.8 miles away, along a busy main road with Glencairn PS located 1.3 miles away from the new development. Key Priorities 4.6 Inspiring Place Vibrant, welcoming, and attractive places An efficient Council that maximises resources and provides value for money Community Wealth Building 4.7 None arising from this report. 5. Consultation 5.1 Early engagement took place in the form of meetings with Head Teachers in June 2022, with follow up discussions and a meeting with Parent Council Chairpersons in August 2022. Full Consultation then took place with the Head Teachers and Parent Councils of the 4 directly affected primary schools. Local Elected Members have also been consulted. Audrey Sutton Executive Director (Communities & Education) For further information please contact Lynn Taylor, Senior Manager, on (01294) 324437. Background Papers Appendix 1: Catchment Boundary Amendment = Consultation Report 41
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CONSULTATION REPORT Proposal to amend the primary school catchment boundary, directly affecting the following schools: Mayfield Primary School Glencairn Primary School St Anthony’s Primary School St John’s Primary School REPORT BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMUNITIES AND EDUCATION DIRECTORATE This document has been issued by North Ayrshire Council for consultation in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 This document can also be made available in other formats and community languages. Please apply in writing to North Ayrshire Council, Communities and Education Directorate, Cunninghame House, Friars Croft, Irvine, KA12 8EE; by telephone on 01294 324442; or by email at educ_consultation@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. 42
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Page 2 of 10 North Ayrshire Council Communities and Education Directorate Primary School Catchment Boundary Amendment Table of Contents 1 The Purpose of the Consultation Report ................................................................. 3 2 Background ............................................................................................................ 3-4 3 The Proposal .............................................................................................................. 4 4 The Formal Statutory Public Consultation Process ............................................ 4-7 5 Consultation with Pupils ........................................................................................ 7-8 6 Education Scotland’s Report and the Council’s Response ............................. 8-10 7 Next Steps ................................................................................................................10 8 Conclusion ................................................................................................................10 List of Appendices Appendix 1 - Proposal Document Appendix 2 - Note of Public Meeting Appendix 3 - Education Scotland Report 43
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Page 3 of 10 NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL COMMUNITIES AND EDUCATION DIRECTORATE CONSULTATION REPORT 1. THE PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTATION REPORT In line with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, North Ayrshire Council is required to: set out the total number of written representations made to the Council by any person during the period of the public consultation exercise; set out a summary of those written representations; set out a summary of the oral representations made to the Council at the public meeting held at Saltcoats Town Hall on 18 January 2023 set out a statement of the Council’s response to: those written and oral representations; and Education Scotland’s report. provide a copy of Education Scotland’s report; set out a statement explaining how the Council reviewed the above proposal having had regard (in particular) to: the relevant written representations received by the Council during the public consultation period: oral representations made to it at the public meeting detailed above; and Education Scotland’s report. provide details of any alleged omission from, or inaccuracy in, the Proposal Document and a statement of any action taken where necessary. 2. BACKGROUND 2.1 A planning application was approved in November 2019 for up to 370 new homes at the Mayfields site, behind the current Tesco supermarket, High Road, Saltcoats. The site layout provided shows that new homes will be built over the existing primary school catchment boundary lines. This required the catchment arrangements to be reviewed. 2.2 Various options were considered, as set out in the Proposal Document attached at Appendix 1. After early engagement with the local school communities, the recommended option was to rezone all the new homes to Mayfield Primary School, for non-denominational education, and St Anthony’s Primary School for denominational education. 44
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Page 4 of 10 2.3 This option makes geographical sense and, importantly, will provide children with a place at the primary school nearest their home, along with their neighbourhood peers. Current pupil roll projections indicate that the schools can accommodate the anticipated change to pupil numbers. As a result of the proposed change, the catchment area for Mayfield Primary School would be of a comparable size to those at Ardeer and Blacklands primary schools, both of which operate with a similar number of classes to Mayfield Primary School. 3. THE PROPOSAL 3.1 At its meeting on 29 November 2022, North Ayrshire Council Cabinet agreed to the commencement of a Statutory Public Consultation (SPC) on the proposal: (i) To amend the Mayfield Primary School catchment boundary line to include the whole of the Mayfields housing development (ii) To amend the St Anthony’s Primary School catchment boundary line to include the whole of the Mayfields housing development 3.2 Should the proposal be approved, the P1 intake at Mayfield Primary School will be monitored closely and capped when required, in order to ensure that there are sufficient places for catchment children in future years. 4. THE FORMAL STATUTORY PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS 4.1 A Proposal Document (Appendix 1) was developed and published on the Council’s Community Planning Partnership website. A printed copy was made available at: NAC HQ, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE All Saltcoats and Stevenston Primary Schools Saltcoats Town Hall and Saltcoats Library Stevenston Library 4.2 The consultation was open from Monday 9 January to Thursday 2 March 2023. The Proposal Document was sent by email to all statutory consultees listed in the Proposal Document. The link to the document was also made available to all parents/carers at affected schools via email. 4.3 A public meeting was held at Saltcoats Town Hall, Countess Street, Saltcoats on 18 January 2023. The official note of this meeting can be found at Appendix 2. The meeting was advertised via public notice in the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald on the following dates: Wednesday 4 January 2023 Wednesday 11 January 2023 Wednesday 18 January 2023 The meeting was also advertised on the community radio station, 3TFM. 4.4 Views on the proposal were encouraged, using the following methods: Completing an online response form via MS Forms; 45
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Page 5 of 10 Submitting a paper copy of the response form; Writing to the Head of Service (Education), Communities Directorate, North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine, KA12 8EE; or Emailing educ_consultation@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. 4.5 After considering the information provided within the proposal document and appendices, stakeholders were asked to respond to the following questions: “Do you agree with the proposal to amend the catchment boundary in order to rezone the Mayfields Persimmon housing development to Mayfield Primary School and St Anthony’s Primary School?” “Please give your reasons below.” 4.6 A total of 25 formal responses were received, all online, via MS Forms. Two of these responses are not valid – the respondents referred to another Saltcoats Persimmon site, not Mayfields. This information was sent to both respondents. Of the valid responses, two were in favour of the proposal and 21 were against. The table below sets out the responses, and details the respondents’ connection with the proposal: Response Yes No Not valid Number 2 21 2 Breakdown 1 1 12 8 1 1 1 Interest Parent/ carer Other Staff Parent/ carers Other Staff Other 4.7 There were 7 attendees at the public meeting: A parent 2 NAC Local Members 3 NAC school management staff members Education Scotland representative 4.8 The themes that emerged from the representations at the public meeting and from the formal responses can be categorised as follows: (i) Pupil numbers within classes (ii) Capacity at Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary Schools (iii) Occupancy at St John’s and Glencairn Primary Schools (iv) Transition, particularly from Mayfield PS Early Years’ Class into P1 (v) Traffic management 4.9 The Council welcomes all feedback and is grateful to those who participated in the Statutory Public Consultation. Responses to the issues raised are set out below: 4.9.1 Pupil numbers within classes Class sizes are legally limited to 33 for P4-7, 30 for P2-3 and 25 for P1 and composite classes. Our teachers are well-equipped to deliver education to classes of these sizes and children are grouped as efficiently as possible for each new school session. Roll projections show that the space available within Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary Schools can sufficiently accommodate classes of these sizes. 46
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Page 6 of 10 Children who live within the new proposed catchment areas will be allocated school places first, resulting in fewer places expected to be available for allocation to placing requests from children outwith the catchment area, in the future. Implementing the proposal would result in a higher proportion of catchment children attending schools in the area. 4.9.2 Capacity at Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary Schools As outlined above at 4.9.1, each year, there are a high number of placing requests into Mayfield Primary School. Further concerns were raised regarding the overall capacity of the school buildings. Based on the Mayfields housing development taking place over a ten-year period, the roll projection shows that Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary Schools will have capacity to accommodate the expected increase in pupil numbers. This situation will be closely monitored going forward, in order to manage numbers effectively. Staffing levels and year group arrangements will continue to be planned efficiently across all of the schools. Although not directly affected by the proposal, Dykesmains Primary School could see more of their catchment children enrolling in the future as currently children from this area make up a significant number of the placing requests into Mayfield Primary School. 4.9.3 Occupancy at St John’s Primary School Some respondents were concerned about low occupancy at St John’s Primary School, where the roll has fallen in recent years and these concerns are duly noted. However, projections show that continuing with the current catchment arrangements is likely to result in only 1 additional pupil per year at St John’s Primary School and that maintaining the current catchment boundary would have a minimal effect on the denominational schools. The reducing roll at St John’s Primary School should be considered in the wider context of a general decline in birth rates and primary school pupil numbers across North Ayrshire, which is unrelated to this proposal. On balance, the Council feels that this proposal best meets the educational and wellbeing needs of all children who will live in the area. Parents/carers will still be able to exercise choice of school via the existing placing request process. 4.9.4 Transition, particularly from Mayfield PS Early Years’ Class into P1 One respondent raised a concern regarding the future availability of P1 places for non- catchment children who may attend Mayfield PS Early Years’ Class. As there are no catchment areas for early years, parents will require to consider the likely availability of places at Mayfield Primary School when selecting the appropriate early years provision for their child. 4.9.5 Traffic management Traffic around schools can be problematic and requires careful management. The proposed boundary change creates a local catchment area, with a walk of less than 0.5 miles from the new development to Mayfield Primary School, where the majority of the children from the new development will attend. St Anthony’s Primary School, which will accommodate the denominational pupils under this proposal, is 0.7 miles from the new housing development. 47
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Page 7 of 10 Given the relatively short distances between the development and the proposed catchment schools, traffic may in fact be reduced as a result as more children may to walk to school. St John’s Primary School is 1.8 miles away with Glencairn PS located 1.3 miles away from the new development. 5. CONSULTATION WITH PUPILS 5.1 The Council recognises the importance of seeking the views of learners and their school communities. A guiding principle of ‘Scotland’s Learning Estate Strategy’ states that, ‘good consultation about learning environments, direct engagement with learners and communities about their needs and experiences, and an involvement in decision making processes should lead to better outcomes for all’. 5.2 Further to consultation with Head Teachers, it was decided to seek the views of children in P4-7 at the 4 directly affected primary schools. 5.3 The children were asked to complete a form, using their online school accounts, to share their thoughts and views on the proposal. The following questions were asked, which were developed by the collective group of Head Teachers: New houses are being built beside Tesco and the Council would like these children to go to St Anthony’s Primary School or Mayfield Primary School. Do you agree with this? Why have you answered yes or no to the question? 5.4 A total of 56 responses were received from pupils across the 4 primary schools and the table below provides a breakdown of these: School Yes No Glencairn Primary 6 10 Mayfield Primary 10 2 St Anthony's Primary 11 5 St John's Primary 1 11 Total 28 28 5.5 The following sections outline the thoughts of the pupils from each primary school: 5.5.1 Glencairn Primary School The majority of children asked at Glencairn Primary School were not in favour of the proposal. They thought that people should be able to choose their own school and would like a wider group of friends to join their school. Of those who agreed with the proposal, 6 out of 16, felt that children should attend the school closest to their home, as this was safer. 48
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Page 8 of 10 5.5.2 Mayfield Primary School The majority of Mayfield Primary School participating in the online survey were in favour of the proposal, mainly because of the potential to make new friends. Of the 2 children who did not agree, one was worried about not knowing the new children and the second child believed there is not enough space at Mayfield Primary School. 5.5.3 St Anthony’s Primary School The majority of children from St Anthony’s Primary School taking part in the online survey agreed with the proposal (11 of 16). The children thought that attending the closest school to home is important and looked forward to making new friends. Five children did not agree and felt that there was not enough space at St Anthony’s Primary School for more children and that other schools had a low number of pupils. 5.5.4 St John’s Primary School Only one child at St John’s Primary School agreed with the proposal, with 11 against. All 12 children wanted to see the roll at St John’s Primary School increase. 5.6 The main themes emerging from the children’s responses were as follows: Making new friends Going to the closest school Are the schools big enough for the extra children? Being able to choose their school Low pupil numbers at St John’s Primary School 5.7 The Council welcomes all feedback, especially from our children and young people and have responded below: 5.7.1 The key aim of this proposal is to provide children with a place at the primary school nearest their home, along with their neighbours. The children would be able to walk a short distance to school. The Council has looked at the likely numbers in detail and believes that Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary Schools are large enough to include the children from the new homes. Parents/carers will be able to choose their catchment school or make a placing request to the school of their choice, as can be done at present. The Council notes the concerns from children, parents and staff at St John’s Primary School about the pupil numbers. Leaving the catchment area as it is would only result in around 1 extra child per year for St John’s Primary School and would mean that children with a Saltcoats address would be catchment for a Stevenston primary school 1.8 miles away from where they live. For this reason, the Council believes that the proposal to rezone all of the children to St Anthony’s and Mayfield Primary Schools is the right one for all children in the local area. 6. EDUCATION SCOTLAND’S REPORT AND THE COUNCIL’S RESPONSE 6.1 Education Scotland has a key role in considering the educational aspects of the proposal. Their officer conducted meetings on 8 and 9 March to consult with parents/ carers, staff, young people and the Catholic Church representative on the educational aspects of the proposal. 49
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Page 9 of 10 6.2 Copies of the Proposal Document, the full note of the public meeting held and all formal responses to the proposal received were submitted to Education Scotland on 8 March 2023. A representative from Education Scotland attended the public meeting held on 18 January. 6.3 In accordance with the requirements of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, a report was provided by Education Scotland in relation to the proposal. This report can be found at Appendix 3. 6.4 Education Scotland Report Summary HM Inspectors are of the view that the proposal to change the catchment areas as stated by the council is sufficient in terms of educational benefits. Although around half of stakeholders who met with HM Inspectors are opposed to the proposals, HM Inspectors are satisfied that the council have systems in place to carefully manage school admissions to the schools impacted. The council do not foresee a situation where school capacity is exceeded. Should the proposal be agreed the council will need to work with stakeholders to manage any increase in traffic in affected school areas. 6.5 North Ayrshire Council welcomes the report by Education Scotland which highlights and supports the identified educational benefits of the proposal. Education Scotland’s comments are detailed in their report, attached at Appendix 3. The Council has considered these comments, both during and after the public consultation process and can offer the following responses. 6.6 Education Scotland’s comment: “The council does concede that there could be a possible negative impact on children attending some of the schools in future, albeit not for a number of years.” 6.6.1 The Council’s response: As outlined in Education Scotland’s report and at 4.9.2 above, this situation will be closely monitored going forward, in order to manage numbers effectively. The Council do not foresee a situation whereby siblings, applying to schools by placing request, would not be able to secure a place at Mayfield or St Anthony’s Primary School. 6.7 Education Scotland’s comments: “Parents at St John’s Primary School are strongly against the proposals. Whilst recognising the benefits to small class numbers currently at the school, they expressed concern about the longer-term impact should numbers fall further.” “staff at St John’s Primary School expressed strong reservations. They believe a falling school roll will be detrimental for their school community.” “children at St John’s Primary School are worried that the proposal might lead to reductions in staffing and resources should numbers attending the school fall significantly” 6.7.1 The Council’s response: As outlined in Education Scotland’s report and at 4.9.3 above, the Council re-iterate that this issue should be viewed within the wider context of a general decline in birth rates and primary school pupil numbers. Whilst the proposed boundary amendment 50
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Page 10 of 10 may be seen as a loss of potential new pupils for Glencairn and St John’s Primary Schools, the Council’s predictions estimate that there should be little impact on either school. Parents and carers will still be able to exercise their choice of school via the existing placing request process. 6.8 Education Scotland’s comments: “Parents from St Anthony’s and Mayfield Primary Schools also have reservations about the council’s proposals in terms of increasing class sizes.” “the lay member representing the Catholic Church in North Ayrshire who is in favour of the proposal”… “expressed some reservation regarding overcrowding of local schools in future, given that there are other housing developments in the area.” 6.8.1 The Council’s response: This issue was raised in the formal responses and at the public meeting. The Council operates class structures to the national legal limits, as detailed at 4.9.1, above. Our teachers are well-equipped to deliver education to classes of these sizes and children are grouped as efficiently as possible for each new school session. Roll projections show that the space available within Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary Schools can sufficiently accommodate classes of these sizes. 6.9 Education Scotland’s comment: St Anthony’s and Mayfield Primary Schools “experience issues with parents and carers parking directly outside the school gates, particularly at the end of the school day. Parents in both schools worry that traffic would only increase should the proposal go ahead.” 6.9.1 The Council’s response: Traffic around schools can be problematic and requires careful management. the location of the new development should encourage children to walk to school. Mayfield Primary School is less than 0.5 miles and St Anthony’s Primary School is 0.7 miles away. 7. NEXT STEPS IN TERMS OF SECTION 15(4) OF THE SCHOOLS (CONSULTATION)(SCOTLAND) ACT 2010 7.1 In terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. North Ayrshire Council will take the final decision on whether to approve the proposal or not at its Cabinet meeting to be held on 30 May 2023. 8. CONCLUSION 8.1 After reviewing and considering all responses, feedback from the public meeting and Education Scotland’s report, North Ayrshire Council’s proposal to amend the primary school catchment boundaries remains unchanged. 8.2 If approved, it is proposed that this change would be effective from the next school session, 2024/25. 51
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1 COMMUNITIES AND EDUCATION DIRECTORATE Proposal to amend the primary school catchment boundary, directly affecting the following schools: Mayfield Primary School Glencairn Primary School St Anthony’s Primary School St John’s Primary School REPORT BY HEAD OF SERVICE (EDUCATION) This document has been issued by North Ayrshire Council for consultation in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 This document can also be made available in other formats and community languages. Appendix 3 52
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2 North Ayrshire Council Communities and Education Directorate Catchment Boundary Amendment Saltcoats and Stevenston Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary 2. Strategic Context 3. Background and Rationale 4. Proposal 5. Educational Benefits Statement 6. Statutory Public Consultation Process Appendices 1. Current Catchment Boundary Map 2. Proposal Timeline 3. Options Considered 4. Roll Projection 5. Mayfield Primary School P1 Intake Data 2018-2022 6. Proposed Catchment Boundary Map 7. Response Form 53
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3 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The Council approved a planning application to build up to 370 new homes at Mayfields, Saltcoats. This will result in the construction of new homes across the following primary school catchment boundaries: Mayfield Primary School Glencairn Primary School St Anthony’s Primary School St John’s Primary School If the existing boundary lines are left unchanged, it would lead to a situation whereby homes in the new development would fall within the catchment areas of Mayfield and St Anthony’s primary schools, or Glencairn and St John’s primary schools, which are further away. Some of the new homes would be built across the catchment boundary line. 1.2 Work has been undertaken to assess the impact of the new development on existing school catchments and to examine any feasible options for change. The map at Appendix 1 shows this in more detail. Four options were considered as part of early engagement with the local school communities: Do nothing Amend catchment boundary around the new homes Rezone 5 existing streets to Dykesmains Primary School Rezone all new homes to Mayfield Primary School - preferred 1.3 On Tuesday 29 November 2022, Cabinet (Education) approved a statutory public consultation on the preferred option to rezone all of the new housing development to Mayfield Primary School (non-denominational) and St Anthony’s Primary School (denominational). 1.4 The consultation will commence on 9 January 2023 and close on 2 March 2023. A public meeting to discuss the proposal will be held at 6.30pm on Wednesday 18 January at Saltcoats Town Hall, 17-21 Countess Street, Saltcoats KA21 5HP. 1.5 Following the conclusion of this consultation, a report will be prepared for consideration and approval by Cabinet in Spring 2023 (see timeline at Appendix 2). 2. Strategic Context 2.1 Council Vision North Ayrshire Council’s Plan, ‘North Ayrshire: A Council that is Fair for All,’ sets out our key aims and ambitions over the five-year period 2019-2024. Our mission is “working together to improve well-being, prosperity and equity in North Ayrshire”. 54
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4 Our Council: recognises there is strength in doing things together; engages with, listens to and supports communities to be active partners in what we do; believes in fairness, tackles inequality and bases its decisions on these values; is ambitious, determined and committed to improving North Ayrshire; acts early taking a preventative approach; focuses resources towards our priority outcomes; innovates and drives positive change, embracing technology, to provide valued and cost-effective services for our communities; and makes sure its voice is heard – locally, regionally, and nationally – to influence decision making and to attract investment. Our priorities are centred on our people and places: Aspiring Communities active and strong communities children and young people experience the best start in life inclusive, growing and enterprising local economy people enjoy good life-long health and well-being people and communities are safe Inspiring Places effective infrastructure and digital connectivity affordable, modern, and well-designed homes that meet residents’ needs vibrant, welcoming, and attractive places a sustainable environment 2.2 Education Vision North Ayrshire Council’s Communities and Education Directorate shares the Scottish Government’s ambition of excellence and equity for all, underpinning the approach to delivering Scottish education. As stated in ‘Scotland’s Learning Estate Strategy: Connecting People, Places and Learning’: “Improving the education and life chances of children and young people are key priorities for both local and Scottish Government. Providing our children and young people with the best possible start in life and ensuring that all learners reach their full potential is critical.” Scottish Government’s 10 learning estate principles are key drivers in how we manage North Ayrshire Council’s Learning Estate. By delivering on these principles, we can be confident in providing a sufficient, safe estate that is flexible, functional and future-proof. We continue to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and the change it has affected in how we use our learning estate. A key priority of the North Ayrshire Council Plan is ensuring children and young people have the best start in life and that we have active and strong communities. This drives our place-based approach, set out in the Education Service Improvement Plan 2022-23, and informs how we provide safe, welcoming, nurturing and inspiring 55
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5 environments. We believe our learning environments promote achievement, wellbeing and enhance life chances. We want North Ayrshire’s children and young people to understand, feel part of and contribute to their community as this supports them to be the best they can be. We help this to happen through a locality-based approach to service delivery. This means providing the right services in the right areas to address the needs of the communities we serve. The learning estate is the Council’s most extensive asset and is a key pillar in supporting communities. Through Aspiring Communities, we seek to create a society where everyone has the same life chances to grow, prosper and have fulfilling and healthy lives. Excellence and equity form the two key main aims in terms of educational outcomes. The vision is to continue to develop a motivational learning environment that supports the delivery of positive educational outcomes for the children of North Ayrshire. 2.3 Equality Promoting equality is one of North Ayrshire Council's core values. The principles of equality and fairness are central to all council activities. Equality means everyone is treated fairly and has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Under equality legislation, the general equality duty requires public authorities, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to: eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct that is prohibited by the Equality Act 2010 advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not The main method the council uses to ensure it is meeting its requirements under the legislation is through the Equality Impact Assessment process, which is used to assess policies, procedures and proposals. Following the completion of an Equality and Children’s Rights Impact Assessment (ECRIA), no adverse effects have been identified as a result of the proposal. This assessment is a live document, which will evolve with the consultation and throughout the project, if approved. 3 Background and Rationale 3.1 In Autumn 2019, North Ayrshire Council’s Planning Committee approved an application from Persimmon Homes to build 275 units at Mayfield Farm (now known as ‘Mayfields’), over 3 phases. An additional 95 units are planned to follow in Phase 4, completing the site by 2033/34 (subject to a further planning application being submitted in the longer term). 56
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6 3.2 Work has now commenced on site with the first 18 units planned to be completed and sold by March 2023. 3.3 Education and Planning Services noted in 2019 that the catchment boundary lines for the following primary schools ran through the proposed site: Mayfield Primary School Glencairn Primary School St Anthony’s Primary School St John’s Primary School If left unchanged, this would lead to a situation whereby homes in the new development would fall within the catchment areas of Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary Schools, or Glencairn and St John’s Primary Schools, which are further away. Some of the new homes would, in fact, be built across the catchment boundary line, leading to confusion for parents as to their catchment primary schools. 3.4 Further work was undertaken to assess the impact of the new development on existing school catchments and to examine any feasible options for change. 3.5 A map showing the current catchment boundary lines is attached at Appendix 1. All of the new homes will have Saltcoats addresses and postcodes and the site entrance sits well within the Saltcoats town boundary. 3.6 In order to review the impact of the site layout upon the current catchment primary school boundary lines, the following options were considered: Do nothing Amend catchment boundary around the new homes Rezone 5 existing streets to Dykesmains Primary School Rezone all new homes to Mayfield Primary School - preferred The table at Appendix 3 outlines the advantages and disadvantages of each option. These have been presented and discussed with stakeholders as part of the early engagement stage. 3.7 The recommended option is to rezone all of the new homes to Mayfield Primary School, for non-denominational education, and St Anthony’s Primary School for denominational education. This option makes geographical sense and current pupil roll projections (see Appendix 4) indicate that the schools can accommodate the anticipated increase to pupil numbers as a result of the change. The total number of catchment homes for Mayfield Primary School, which would absorb the majority of the additional pupil numbers, would rise in line with comparable sized non-denominational primary school catchment sizes, such as Ardeer and Blacklands primary schools. 3.8 This recommended option requires a Statutory Public Consultation under the Schools Consultation Act 2010 and would affect the following primary schools, as the catchment boundary for each school would change: 57
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7 Mayfield Primary School, Saltcoats Glencairn Primary School, Stevenston St Anthony’s Primary School, Saltcoats St John’s Primary School, Stevenston 3.9 The current roll at Mayfield Primary School is 186 pupils over 8 classes. Less than 2/3 of these children live within the current Mayfield Primary School catchment, with the remaining children living outwith the catchment area, attending the school as a result of a successful placing request application. The breakdown of the pupil roll showing numbers of children registered for primary 1 (P1) who reside within the catchment area and those outwith (placing requests) over the last 5 years is shown in the table at Appendix 5. 3.10 At its peak, the Mayfields housing development could contribute up to 12 children per year group to Mayfield Primary School, if all houses are zoned to its catchment. The average current catchment cohort per year group is 17 from the existing 761 homes. 3.11 Due to these maximum expected numbers and the number of placing requests into the school, it is recommended that the P1 intake for Mayfield Primary School is capped at 33 from August 2023. This means that approximately 4 places would be left for placing requests, on average, each session. This would limit the school roll to 8 classes, giving catchment children a P1 place, before consideration of placing requests (as per the current school admissions policy). 3.12 Whilst Mayfield Primary School was originally designed as a single stream (7-class) school at its opening in 2004, the school has operated comfortably with an 8-class structure in recent years. School roll projections indicate that Mayfield PS could cope with the predicted level of additional pupils which the new development may generate, and for this reason, it is recommended that Mayfield PS should be the non- denominational catchment school for the Mayfields development. 3.13 The second part of the proposal is to assign the new homes to St Anthony’s Primary School catchment, which would mean a maximum of 30 new pupils. The pupil roll projection shows that the capacity of St Anthony’s Primary School can comfortably accommodate these potential new children. 3.14 As noted at 3.7 above, the other schools directly affected by this proposal are Glencairn and St John’s primary schools in Stevenston, with the potential reduction of new pupils through the proposed rezone. However, any parent/carer who wishes their children to attend either of these schools can submit a placing request, as is presently the case. 3.15 Local early learning and Childcare (ELC) provision will be unaffected by this proposal. Local provisions are as follows: 58
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8 Glencairn PS Early Years’ Class open from 8am–6pm 48 weeks per year Mayfield PS Early Years’ Class open from 8.45am-4.30pm 38 weeks per year St John’s PS Early Years’ Class open from 8.45am-4.30pm 38 weeks per year Springvale Early Years Centre open from 8am-6pm 48 weeks per year Local private providers are: Treetops Too Nursery, Saltcoats Bradshaw Early Years Centre, Saltcoats Busy Bees Nursery, Ardrossan 3.16 Whilst statistically unlikely, there is a contingency plan in the event that pupil numbers exceed the maximum expected. If Mayfield Primary School grows beyond 8 classes or St Anthony’s Primary School grows beyond 12 classes, the following short/medium term options would be considered to create new classrooms: Reconfiguration of the existing internal school spaces The procurement of modular accommodation If the higher school roll was sustained over a number of years, then a longer-term solution would be considered. An increase to the number of classrooms in a school would mean an increase in the number of staff required to operate the school. 3.17 The issue, options and recommended approach were presented to Head Teachers and Local Elected Members earlier this year. No further options were identified as a result of these meetings. An online meeting then took place ahead of the Cabinet meeting held on 29 November 2022 to which the Head Teachers and representatives of the 4 primary school parent councils were invited. Staff and parents/carers were also notified about the forthcoming proposal. 4 Proposal 4.1 In line with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, and as a result of engagement with relevant interested parties, North Ayrshire Council, proposes, from August 2023: (i) To amend the Mayfield Primary School catchment boundary line to include the whole of the Mayfields housing development (see Appendices 1 and 6) (ii) To amend the St Anthony’s Primary School catchment boundary line to include the whole of the Mayfields housing development (see Appendices 1 and 6) 4.2 Should the proposal be approved, the P1 intake at Mayfield Primary School will be capped at 33 from August 2023, in order to ensure that there are sufficient places for catchment children in future years. 59
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9 5 Educational Benefits Statement 5.1 Currently, the new housing site crosses the catchment for both Mayfield and Glencairn Primary schools, as well as St Anthony's Primary and St John's Primary. The proposed change to the catchment boundary will provide children with a place at a school nearest to their home. 5.2 All schools in the area will continue to maintain a viable and sustainable school roll with flexibility to support a variety of learning and teaching approaches, aligned to Curriculum for Excellence. Teacher and staffing levels and year group arrangements will continue to be effective, and children will be able to learn within a variety of peer group opportunities, in a local context. 5.3 How will the proposal impact on future children? Based on the development taking place over a ten-year period, the roll projection shows that Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary Schools will have capacity to accommodate the expected increase in pupil numbers. However, this means that it is likely there will be fewer spaces for placing requests into both schools in future years. For Mayfield Primary School in particular, this could mean that, where a child attends the school by placing request, there may not be an available space in later P1 intakes for their sibling(s). This is because P1 places will be allocated to catchment children first. Once the new site is established and new children register at Mayfield Primary School, (and St Anthony’s Primary School) there are likely to be only a few spaces remaining for allocation to placing requests. In order to ensure that families who may be affected receive this information, all early learning and childcare providers will receive a link to this document and will be included as consultees in this process. It should be noted that it is likely to take some years for this effect to be significant for families. The numbers coming from the new development and the resulting impact on the local schools will be closely monitored. 5.4 How does the authority intend to minimise or avoid adverse effects that may arise from the proposal? The proposed boundary amendment will potentially lead to the loss of new pupils for Glencairn PS and St John’s PS from the new development, although parents/carers will still be able to exercise choice via the existing placing request process. The proposed boundary amendment will result in an increase in pupil roll at both Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary Schools. Should the proposal be approved, the P1 intake at Mayfield Primary School will be capped at 33 from August 2023, in order to ensure that there are sufficient places for catchment children in future years. This means that there could be fewer places for placing requests into Mayfield Primary School in future years. 60
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10 5.5 Specific Benefits for the Children and Families Children will experience education in their local setting affording the opportunities to attend school with their peers from their neighbourhood. This builds continuity in support of their education and social development. This approach also builds social cohesion in the community living in the new housing areas. 5.6 What is the community impact? It is hoped that the new housing development will enhance the local community, which currently has a declining birth rate. This will strengthen community and school capacity to promote health, wellbeing and resilience. 5.7 Are there any other effects of the proposal? The main effect of amending the catchment boundary is the increase in catchment children for Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary schools and the resulting reduction of spaces available for placing requests into both of these schools. 6. Statutory Public Consultation Process 6.1 This document has been issued by North Ayrshire Council for consultation in accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. 6.2 What is a Statutory Public Consultation? In Scotland, local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure the adequate and efficient provision of education in their area. If a local authority proposes to change any part of the existing education provision in its area, then it must engage in a formal consultation process under the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. The act aims to ensure that all major changes which affect schools are subject to clear consultation with parents, children, young people and communities. 6.3 When does the Statutory Public Consultation start? The consultation will start on Monday 9 January 2023 and close on Thursday 2 March 2023, which includes a period of 30 school days. 6.4 Who will have access to this proposal document? This proposal document has been made available to all interested parties, including Parent Councils, Education Scotland, parents and carers of children attending all four affected primary schools, Staff, Trade Unions and any other users of the establishment as detailed in the distribution list. This proposal document is published on the Council website at - http://northayrshire.community/category/consultations 61
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11 Copies are also available from the Communities and Education Directorate, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE (tel: 01294 324442), where this document will be available from the main reception on the ground floor. Copies can also be made available in alternative formats or in translated form for readers whose first language is not English. 6.5 What if I notice an error in the document? If any inaccuracy or omission is discovered in this proposal document, either by the Council or any person, the Council will determine if relevant information has been omitted or if there has been an inaccuracy. The Council may then take appropriate action, which may include the issue of a correction notice, the reissuing of the proposal document or the revision of the timescale for the consultation period, if appropriate. In that event, relevant consultees and Education Scotland will be advised. 6.6 How will I get a chance to give my opinion? You will be able to give your opinion on the proposal: By completing an online response form at https://tinyurl.com/mv5m3x65 By submitting a paper copy of the response form, attached at Appendix 7 By emailing educ_consultation@north-ayrshire.gov.uk In writing to the Head of Service, Communities and Education Directorate, North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine, KA12 8EE All responses must be submitted by no later than close of business on 2 March 2023. 6.7 Will there be any meetings for the public? A meeting for the public will be held at Saltcoats Town Hall, 17-21 Countess Street, Saltcoats KA21 5HP on 18 January 2023 at 6.30pm. This meeting will provide an opportunity to hear about the proposal from council officers, ask questions and have their views recorded so that these can be taken into account as part of the consultation process. Advance notice of specific questions or issues to be raised at the meeting will be accepted. This will allow all issues to be covered and give those who may not be comfortable speaking publicly their opportunity to be heard. Everyone wishing to attend will be made very welcome. A note will be taken of comments, questions and officer responses at the session. The notes will be published on the Council website and a copy will be made available on request. 62
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12 The notes will also be forwarded to Education Scotland along with all other submissions and comments that are received by the Council during the consultation process. 6.8 Will any other agencies be involved in the process? The Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 requires that a report on the proposal is prepared by Education Scotland, who may be in attendance at the information session. Once the statutory public consultation period comes to an end, Education Scotland have three weeks to consider the educational aspects of the proposal and submit a report to the council. Education Scotland receives copies of relevant papers from the council, including: a copy of the proposal paper; copies of the written representations or a summary of them (if Education Scotland agree); a note of oral representations made at the public meeting sessions; and any other related documentation. Education Scotland may visit schools and centres as part of their consideration of the proposal and meet with children, staff and parents/carers who may be affected by the proposal. Upon receipt of the proposal document and other relevant documentation, Education Scotland will consider the educational aspects of the proposal. They will ensure that their report takes account of: the educational benefits statement; the representations received by the council; and any further written representations made directly to Education Scotland on any educational aspect of the proposal which is considered relevant. The consultation report that the Council publishes following the statutory public consultation must include the report from Education Scotland in full. 6.9 Will the outcome of the consultation be made public? The Head of Service will prepare a report on the outcome of the consultation process. The report will take account of all Education Scotland recommendations. This report will be published in electronic and printed formats and will be advertised in the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald. It will be available on the Council website and at Cunninghame House. The report will include: a record of the total number of written representations made during the consultation period, a summary of the written and oral representations, 63
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13 the Council’s response to recommendations made by Education Scotland A copy of the Education Scotland report will be an appendix to the consultation report which will be published and available for further consideration for a period of at least 3 weeks ahead of presentation to Elected Members in Spring 2023. 6.10 When will the Council make a decision on the outcome of the consultation? The consultation report, together with any other relevant documentation, will be considered by Cabinet, who will make a decision on the proposal in Spring 2023. 6.11 What happens next? If the proposal is approved by NAC Cabinet, the primary school catchment boundary lines will be amended as proposed, from August 2023, with all homes in the new Mayfields development being zoned to the catchment areas for Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary School. 64
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14 DISTRIBUTION A copy of this document is available on the Community Planning Partnership pages within the North Ayrshire Council website: http://northayrshire.community/category/consultations A copy of this document will be made available to all stakeholders associated with the schools directly affected by the proposal, including: Parents/Carers and Parent Councils, including all local early years’ provisions Head Teachers Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff, including facilities management Local Elected Members Member of Parliament Member of Scottish Parliament Education Scotland Chief Executive, North Ayrshire Council All NAC Directors and Heads of Service Local Community Groups Care Inspectorate Trade Unions Unison EIS, Education Institute of Scotland NASUWT GMB UNITE Community A copy of this Proposal Document is available to view at: All Saltcoats and Stevenston schools Saltcoats Town Hall and Saltcoats Library Stevenston Library A public notice will appear in the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald from 4 January 2023. 65
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Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey map with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Licence No. 100023393. St Peter's PS Catchment St John's PS Catchment St Anthony's PS Catchment Non Denominational Catchments Mayfield Housing Site KEY Glencairn PS Catchment Area Mayfield PS Catchment Area Dykesmains PS Catchment Area Caledonia PS Catchment Area APPENDIX 1 - CURRENT CATCHMENTS & NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT 66
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Appendix 2 Time Required Dates Method / Action June to August 2022 Engagement with Head Teachers and Local Elected Members Tuesday 22 November 2022 Meet Parent Councils with Head Teachers via MS Teams Tuesday 29 November 2022 Seek Cabinet approval to commence Statutory Public Consultation Tuesday 6 December 2022 Inform Education Scotland of the proposal Wednesday 4 January 2022 Public notice appears in Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald 30 school days Monday 9 January to Thursday 2 March 2023 Start of Consultation Period – ▪ Issue Proposal Document ▪ Public meeting at Saltcoats Town Hall on 18 January 2023 at 6.30pm End of Consultation Period 3 weeks Wed 8 March to Wed 29 March 2023 Provide Education Scotland with all responses received and a summary of these Prepare Consultation Outcome Report Prepare Cabinet paper Receive report from Education Scotland 3 weeks Monday 17 April to Monday 8 May 2023 Publish Consultation Outcome Report Week commencing 29 May 2023 Cabinet decision 67
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Appendix 3 – Options Considered Options Considered Pros Cons Recommendation 1 Do Nothing No SPC Some new homes and some streets will be split between Saltcoats and Stevenston schools. X 2 Redraw catchment boundary around new homes New children spread across 4 schools (not two) SPC required Children with Saltcoats addresses will be zoned for Stevenston schools X 3 Rezone five existing streets to Dykesmains Primary School Makes Dykesmains/ Mayfield PS boundary line neater SPC required Local opposition? Issues with siblings Secondary school zoning issue X 4 Rezone all new homes to Mayfield Primary School Makes geographical sense Total number of catchment dwellings acceptable in comparison with other NAC single stream schools SPC required Recommend capping Mayfield PS P1 intake at 33 to limit placing requests into Mayfield Primary School √ 68
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Appendix 4 Projected Numbers of Catchment Pupils Tesco Adjacent Areas New Homes Saltcoats North East Area 46 units – former James Reid School site 370 units – new Mayfields site 761 existing homes Year Projected Housing Unit Completions each year Projected number of primary aged pupils (new homes) Projected number of primary aged pupils (existing homes within Mayfield Primary School catchment area) Denominational Non-denominational Denominational Non-denominational 2023 18 2 4 26 122 2024 36 5 12 30 124 2025 36 8 20 33 126 2026 36 10 29 37 127 2027 36 13 37 40 128 2028 36 15 46 36 126 2029 36 18 54 32 127 2030 36 22 62 37 128 2031 36 24 71 35 129 2032 36 26 80 38 128 2033 28 29 86 40 130 Assumptions: ➢ 0.31 pupils per new home ➢ 75:25 non-denominational: denominational (current trend for Saltcoats) 69
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Appendix 5 Mayfield Primary School P1 Intake Data 2018-2022 Year 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 Number Registered 16 25 20 12 12 Placing Requests Out 3 5 4 1 0 Placing Requests In 14 12 10 10 18 Deferred Entries 1 1 1 3 0 P1 Intake 26 31 25 18 30 70
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Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey map with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Licence No. 100023393. St Peter's PS Catchment St John's PS Catchment St Anthony's PS Catchment Non Denominational Catchments Mayfield Housing Site KEY Glencairn PS Catchment Area Mayfield PS Catchment Area Dykesmains PS Catchment Area Caledonia PS Catchment Area APPENDIX 6 - PROPOSED CATCHMENTS & NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT 71
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Appendix 7 Response Form Proposal to amend primary school catchment boundary between Saltcoats and Stevenston Communities and Education Directorate Glencairn Primary School Parent/Carer Staff Pupil Other Mayfield Primary School Parent/Carer Staff Pupil Other St Anthony’s Primary School Parent/Carer Staff Pupil Other St John’s Primary School Parent/Carer Staff Pupil Other Other (please state) Question Yes No Please provide up to 3 reasons below for your response: 1. 2. 3. Do you agree with the proposal to amend the catchment boundary in order to rezone the Mayfields Persimmon housing development to Mayfield Primary School and St Anthony’s Primary School? 72
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Appendix 7 Please provide your contact details so that we can respond directly to you, if necessary. Name: ………………………………………………... Address: ………………………………………………... ……………………………………………....... Email: ………………………………………………… Telephone: ………………………………………………… Date Completed: ……………………………………………. Responses should be received no later than 5pm on 2 March 2023. Any responses received after this date cannot be considered. Please contact 01294 324442 or email educ_consultation@north-ayrshire.gov.uk if you require further information or assistance in the completion of this form. North Ayrshire Council, in line with our Data Protection responsibilities will only use the personal data provided for the sole purpose of evaluating your responses. The response submitted by you may form part of the response paper that will be submitted to the Council for consideration in the near future and will therefore be made available for public inspection. Further information on how North Ayrshire Council manages your data can be found within our privacy policy at the following website: www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/privacy-policy.aspx Should you wish any of your personal details (e.g. name, address, phone number, etc.), which you have included in your response, to be included in our published responses it is necessary for us to obtain your consent. Please indicate this by ticking the box below. Yes, I consent This document can also be made available in other formats and community languages. 73
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North Ayrshire Council Communities and Education Directorate Proposal to amend the primary school catchment boundary, directly affecting the following schools: Mayfield Primary School Glencairn Primary School St Anthony’s Primary School St John’s Primary School Note of Public Meeting Held at 6.30pm on Wednesday 18 January 2023 at Saltcoats Town Hall NAC Attendees Lynn Taylor, Senior Manager, Education Communities and Robin Knox, Manager (Infrastructure), Education Education Directorate Claire Reid, Project Officer, Education (note taker) The meeting attendees were as follows: A parent NAC Councillor John Sweeney NAC Councillor Cameron Inglis Depute and Head Teacher, Mayfield Primary School Depute Head Teacher, St Anthony’s Primary School Education Scotland Observer Lynn Taylor opened the meeting at 1831 hours and delivered a presentation, highlighting the key information as follows: 1. The Proposal, in line with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010: (i) To amend the Mayfield Primary School catchment boundary line to include the whole of the Mayfields housing development (ii) To amend the St Anthony’s Primary School catchment boundary line to include the whole of the Mayfields housing development 2. The Statutory Consultation Process Sets out the duty of local authorities to engage in formal consultation on changes to education provision The act aims to ensure that all major changes which affect schools are subject to clear consultation with parents, children, young people and communities Senior Managers, with Head Teachers are arranging consultation with P4-7 pupils at the 4 primary schools. 3. Current and Proposed Catchment Maps 4. Background, including expected pupil numbers from the development Appendix 2 74
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5. Options Considered Do Nothing Redraw catchment boundary around new homes Rezone existing streets to Dykesmains Primary School Rezone all new homes to Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary School – geographically the best option and school capacities deemed to be able to accommodate the expected new children 6. Implications for each of the 4 schools There should be no negative impact on the 4 directly affected schools Placing requests will be carefully managed to minimise the impact on those from outwith the 4 directly affected schools 7. Context Currently 761 homes within the Mayfield Primary School catchment, increasing to 1175 by 2033 with this development This is comparable with other 6-8 class primary schools across North Ayrshire (ranging from 964 to 1500 homes within their catchments) Saltcoats births have fallen from 148 in 2018 to 120 in 2022 8. Educational Benefits Provides children with a place at the primary school nearest their home Opportunity to attend local school along with neighbourhood peers Local social cohesion for the people of new community 9. Proposal Timeline 10. How to Share your Views By completing an online response form at https://tinyurl.com/mv5m3x65 By submitting a paper copy of the response form – copies made available at the meeting By emailing educ_consultation@north-ayrshire.gov.uk In writing to the Head of Service, Communities and Education Directorate, North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine, KA12 8EE The consultation closes on Thursday 2 March 2023 at 5pm. Throughout the presentation, the following questions were asked and answers given: Question 1: Why are the current school boundary lines set up this way? Response: Catchment boundary lines are set out on maps and are historical in nature. These maps are used by Education to delineate all school catchment areas. 75
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Question 2: What about the new homes being built on the James Reid school site? Response: These currently fall within the Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary School catchment areas and have been included in our projections. Question 3: What stage of education are the 5 pupils projected from the first phase of the new homes? Response: This is unknown at this stage and is purely a projection based on likely numbers of pupils.We will gather data from Persimmon as the development proceeds and homes are sold. Question 4: What about placing requests and the impact on Dykesmains and Glencairn Primary Schools? There is a need to consider local capacity over the next 10-12 years. Response: Based on the development taking place over a ten-year period, the roll projection shows that Mayfield and St Anthony’s Primary Schools will have capacity to accommodate the expected increase in pupil numbers. Once the new site is established and new children register at both schools, there are likely to be fewer spaces remaining for allocation to placing requests at Mayfield Primary School. This situation will be closely monitored going forward in order to manage numbers effectively. Dykesmains Primary School could see their roll rise as a result – as fewer placing requests are granted, children are likely to attend their catchment school. There should be little to no impact on either Glencairn or St John’s Primary School as a result of this proposal. Question 5: What is the current trend in the birth rate for Stevenston? Response: Stevenston births fell from 119 to 109 from 2018-2022. A further decrease to around 90 is expected this year. Question 6: The projected number of twelve expected children per year group is quite high – does this mean that class sizes will increase in Mayfield PS? Response: Potentially yes, as the number of homes within the catchment area is increasing. It is important to note that not all expected children from the new Persimmon homes will be new to the catchment area. Families may move from a home within the existing catchment area. Class sizes are legally limited to 33 for P4-7, 30 for P2-3 and 25 for P1 and composite classes. Children who are within the catchment area will take up school places first, with fewer places expected to be available for allocation to placing requests in the future. Question 7: Is St Anthony’s Primary School a larger school than St John’s Primary? Response: Yes, St Anthony’s PS has 12 classrooms available and St John’s PS has 7. St John’s PS was previously a 14-class school, 76
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however, some of the building is now used for other purposes as the roll has reduced over time. Question 8: How does the proposal timeline impact on this year’s placing request process? Response: Current processes are not affected – the number of spaces available for placing requests will be carefully assessed each year, taking into account roll projections, which will be closely monitored and updated on a regular basis. The following questions were asked at the end of the presentation: Question 9: The proposal means that there will be more full capacity classes – what will the impact of this be on children’s education? Response: Our teachers are well-equipped to deliver education to class sizes as outlined during the presentation and children are grouped as efficiently as possible for each new school session. The proposal means that there will be more catchment children in the school and fewer children attending by placing request, as a result. Question 10: Will there be more Classroom Assistants to support teachers? Response: The number of hours allocated to each school is calculated by a formula and increases in line with the school roll. Question 11: Is there space within the schools for the additional children? Response: Primary school classroom capacity is calculated on a basis of 1.7m2 per child within each classroom. An allocation is then provided for the number of general purpose spaces. On this basis, the schools are appropriately sized for the projected numbers. More information on this is available at the following link: Determining primary school capacity: guidance for local authorities - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) There were no further questions and the meeting was closed. 77
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Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 Report by Education Scotland addressing educational aspects of the proposal by North Ayrshire Council to amend the primary school catchment boundary for Mayfield, Glencairn, St John’s and St Anthony’s Primary Schools March 2023 Appendix 3 78
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1 | Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 North Ayrshire Council © Crown Copyright 1. Introduction 1.1 This report from Education Scotland has been prepared by His Majesty’s Inspectors of Education (HM Inspectors) in accordance with the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 (“the 2010 Act”). The purpose of the report is to provide an independent and impartial consideration of North Ayrshire Council’s proposal to amend primary school catchment boundaries for Mayfield, Glencairn, St John’s and St Anthony’s Primary Schools. Section 2 of the report sets out brief details of the consultation process. Section 3 of the report sets out HM Inspectors’ consideration of the educational aspects of the proposal, including significant views expressed by consultees. Section 4 summarises HM Inspectors’ overall view of the proposal. Upon receipt of this report, the Act requires the council to consider it and then prepare its final consultation report. The council’s final consultation report should include this report and must contain an explanation of how, in finalising the proposal, it has reviewed the initial proposal, including a summary of points raised during the consultation process and the council’s response to them. The council has to publish its final consultation report three weeks before it takes its final decision 1.2 HM Inspectors considered: • the likely effects of the proposal for children and young people of the schools; any other users; children likely to become pupils within two years of the date of publication of the proposal paper. • any other likely effects of the proposal; • how the council intends to minimise or avoid any adverse effects that may arise from the proposal; and • the educational benefits the council believes will result from implementation of the proposal, and the council’s reasons for coming to these beliefs. 1.3 In preparing this report, HM Inspectors undertook the following activities: • attendance at the public meeting held on 18 January 2023 in connection with the council’s proposals; • consideration of all relevant documentation provided by the council in relation to the proposal, specifically the educational benefits statement and related consultation documents, written and oral submissions from parents and others; • visits to the site of Mayfield, Glencairn, St John’s and St Anthony’s Primary Schools, including discussion with relevant consultees; and • engagement with the Diocesan Representative for North Ayrshire 2. Consultation process 2.1 North Ayrshire Council undertook the consultation on its proposal(s) with reference to the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. 2.2 The consultation ran from 9 January until 2 March 2023. A public meeting took place in Saltcoats Town Hall on Wednesday 18 January 2023. Two elected members, one parent, two head teachers, one depute head teacher and representatives from North Ayrshire Council attended the meeting. Members of the public were encouraged to respond to the consultation through the online survey, by phone or in writing. Twenty-five written responses were submitted to the council. Almost all disagree with the council’s proposals although almost half of these were from staff from St John’s primary who had particular concerns about the impact of the proposal. 79
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2 | Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 North Ayrshire Council © Crown Copyright Early engagement by the council took place in the form of meetings with head teachers in June 2022, with follow up discussions and a meeting with Parent Council chairpersons in August. No enquiries for clarification or further information were received by the council. 3. Educational aspects of proposal 3.1 In relation to the proposed new housing development, the council outlines what it believes are the educational benefits for children and their families. The council believe that the most important benefit is to provide children with a place at the primary school nearest their home, along with their neighbourhood peers. They also state that all schools in the area will be able to maintain a viable and sustainable school roll with flexibility to support a variety of learning and teaching approaches. Numbers will be carefully managed each year at primary one admission and throughout each session. The council does concede that there could be a possible negative impact on children attending some of the schools in future, albeit not for a number of years. However, they do not foresee a situation whereby siblings would not be able to secure a place at Mayfield or St Anthony’s Primary School. 3.2 Around half of stakeholders who spoke to HM Inspectors are not in favour of the proposal. Many parents are concerned about increasing class numbers and the potential negative impact that this may have on their child’s learning although none of the existing schools are at capacity. Parents at St John’s Primary School are strongly against the proposals. Whilst recognising the benefits to small class numbers currently at the school, they expressed concern about the longer-term impact should numbers fall further. Parents from St Anthony’s and Mayfield Primary Schools also have reservations about the council’s proposals in terms of increasing class sizes. Both schools experience issues with parents and carers parking directly outside the school gates, particularly at the end of the school day. Parents in both schools worry that traffic would only increase should the proposal go ahead. The council accepts that traffic issues are a problem and requires careful management. However, the location of the new development should encourage children to walk to school. Mayfield Primary School is less than 0.5 miles and St Anthony’s Primary School is 0.7 miles away. 3.3 Children who spoke with HM Inspectors have mixed views about the proposal. A few welcome being able to make new friends should school rolls increase. Across the four schools, children recognise the potential benefits for health and the environment if more children walk to school. However, children at St John’s Primary School are worried that the proposal might lead to reductions in staffing and resources should numbers attending the school fall significantly. 3.4 Although most school staff who met with HM Inspectors identified benefits from the proposal in terms of children attending their nearest school, staff at St John’s Primary School expressed strong reservations. They believe a falling school roll will be detrimental for their school community. However, the council contends that the issue needs to be set in the wider context of a general decline in birth rates and primary school pupil numbers. Whilst the proposed boundary amendment can be viewed as a loss of potential new pupils for Glencairn and St John’s Primary Schools, the council’s predictions estimate that there should be little impact on either school. Parents and carers will still be able to exercise their choice of school via the existing placing request process. 3.5 HM Inspectors met with the lay member representing the Catholic Church in North Ayrshire who is in favour of the proposal. Their reasons include that Catholic children from the new housing could travel more easily to St Anthony’s Primary School as it was closer than St John’s Primary School. If the boundary remains as it is, it may cause confusion for families given that all the new houses would all have a Saltcoats postcode. They expressed some reservation regarding 80
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3 | Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 North Ayrshire Council © Crown Copyright overcrowding of local schools in future, given that there are other housing developments in the area. 4. Summary HM Inspectors are of the view that the proposal to change the catchment areas as stated by the council is sufficient in terms of educational benefits. Although around half of stakeholders who met with HM Inspectors are opposed to the proposals, HM Inspectors are satisfied that the council have systems in place to carefully manage school admissions to the schools impacted. The council do not foresee a situation where school capacity is exceeded. Should the proposal be agreed the council will need to work with stakeholders to manage any increase in traffic in affected school areas. HM Inspectors March 2023 81
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: Equality Mainstreaming Report 2020-22 and Outcomes 2021-2025 Mid-Term Report Purpose: To present the Equality Mainstreaming Report 2020-22 and Outcomes 2021-2025 Mid-Term Report (encompassing the Education Authority) Mid-Term Report. Recommendation: Cabinet is asked to: a) Approve the content of Equality Mainstreaming Report 2020-22 and Outcomes 2021-2025 Mid-Term Report; and b) Approve publishing of the report on the Council’s website as required under the Equality Act 2010. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 Under the Equality Act, from April 2013, public sector organisations are required to publish equality information once every two years and consult on and develop Equality Outcomes once every four years. Our last main report was published in 2021 and included updated Equality Outcomes covering the period 2021 – 2025. The report attached at Appendix 1 is our mid-term report (2023). It includes information covering the calendar years 2021 and 2022. 1.2 The report highlights key areas of equality work that have been mainstreamed through Council processes and also an update on the actions supporting specific equality outcomes. Our Education Service is also required to produce a report as per the legislation and this has been embedded within the main report. 1.3 The Equality Act also requires the Council to produce statistics on the protected characteristics of our employees. These have been summarised from page 19 in the Equality Mainstreaming report with a link to more detail at the end of the report. Agenda Item 6 83
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2. Background 2.1 The Equality Act 2010 (The Act) sets out a general duty for every public authority, often referred to as the three needs, which requires organisations to: • Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation. • Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not. • Foster good relations between people who share protected characteristics and those who do not. 2.2 The public sector duty covers a number of ‘characteristics’, these are known as protected characteristics and are: Age; Sex; Gender Reassignment; Pregnancy and Maternity; Race; Religion or Belief; Sexual Orientation; Marriage and Civil Partnerships (although this last category only applies to eliminating discrimination). 2.3 Additional ‘Specific Duties’ were added in 2012 (in Scotland) to help authorities meet the three needs outlined in the general duty. These include: • Report on mainstreaming equality duty. • Publish equality outcomes and report progress. • Assess and review policies and practices. • Gather and use employee information. • Publish gender pay gap information. 2.4 Education bodies are listed as separate authorities within the equality legislation, however, to support simplicity and to reflect our collaborative working approaches, the Education Mainstreaming and Outcomes report is contained within the overall report. 2.5 The Licensing Board is also included in the list of organisations required to publish equality reports and we have included a link to their report. Mainstreaming Equality Key highlights 2.6 Listed below are some of the key highlights from our mainstreaming and outcomes report: • Introduction of a British Sign Language video landing page on the Council’s external website • The creation of a Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME), pan-Ayrshire employee forum. • New guidance on Menopause in the Workplace. • Introduction of an online Equality and Children’s Rights Impact Assessment training module. • Gold re-accreditation of the Social Housing Charter, which includes recognition of our inclusive approach to engaging with North Ayrshire residents. • An increase in the number of Gold accreditations from four to 10 schools for the Rights Respecting Schools awards. 84
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• A key partner in the successful implementation of the Pan-Ayrshire Hate Crime Awareness conference delivered in October 2022. • Improvements in our data collection for our employee statistics. • Our overall mean Gender Pay gap has reduced to 0.22% (from 1.19% in 2021). • Successful implementation and delivery of the Equal Supported Employment programme, supporting young people with learning disabilities into work experience in horticultural skills and qualifications. • Almost 90% of Additional Support Needs and young carers have their voice heard, helping to realise Article 12 of the United Nations Charter on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) – ‘Respect for the views of the child’, in our last report in 2021, this figure was 75%. • Connected Communities successful achievement of the Silver LGBT Charter Mark. • Introduction of the See Me CV into the application process for Modern Apprenticeships. • Our Webteam are actively working to ensure our website and all documents contained within it are accessible. This includes significant support to services such as training and the creation of ‘How To’ guides. 2.7 Though not included in the main report as outside of its timescales, our Council continues to promote equality. Since January 2023 key highlights include: • Improvement from a Disability Confident Level 2 organisation to a Disability Confident Leader. • Progression from a Carer Positive Employer – ‘Established’ to Carer Positive ‘Exemplary level’. • We have introduced our Gambling Related Harm Workplace Charter. Equality Outcomes Overview 2.8 In 2020, as part of the review of the Equality Outcomes, public sector partners across Ayrshire came together to develop and consult on Equality Outcomes for 2021-2025. These partners included the three Ayrshire Councils, the three Health and Social Care Partnerships, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Ayrshire College, Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board and the Community Justice Authority. The partners were able to pool resources to support engagement around the development of equality outcomes and actions. 2.9 It was agreed that the four original overarching Equality Outcomes developed in 2016 would be carried forward to the 2021-2025 reporting cycle. In addition, following advice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, specific sub-outcomes were included to sit beneath the overarching outcomes, the four outcomes are: • In Ayrshire, people experience safe and inclusive communities. • In Ayrshire, people have equal opportunity to access and shape our public services. • In Ayrshire, people have opportunities to fulfil their potential throughout life. • In Ayrshire, public bodies will be inclusive and diverse employers. 2.10 The Sub-outcomes and supporting actions can be found in the Equality Outcome section of the main report. 85
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3. Proposals 3.1 Cabinet is asked to: a) Approve the content of Equality Mainstreaming Report 2020-22 and Outcomes 2021-2025 Mid-Term Report; and b) Approve publishing of the report on the Council’s website as required under the Equality Act 2010. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 None Human Resources 4.2 None Legal 4.3 The Council has a legal obligation to publish an Equality Mainstreaming and Outcomes report as part of the Equality Act (2010) and subsequent legislation. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 The report highlights key areas of work across the Council that support and promote equality and diversity in support of the Equality Act 2010 (The Act) and subsequent legislation. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 None Key Priorities 4.6 Our aim is to create a North Ayrshire that is ‘fair for all’. As such, equalities mainstreaming and outcomes directly contribute to all of our priorities within our Council Plan. Community Wealth Building 4.7 None 5. Consultation 5.1 The Corporate Equality Group were consulted on the content of the report. 5.2 Services and partners were in engaged in supporting input into the content of the report. Aileen Craig Head of Service (Democratic) For further information please contact Andrew Hale, Health Improvement and Equalities Officer, on andrewhale@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. Background Papers None 86
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Equality Mainstreaming Report 2021-22 and Outcomes 2021 – 2025 Mid Term Report (2023) 87
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Welcome .................................................................................................................................................................... 1 About North Ayrshire .................................................................................................................................................... 1 Accessibility and Further Information........................................................................................................................... 1 Mainstreaming Equality and Outcomes Key Highlights 2021-22.................................................................................. 2 Key Highlights ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 Context ....................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Key Strategies ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 Employee Statistics Overview .................................................................................................................................... 19 Disability ...................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Ethnicity....................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Age .............................................................................................................................................................................. 20 Sex ............................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Sexual Orientation ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 Religion or Belief (including no belief) ........................................................................................................................ 21 Further Considerations ............................................................................................................................................... 22 Employee Pay Gap Information .................................................................................................................................. 22 Occupational Segregation Information ....................................................................................................................... 23 Equality Outcomes .................................................................................................................................................... 25 Ayrshire Shared Equality Outcomes ............................................................................................................................ 25 Equality Outcome 1 – In Ayrshire people experience safe and inclusive communities ............................................. 26 Equality Outcome 2 – In Ayrshire, people have equal opportunity to access and shape our public services - Ayrshire Shared Actions ............................................................................................................................................................ 27 Equality Outcome 3 - In Ayrshire, people have opportunities to fulfil their potential throughout life ...................... 27 Equality Outcome 4 – In Ayrshire public bodies will be inclusive and diverse employers ......................................... 34 Contents 88
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Page 1 of 37 Fairness and tackling inequality sit at the heart of our Council Plan 2019-24. Our vision is “A North Ayrshire that is ‘Fair for All’”. This is supported by our mission “Working together to improve well-being, prosperity and equity in North Ayrshire”. This mainstreaming report highlights the key strategies and areas of work that are helping to embed equality and diversity within our services. It shows how we are meeting the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and subsequent amendments to this legislation. Since 2013, all public bodies have been required to produce a report every two years covering a number of Equality related activities, which are referred to under the Public Sector Equality Duty. This report is our Mid-Term report for Mainstreaming and Equality Outcomes for the period 2021-2025 and covers information from January 2021 to December 2022. This includes: • Employee statistics relating to protected characteristics. • The Education Mainstreaming Report. • Link to the Licensing Board Equality Mainstreaming Report. • A progress report on the implementation of the Ayrshire Shared Equality Outcomes and actions. This report is the mid-way point through our four-year Equality Outcome reporting cycle. The Public Sector Equality Duty ‘specific duties’ stipulate the requirements of reporting. The key elements are, mainstreaming the equality duty, publishing and reporting on equality outcomes and gathering and publishing employee statistics. About North Ayrshire North Ayrshire is on the southwest coast of Scotland and one of 32 Local Authority areas in Scotland. It covers 885 square kilometres, encompasses the Islands of Arran and the Cumbraes and has a population of just over 134,000 people (ONS June 2021). Demographically, North Ayrshire continues to be faced with a number of challenges. 33% of our 186 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) zones are in the bottom 15% for income, 30% are in the bottom 15% for employment, 27% for health and 17% in the education domain. The percentage of children living in poverty after housing costs is estimated at 24.7% for 2020/21, however this figure is heavily caveated due to how information was gathered during the Covid-19 pandemic and may be higher (it was 27.9% in 2019/20). It is recognised that people with certain protected characteristics as identified within the Equality Act are more likely to experience inequality. These can include people with a disability, single parent families - especially where the parent is female, and certain ethnic groups. Accessibility and Further Information We are constantly striving to make our Council and our reports as accessible as possible. We welcome opportunities to discuss how this can be achieved. This report has been access checked using the ‘Assist’ accessibility checker. Corporate Equalities is part of the Corporate Policy, Performance and Elections Team. For further information or to discuss any aspect of the contents of this report please contact: The Corporate Policy, Performance and Elections Team Tel: 01294 310000 Email: NorthAyrshirePerforms@north-ayrshire.gov.uk Welcome 89
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Page 2 of 37 Mainstreaming Equality and Outcomes Key Highlights 2021-22 • Introduction of a British Sign Language video landing page on the Council’s external website. • The creation of a Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME), pan-Ayrshire employee forum. • New guidance on Menopause in the Workplace. • Introduction of an online Equality and Children’s Rights Impact assessment training module. • Gold re-accreditation of the Social Housing Charter, which includes recognition of our inclusive approach to engaging with North Ayrshire citizens. • An increase in the number of Gold accreditations from four to 10 schools for the Rights Respecting Schools awards. • A key partner in the successful implementation of the Pan-Ayrshire Hate Crime Awareness conference delivered in October 2022. • Improvements in our data collection for our employee statistics. • Our overall mean Gender Pay gap has reduced to 0.22% (from 1.19% in 2021). • 514 unemployed individuals supported through the Ayrshire Growth Deal ‘Working for Healthier Economy’ programme, including supporting 51 people into employment. • Successful implementation and delivery of the Equal Supported Employment programme, supporting young people with learning disabilities with work experience in horticultural skills and qualifications. • Almost 90% of Additional Support Needs and young carers have their ‘voice’ heard, helping to realise Article 12 of the UNCRC – Respect for the views of the child, an increase from 75% since our 2021 report. • Connected Communities successful achievement of the Silver LGBT Charter Mark. • Introduction of the See Me CV into the application process for Modern Apprenticeships. • Our Webteam are actively working to ensure our website and all documents contained within it are accessible. This includes significant support to services such as training and the creation of 'How To' guides. Key Highlights 90
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Page 3 of 37 The Equality Act Under the Equality Act 2010, the Public Sector Equality duty, or ‘general equality duty’, requires public authorities in the exercise of their functions to have due regard to the need to: • Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct that is prohibited by the Equality Act 2010. • Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not. • Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. These elements of the Act are also referred to as the three key needs of the Act. Additional information in relation to equalities issues in North Ayrshire is available on our website: This includes Equality Impact Assessments and the Equality Outcomes for 2021 – 2025. Key Strategies Our Council Plan Our Council Plan is the main strategic plan for our Council. It is high level and has tackling inequality at its core with our vision being “A North Ayrshire that is ‘Fair for All’”. All of our plans must align to the Council Plan, meaning tackling the causes of inequality are embedded throughout our services. The Community Wealth Building Strategy The Community Wealth Building Strategy, the first of its kind in Scotland, was launched in June 2020 and is already a key driver within our Council Plan. It will ensure we use the economic levers available to us to generate an inclusive greener economy with better jobs for more of our residents. Click the image for more details. One of the key objectives within the strategy is to build ‘Fair Employment’ by encouraging the creation of fair and meaningful jobs, with progression opportunities. One of the main projects supporting this is the Equal Supported Employment programme (please see our equality outcome section). For more information please our Community Wealth Building page. Children’s Services Plans Our Children’s Services Planning includes our Children’s Services Plan and Children’s Rights Report which cover the next three years. We also include our annual Local Child Poverty Action Plan and Report within our suite of plans. Our Children’s Services Plan 2020-23, outlines our aims and priorities to safeguard, support and promote the wellbeing of children and to make North Ayrshire the best place in Scotland to grow up. Our Children’s Rights Report 2020-23 emphasises our commitment to promote and protect children and young people’s rights in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Our Child Poverty Action Plan 2022-23 recognises the life-long impact growing up in poverty can have on the life chances of our children and young people. The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 sets out four income-based targets to Context 91
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Page 4 of 37 Context reduce child poverty in Scotland by 2030. The key drivers of child poverty have been identified as – ‘income from employment’, ‘income from social security and benefits in kind’ and the ‘cost of living’. Ayrshire Growth Deal The Ayrshire Growth Deal sees approximately £251 million of funding from the Scottish and UK Governments being invested across North, South and East Ayrshire. The Ayrshire Growth Deal programme has a strong focus on inequality and inclusivity and through the award winning ‘Ayrshire Inclusive Growth Diagnostic’ tool has identified a number of key target groups for our employability programmes. These groups include, females, young people and those with disabilities and long-term health conditions. The implementation of the various projects within the Growth Deal programme should bring lasting and long-term benefits to people in these equality groups and many others across North, South and East Ayrshire. We have embedded actions for the Ayrshire Growth Deal within our Equality Outcomes and although these will take some time to realise, they help to ensure a continued focus on equality groups within the Ayrshire Growth Deal programmes. ‘Working for a Healthy Economy’ is one of the key programmes within the Ayrshire Growth deal that has a strong focus on inequality and supporting people both into and to sustain employment, with support and input from the SALUS occupational health service. Further information is covered within out Equality Outcome section. Please click on the image to the left to access the AGD site or click here. British Sign Language Plan Our Ayrshire Shared British Sign Language (BSL) plan 2018-2024, along with the mid-term report October 2021 can be found in our British Sign Language Plan page on the Council’s main website. Since the plan was introduced, the partners have been engaging with the local BSL and deaf community to support the implementation of the plan. Partners recently attended the Ayrshire Deaf Society in Kilmarnock with plans to provide more regular visits during 2023, inviting a range of Council and NHS services to update the society on their work. Since our last mainstreaming report published in 2021, we have continued to provide training in BSL and resources where appropriate. Two additional smart phones were provided to the Council’s Sensory Impairment team to enhance engagement with the local BSL community. These, along with the two phones provided in 2020, enable the team to provide effective support services through enhanced communication methods. Two six-week introductory programmes in BSL were provided across our Council with one of the courses specifically focused on staff within educational settings. These sessions focused on the basics of learning BSL and will be followed up in 2023 with more in-depth sessions. In addition to our BSL landing page, we have also created some short videos in BSL on how to access Council Services, the videos include – Bin Collection Day, School Term Dates, Pay Your Council Tax, Find a Recycling Centre and Contact Us. The videos were produced based on the key searches or ‘hits’ on our Council’s main website and will be used to further engage with the BSL community on future topics of interest. The videos can be found here. 92
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Page 5 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty This section focuses on mainstreaming equality within the Council, highlighting information on a range of processes, including equality impact assessments, training, Human Resource policies and procedures as well as our equality groups. Equality and Children’s Rights Impact Assessments The Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) process continues to be a key tool that helps our services consider equality and diversity related issues within their service planning and activities. This process helps to raise awareness of and eliminate potential discrimination. It also highlights and advances equality of opportunity by making stronger links between equality groups and issues. We engage with our communities around impact assessments as well as accessing information on the Scottish Government Equality Evidence Finder. This tool makes it easier for people to locate and access equalities information and provides a wealth of data and other evidence with accompanying commentary, background papers and links to further information. Summaries of our full Equality and Children’s Rights Impact Assessments are published on our Equality Policy and Performance page. During 2023 we will be carrying out a full review of the Equality and Children’s Rights Impact Assessment tool. Our impact assessment process contains several areas: Protected Characteristics The impact on any of the nine protected characteristics of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion and belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity and marriage and civil partnership. Children’s Rights and Human Rights The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (Duties of public authorities in relation to the UNCRC) requires public authorities (including all local authorities and health boards) to report on the steps they have taken to secure or further implement the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). As a result, Children Rights were added as an integral part of the Equality Impact Assessment process during 2018 and aligned to the eight indicators from the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) programme. Fairer Scotland Duty This Duty, introduced in 2018, places a legal requirement on certain public organisations to consider the socio-economic impact of their policies, procedures and proposals on inequalities of outcome. It is part of the Equality Act. Equality and socio-economic processes are built into our Committee reporting procedure. Island Proofing Section 8 of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 requires relevant public authorities (which includes local authorities) to carry out impact assessments on island communities when creating a strategy, policy or a service. 93
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Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Equality Groups Corporate Equality Group Our Corporate Equality Group includes Elected Members from each of the main political parties in the Council as well as representatives from all our services. This group meets quarterly to consider a range of equality and diversity related issues, including Equality Mainstreaming and Equality Outcomes and actions. Our Council is also well represented on the Ayrshire Equality Partnership, which consists of a range of our public sector partners including the NHS, South and East Ayrshire Councils, North, South and East Health and Social Care Partnerships, Ayrshire College, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board and Community Justice Ayrshire. Employee Disability Forum Established in 2019 to consider employee disability related issues in the organisation, the forum includes employees who have a particular interest in disability issues, whether direct experience of a disability or whose role relates to this area. Representatives attend from Human Resources, Trade Unions, the Supported Employment Team and the Sensory Impairment Team. Some of the groups’ key successes include: Providing a safe space for employees to raise issues relating to disability at work, supporting and providing input into HR related policies and procedures, including workplace disability guide, the See Me CV initiative (see HR update below), Disability Confident Employer, raising the profile of ICT related issues and seeking enhancements to the fire evacuation procedure following the return to the physical workspace post COVID 19 pandemic. Black and Minority Ethnic Employee Forum Following recommendations from the Scottish Government’s report on Race Equality, Employment and Skills: Making Progress Report, our Council adopted some of these recommendations and actions into our Equality Outcomes. The three Ayrshire local authorities have created a Pan Ayrshire Black and Minority Ethnic Employee Forum. The group first met in June 2022, with 12 participants. They will explore issues and support mechanisms for employees from a BAME background. Human Resources Menopause in the Workplace Our Council has an in-house HR Guide: ‘Menopause in the Workplace’ to support employees and raise awareness about the menopause. Menopause sessions for employees were delivered to provide further awareness and an understanding of menopause, how it may impact their work and explore appropriate coping strategies. In addition, further resources from The International Menopause Society were shared during World Menopause Day providing further information on specific menopause symptoms. Page 6 of 37 94
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Page 7 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Carer's Leave Scheme Our Carer’s Leave Scheme continues to be available to all employees and complements other provisions currently in place. As part of the scheme, our Council aims to provide employees with support by giving a range of options, including a period of Carer’s Leave of up to 12 weeks. To continuously review our supports and whether these are effective, every 18 months a Carer’s Leave Survey is issued to all employees to evaluate their experience and help identify improvements where possible. Equality Related Training Our Council provides a range of Equality and Diversity related training, most of which is delivered via online platforms. Our figures show an increase in completions of our generic equality training following the update and re-release of this module during 2021 (see tables below). This course forms part of the mandatory suite of courses as we continue to promote awareness. As all employees can now access our ilearn learning online learning suite we will carry out further promotion with our manual employees in 2023. In the latter part of 2022, we introduced a new online learning module called ‘Equality and Children’s Rights Impact Assessment’. This module is aimed at employees who might have to carry out an Equality Impact Assessment and provides an overview of how to do this, along with a short guide on using the online assessment tool. 18 employees have completed this course so far. In addition, we continue to provide a range of training modules, including British Sign Language, Deaf Awareness and Deafblind Awareness. In the early part of 2022, partners from the Ayrshire Equality Partnership, including the Council commissioned the Coalition for Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations (CEMVO) to deliver a Cultural and Race Awareness training session for the partners. We will continue to explore training opportunities with a view to increasing the range of equality related training available to employees. Table Number of E-learning Completions 2021 Course Number of Participants Equalities E-Learning 902 Deaf Awareness E-Learning 15 Deafblind Awareness E-Learning 13 British Sign Language 51 95
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Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Accessibility Audit Each year our Property Management and Investment Team undertakes an audit of our publicly accessible buildings to assess their level of accessibility. The percentage of buildings that meet the criteria for accessibility can change due to upgrades in existing buildings and size of our overall estate. The figures for 2021 and 2022 remain the same as 2020. This is largely due to little or no change in publicly accessible buildings during the pandemic years. • A Grade properties = 3.14% • B Grade properties =70.45% • C Grade properties = 26.14% Engagement with our Communities Our Connected Communities and Housing Services teams have a pivotal role in engaging and supporting various Community groups across North Ayrshire. More information can be found in the Equalities Outcomes section on the work being done to support the LGBT+ community across Ayrshire and within North Ayrshire as well as supporting for our refugee community. We support and engage with tenants across North Ayrshire including direct support for the Gypsy/Travellers community and Violence Against Women as part of the Community Safety strategy. We support the 16 days of Action campaign each November to encourage men to denounce all forms of violence against women. We work to the outcomes specified in the Scottish Social Housing Charter. The Charter sets out the standards and outcomes that all social landlords should aim to achieve when performing their housing activities. It has a specific equalities outcome and highlights that social landlords should perform all aspects of their housing services so that every tenant and other customers have their individual needs recognised, are treated fairly with respect and receive fair access to housing/housing services. This outcome describes what all social landlords, by complying with equalities legislation, should achieve for all tenants and other customers regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. It includes landlords’ responsibility for finding ways of understanding the rights and needs of different customers whilst delivering services that recognise and meet these needs. Putting our residents at the heart of our service delivery resulted in our 2022 ‘Gold Reaccreditation’ for embracing the Social Housing Charter commitment. In addition, ‘Gold Reaccreditation’ was awarded for our approach to resident involvement and scrutiny in early 2022. External accreditations recognise our commitment to placing our Page 8 of 37 Building Accessibility Categories Grade A - Fully compliant properties. Grade B - Reasonably compliant properties that currently provide ease of access to all users in terms of the services offered. Grade C - Non-compliant with a degree of work required to meet the standard, with high priority issues noted and actioned as soon as possible. 96
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Page 9 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty residents at the heart of our organisation, ensuring they are influencing decisions and scrutinising our service areas. Part of the process for both reaccreditations acknowledges that we have an inclusive approach to engaging tenants and overcomes barriers by offering a range of opportunities for everyone to get involved. We are working to increase representation from Tenant and Resident Associations from across all communities in North Ayrshire. We continue to apply innovative ways to maximise involvement opportunities. An example of this work was engagement with the Deaf community through the purchase of additional portable hearing loops, improved links with British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreters and training for staff teams throughout Housing Services. Our Tenants newsletter is also available in formats suitable for visually or hearing-impaired customers. The Tenant Participation Strategy 2017-2022, highlighted engagement with a range of underrepresented groups. The Tenant Participation team has developed links with our other services and has already engaged with some or all of these groups. Since October 2019, all social housing landlords have had a requirement to prepare and deliver an Annual Assurance Statement in accordance with Scottish Housing Regulator guidance. The statement provides assurance and evidence that we are meeting all legal obligations associated with housing/homelessness services, equality and human rights, tenant and resident safety. In addition, the statement safeguards and promotes the interests of tenants and other customers. The North Ayrshire Network is our strategic tenant group that considers the content of our statement and approves it prior to publication. Procurement Our Procurement Strategy has ‘Tackling Inequality and Poverty in North Ayrshire’ as one of its key aims and has 10 specific actions to support this including encouraging fair work practices and payment of the real living wage in all relevant contracts. Equality is also included in procurement contract terms and ‘Fair Work Practices’ are scored or included for all procurements, as is the Modern Slavery Code of Conduct. Equality considerations are embedded into our Conditions of Contract documents: “The Supplier undertakes that it has and shall comply with all statutory requirements in respect of ensuring equal opportunity in employment and has not and shall not unlawfully discriminate either directly or indirectly on such grounds as race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, gender, sex or sexual orientation, religion or belief, or age.” The ‘Modern Day Slavery Code of Conduct’ covers several key themes including forced or involuntary labour, humane treatment, workplace equality, contracts of employment and Freedom of movement. More information can be found on our website. 97
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Page 10 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Case Study – Equality in Procurement - Provision of a Supported Living Service (Supported Accommodation) North Ayrshire Council’s Health and Social Care Partnership were seeking to procure a Supported Accommodation Service for adults aged 18 – 65 years with a Learning Disability, Physical or Sensory Disability, or Mental Health difficulty. The Supported Accommodation Service provides vulnerable people with access to on-site 24/7 personal and social care support, community health and housing support services. At contract strategy stage it was identified that equality was a key area which the service team wished bidders to cover within their tender submissions. In order to ensure equality considerations were met, the following scored technical question was included: “Outline your organisational approach to equality and delivery of a service which embodies section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 (the Act). Provide an example which demonstrates how you will approach this to meet the requirements of the NAC specification.” The contract was split into two lots and evidence around equality was provided: Lot 1 Service provider detailed their organisational approach to diversity, equality and inclusion. They further confirmed that service designs and support strategies are individually tailored to reflect an individual’s requirements to ensure these areas are addressed and managed accordingly. In addition, they operate a mandatory training course on Equality and Diversity which supports education and highlights best practice. Lot 2 Service provider referenced a number of organisational policies which address the key aspects requested within the tender: • Involvement of the people we support policy. • Connecting People and Communities policy. • Supporting people with their personal identity and relationships. Detail was provided on their organisational approach to diversity, equality and inclusion and how this is engrained into all aspects of staff training. The inclusion of this question ensured that the tenderer’s proposed service delivery met the three key needs of the Equality Duty. 98
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Page 11 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Licensing Board Overview North Ayrshire Council Licensing Board is responsible for making decisions on applications that allow people to sell alcohol from premises or allow gambling. They also deal with complaints regarding licensed premises and those who hold licences. The Board is made up of Elected Members and is supported by a Clerk (solicitor) and other employees of our Council. Under the Equality Act, Licensing Boards have the same obligations as other public sector organisations to report on Equality Mainstreaming and to develop Equality Outcomes. Please follow the link below to the North Ayrshire Licensing Board Equality Mainstreaming and Outcomes report. 99
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Page 12 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Education Authority Report The Communities and Education Directorate’s vision is to create a society where everyone has the same life chances to grow, prosper and have fulfilling and healthy lives. Education in North Ayrshire recognises and celebrates its role in the delivery of positive outcomes for all children and young people. We undertake positive interventions to support equalities education for the benefit of our children and young people and for our employees across our educational establishments. Our Education Service is responsible for the education of 18,061 pupils across our authority’s primary, secondary and additional support needs schools. A further 2,251 children attend early learning and childcare settings. • 45% of our Children and young people live in postcodes in the most deprived areas of Scotland according to SIMD. • 24% of our Children and young people are living in relative poverty, according to UK government statistics. • 6,000 of our Children and young people are registered for school footwear and clothing grants. Education in North Ayrshire is delivered through: • 48 primary schools. • 8 secondary schools. • 1 through school (Garnock Campus). • 1 specialist campus for children and young people with additional support needs. • 5 Council-managed early learning and childcare centres. • 16 centres where early learning and childcare is provided in partnership. • There are 41 Council-managed early learning and childcare settings. Children Attending Early Years Settings • In 2021 – 1,567 pupils recorded as attending an Early Year setting. • In 2022 – 1,545 pupils recorded attending an Early Year setting, of which about 1,106 were in local authority Early Years settings and 411 in private and voluntary Early Year settings. We are focussed on the Council Plan outcome that North Ayrshire’s children and young people have the best start in life. Our Directorate’s priorities clearly show how equality and diversity sit at the very heart of our work: embedded in educational provision; in professional learning; and in the promotion of positive relationships. National Improvement Framework priorities for 2021-22 were: • Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy. • Improvement in children and young people's health and wellbeing. • Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people. • Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for all young people. The National Improvement Framework priorities are embedded within our Education priorities: 1. We will create the conditions for our children and young people to access the highest quality learning experiences from ages 3-18 years. 2. We will support our children and young people to become successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens. 3. We will offer opportunities to our young people and their families to play a more active role in school life and encourage more participation in learning. 4. We will work with all young people to build their resilience, supporting their mental health and physical wellbeing. 100
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Page 13 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Our schools use the Curriculum for Excellence framework to create, devise and deliver education suited to the local context for all learners in their communities. Effective planning tracking, monitoring and moderation of assessments are essential to ensure the progress of all learners. The framework provides a coherent, flexible and enriched curriculum for all children and young people from 3-18 years. Children and young people are at the center of learning provision to become: Getting it Right for Every Child Our understanding of Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) continues to be a focus within all aspects for our practice and professional learning. The principles underpin all the processes within our Council in support of children and young people. Through GIRFEC, we can determine proportionate, timely and appropriate help for young people, improving each child’s situation and reducing risk. The approach supports the achievement and attainment of best outcomes for all our young people, demonstrated through the review and impact of personalised targets in Children’s Plans. All our young people have the entitlement to support which is appropriately developed through our Staged Intervention Programme (in line with Additional Supports Needs legislation) and monitored and evaluated using the National GIRFEC Practice Model. Information from Quality Improvement visits reveal that almost all our children and young people with additional support needs plans are making very good progress (over 90%) from their prior levels of achievement. Nurture/Health and wellbeing Nurture/Health and wellbeing contributes to our vision of being a nurturing authority. This has been further developed through our “Nurturing North Ayrshire’s Recovery” approach. We aim to build emotional resilience in children and train teachers to foster stronger relationships with children and young people through a nurturing approach, increasing engagement in the learning process. Evidence shows that this is reducing instances of non-engagement with children and young people and is contributing towards raising attainment. Nurture Children and young people who have received nurture support are showing gains in social and emotional progress in early years, primary and secondary settings during the course of targeted nurture intervention and are continuing to access mainstream education. Primary Nurture North Ayrshire follows a prescribed model for nurture intervention, governed by a Senior Manager and quality assured by two Nurture Principal Teachers. Nurture Practitioners attend a three-day initial training course and weekly professional learning inputs which has been awarded a GTCS excellence award in professional learning. Learners attend the morning session then their mainstream class in the afternoon. The nurture room follows a wellbeing curriculum. A nurture day is planned and predictable with check in, snack and a mix of play-based learning activities. Successful learners Confident individuals Responsible citizens Effective contributors 101
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Page 14 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty The impact of primary nurture interventions is further highlighted through the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs) which are completed by class teachers and parents of the children when they enter and exit the morning nurture group. Based on 241 responses up to June 2021, Class teacher SDQ’s show that for 61% of children an improvement is reported in their prosocial skills following nurture provision. Class teachers have also reported a reduction of total difficulties for 76% of the children that received nurture provision. Reflective Quotes on Primary Nurture: “Before nurture David* was not ready to learn. He was five (years old) but developmentally two and a half or maybe even two (years old). He is now achieving so much. He is sent along with his work to me and I phone his mother when he is there and say, ‘Do you know what David has done, his work is phenomenal!” (Primary School Head Teacher.) (*Name has been changed.) “Every single child that comes through has shown a very easily mapped difference, a very easy to spot difference in their approach to school in general….. the difference is just remarkable.” (Primary School Head Teacher.) Secondary School Nurture Across North Ayrshire there were nine secondary school nurture groups that were funded through the Scottish Attainment Challenge in the 2020-21 academic year. Between August 2020 and June 2021, 326 young people (57% male, 43% female) had completed the secondary nurture intervention. Updated figures will be available from June 2023. Within the secondary model S1 have daily contact, S2 have three weekly sessions (minimum) and 1:1 sessions are provided on an individual basis. The nurture room follows a wellbeing curriculum. As with the primary model, a nurture day is planned and predictable including check in, snack and a mix of developmental and chronologically appropriate learning activities. The impact of secondary nurture provision is evidenced through the completion of the Stirling Children’s Wellbeing Scale (SCWBS) by young people at their entry and exit points to the intervention. SCWBS highlighted that almost half (48%) of young people reported improvement in their own wellbeing. The thematic analysis of qualitative data from teachers illustrates that achievement is visible in other areas of school life. Nurture staff have reported observing the sustainable impact of Nurture in our participating young people. 102
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Page 15 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Children’s Rights All schools promote children’s rights. The Rights Respecting Schools programme (RRS) has been promoted and introduced into almost all our schools. The Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) at the heart of a school’s planning, policies, practice and ethos. Children’s rights underpin the Getting it Right for Every Child approach. RRS teaches about children’s rights, but also models rights and respect in all relationships, whether they are between teachers or other adults and pupils, between adults or between pupils. RRS underpins our Integrated Children’s Service Plan, Promoting Positive Relationships and anti-bullying policies. The UNCRC provides a clear link for pupils from rights-respecting schools, to understanding their rights and children’s rights being realised everywhere. Children and young people in rights-respecting schools develop a stronger sense of the need to act for global justice. Over 90% of our schools are participating in the RRS status with nineteen schools reaching gold or Ambassador Status and twenty-five schools achieving Silver. Our anti-bullying policy entitled “Bullying - It’s Never Acceptable” is now established. Enhanced and more accurate reporting and recording of prejudiced based bullying has been in place for a year. Our partnership with “Respect Me” Scotland’s anti-bullying service for schools continues and this provides a source for professional learning in this area of health and wellbeing. Recording of bullying incidents has led to improved responses by professionals and better outcomes for our young people due to the support we provide. Requests for assistance indicate that this work requires to continue particularly regarding online bullying behaviour. Anti-bullying work remains a focus for our Child Protection Working party. There are regular updates to training which provides links to online supports for parents, employees and our young people. LGBTI Education LGBTI education forms part of the learning (primarily and secondary schools) focussing on social and emotional resilience, including mental health in relationships, sexuality and sexual behaviour. The use of curriculum benchmarks ensures that progress of young people is measured throughout this key area of education. We have been successful in gaining funding through the Youth Work education fund to deliver targeted sessions through the mobile youth centre. This work will include a focus on our hard-to-reach groups including the LGBT community. They will be offered support with mental health and wellbeing as well as employability. The following resources will be utilised to support this approach: • SHARE (Sexual Health and Relationships in Education) is evidence informed educational resource for use by teachers. The focus is on interactive learning for pupils aged 13 – 16 years. • The NHS resource FIT, contains steps towards combatting phobic language in schools. • ‘See Me’, is Scotland’s programme with the goal to end all stigma and discrimination around mental health. • LGBT Scotland bespoke programmes of study which include discussions on sexuality and risky sexual behaviours. Rights Respecting Schools 19 Gold award schools fully Rights Respecting with a Children’s Rights ambassador status 25 Silver award schools who are fully rights aware who are Children’s Rights committed 103
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Page 16 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Reducing inequality and delivering improved outcomes for all children and young people A key feature of our work is the delivery of a fully inclusive approach which is suited to the needs of all children and young people and their families. This work has extended nurturing approaches from primary schools into early years establishments and into secondary schools. Our Quality Assurance processes and visits to schools have captured many examples of the effective use of Pupil Equity Funding (PEF), used by schools to reduce the effects of poverty on attainment). HMIE inspections reports have highlighted the delivery of a range of targeted interventions including nurture is supporting the wellbeing and development of children. Increasingly, school teams are alert to barriers to participation. Financial assistance (through PEF) is available to enable all families to fully access the opportunities on offer to children e.g. Breakfast clubs, reducing the cost of the school day and improving access to residential experiences. Through our Children Services Executive Group and Inclusion Group we continue to review our services to support children and young people with particular vulnerabilities and more specific Additional Support Needs. Our approach to Integrated Children’s Service Planning ensures that all services have a GIRFEC approach to meeting the needs of our children and families. Case Study – Nurture pupil voice in Secondary Schools A review to establish the effectiveness of nurture group intervention highlighted a need to adopt a more qualitative research approach focussing on pupil views to gather individuals’ thoughts and feelings about the learning and experiences of nurture group intervention. Pupil View Templates (PVTs) were completed in collaboration with Educational Psychologist Dr Kim Whitehead, Educational Psychology Assistants and Nurture Principal Teachers as a method of collecting the pupil voice across North Ayrshire secondary nurture rooms. Professional learning was delivered to Nurture Practitioners on the PVT model, designed and adapted to suit the needs of the group so our young people could think about what they have learnt and what skills they have achieved as well as what they think the benefits are and what they would tell others about the nurture group. Learners interpreted features of the nurture room using construction, drawings, or words. The resulting template then acted as a stimulus for a mediated conversation using a list of prompt questions developed from examples provided by Wall and Higgins (2007). The data from this pupil voice project will inform and improve outcomes for young people. Pupil View Templates can be used for professional learning to give educators an understanding of how pupils think and learn… “I didn’t know you thought this. Now that I know this I can…” This process fulfils the requirements of Article 12 UNCRC “all children have a right to have their voices heard and taken seriously”. Analysis will be completed by Educational Psychology assistants and personalised data will be given to each school. The collective response will be analysed to develop emerging themes for the nurture service and to inform strategic planning. Strengths in Education The central Education team’s drive, vision and capacity for continuous improvement remains a key strength. This is supported by highly effective governance structures. We continue to provide opportunities for innovation within an appropriate framework of accountability at all levels. • There are shared values and common purpose where school teams feel valued and very well supported. This was evident from our questionnaire responses in relation to COVID. These responses were used to build a recovery programme for teams, pupils and their families in the form of E-learning modules. 104
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Page 17 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty • The very strong leadership team is driving improved outcomes for children and young people. • Partnership working within the Scottish Attainment Challenge thematic workstreams is leading to improved outcomes for children, young people and their families living in the areas of highest deprivation. • Very effective self-evaluation is leading to improved learning, raised attainment and a narrowing of the poverty-related attainment gap. • Very strong approaches to staff development are evident across the whole authority led by the work undertaken by our Professional Leadership Academy. The development of leadership at all levels is building leadership capacity across the authority. In addition, our Educational Psychology Service continue to make a strong contribution to helping to close the poverty- related attainment gap in North Ayrshire. This is particularly evident in relation to the implementation of nurture and restorative practices. Supporting our Young Carers Helping to raising awareness of Young Carers and the supports available to them, our area Inclusion workers took part in a session at the Carers centre. Each school identified a Young Carers lead and workshops were planned for January 2023 to upskill our employees to support them in completing the Young Carers Statement. Mentors in Violence Project (MVP) Eight of our nine secondary schools are now taking part in this programme in the 2022/23 session. Over 60 employees have been trained and over 200 young people in North Ayrshire are MVP mentors, delivering learning to hundreds of young people in our schools. Mentors are developing leadership, exploring violence through a gendered lens, using a bystander approach, exploring the scope of violent behaviour and challenging victim blaming. Staff and mentors are working together to increase communication and to support them in becoming active by- standers. This means they will gain more knowledge and confidence in challenging negative behaviours and comments around these issues. Leadership accreditation is being sought in several schools using MVP as evidence of these skills in action. Early indications from schools show that mentors are confidently delivering lessons to junior classes. There is a greater shared understanding of issues related to gender-based violence and bullying. The programme has been welcomed in all participating schools. Capacity building for staff will continue in 2023 with the National offer and bespoke North Ayrshire training and we have requested training for Arran this session. Training has been arranged at our Lockhart Campus that will be specific to the needs of this school. As a local authority we have offered and will offer 30 min training on both MVP and Equally Safe At School (ESAS) to raise awareness. MVP mentors took part in the ‘Reclaim the Night Walk’ as part of the Prevention of violence against women programme. 105
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Page 18 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Case Study: See Me - See Change A ‘See Me See Change’ event took place on the 31st of October and 3rd of November 2022 attended by around 200 young people from Ardrossan Academy, Auchenharvie Academy, Garnock Community Campus, Greenwood Academy, Irvine Royal Academy, Kilwinning Academy, Largs Academy and St Matthews Academy. Teams from each school took part in twilight online training prior to the event and are now well placed to support them in school. Support was provided at the event by our Community Youth work apprentices who also undertook virtual training. The ‘See Me See Change’ training programme offers training for pupils and employees, before bringing the two groups together for an action planning session to agree how they will work together to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination within their school. It is hoped our next training session for employees will be in May/June 2023 and New S5 Pupils June 2023 that will allow the programme to grow and become embedded in our schools as part of the Whole School Approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing Framework. 106
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Page 19 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Employee Statistics Overview The Public Sector Equality Duty requires local authorities to gather and publish employee statistics by protected characteristic. This section of the report includes an overview of employee information by age, sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion and belief. It also includes the Employee Pay Gap information by sex, ethnicity and disability. Full information on our employee statistics can be found in our supporting report – Employee Statistics 2019 - 2022. It is recommended we publish information in some key areas including: • Employee Headcount by protected characteristic. • Recruitment by protected characteristic. • Employee Turnover by protected characteristic. • Employee Training by protected characteristic. Data prior to 2021 may differ slightly from the statistics produced in our 2019 and 2020 Mainstreaming Report. This is due to minor discrepancies in calculations that have since been corrected. Disability In 2022, 3.7% (302) of our employees had a declared disability and 18% (1,487) did not disclose this information. The percentage of employees declaring a disability has increased since our 2020 report and the percentage of those not disclosing this information has decreased. 45% of employees with a disability work in Grades 4 – 10 and 15% are in teaching posts. The chart to the right shows turnover was higher in 2022 at 12.11% for people with a disability against 8.71% for those without a disability. A slightly higher percentage of people with no disability received or attended training compared with those who were disabled. This figure fluctuates annually. Within Education, 3% of employees declared a disability in 2022, which has increased from 1.8% in 2020. Ethnicity The 2011 Census shows North Ayrshire continues to have a small black or minority ethnic population at 1.1% of our population, it is expected the 2022 Census will show an increase. The relatively low percentage of people from a black or minority ethnic background living in North Ayrshire is reflected in our employee statistics. In 2022, 1.1% of employees had declared an ethnicity other than white (with 16% not disclosed). Our 2020 statistics showed 0.83% from another ethnicity and 18.8% not disclosed. The percentage of people from ‘other ethnicity’ leaving our Council has remained higher than ‘white’ in recent years. Although the overall gap narrowed in 2022, this figure was due to fewer temporary employees. 107
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Page 20 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Within Education, 42 employees (1%) were from the ‘Other Ethnicity’ category, with 18 teaching staff and one promoted staff. Turnover for Education employees is slightly higher for ‘white’ employees at 7.61% compared to 7.14% for ‘Other Ethnicity’. ‘Not disclosed’ had the highest turnover at 8.75% Age Similar to many other organisations, our Council has an ageing workforce, with just over 40% of employees aged 50 or over, this jumps to 54% for those aged 45 and over. Employee turnover is highest in the 65-69 age category, increasing from around 55 years due to employees choosing to retire. Education headcount for age is much lower than our Council as a whole, with only 25% of employees over the age of 50 years. Just over 60% of teaching staff are under the age of 45. Sex In 2022, 25% of our Council employees were male, 75% female. 3.0% (249) of our female employees are in promoted posts of Grade 11 -17 compared to 1.65% (136) of our male employees. Although 3% of our promoted posts are held by females, the percentage overall in promoted posts as a proportion of total female employees is 4%, whereas for males as a proportion of total male staff is 6.6%. This indicates relative to the overall workforce, there is a slightly higher proportion of males in promoted posts, however in the most senior promoted posts, 11 of our 19 Chief Officers are female. The majority of employees are Grades 4 – 7, with 36% (2971) female and 11% (916) of male employees working at this level. For the first time in a number of years, 1.3% more males received training than females. There was a higher percentage of staff turnover for females compared to males at 8.59% compared to 8.14%. Within Education, 81% of teaching employees are female. 20.4% (280) of female teaching employees are in a promoted role, compared with 27.9% (90) of males in a promoted post. 108
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Page 21 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Sexual Orientation In 2022, 89 employees identified as Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual (LGB) or 1.1% of the workforce, compared to 0.6% (46) employees in 2020; 48% of employees identified as Heterosexual and 51% of employees did not disclose their sexual orientation (57% in 2020). With very low numbers it is difficult to identify specific issues or trends. During 2022, 11 employees identifying as LGB left our Council or 12% of all our employees identifying LGB. For those employees identifying as Heterosexual, this figure was 8% that year. There are no specific issues around training or recruitment. During 2022, 21 (0.72%) of education employees identified as Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual (an increase from 0.6% in 2020). During 2022, a slightly lower percentage of employees identifying as Lesbian or Gay left our Education Service compared to Heterosexual employees (6.9% vs 7.52%). Religion or Belief (including no belief) As with our employee statistics for Sexual Orientation, the ‘Not disclosed’ percentage is very high at 52.5% of employees, although this is an improvement from our 2020 report of 58.4% not disclosing. This makes it challenging to identifying real trends. Other than the not disclosed group, the next highest group is employees with no religion or belief at 25.9% of employees which is an increase of 5.4% from 2020, followed by Church of Scotland (11.8%, a 0.2% increase), Roman Catholic (6.4%, a 0.2% increase), and Other Christian (2.4%, a 0.1% decrease). In relation to employee turnover the highest percentage of leavers was for ‘Not Disclosed’, Humanist, Other Christian and Other belief/religion. Other categories of religious groups by number include, Humanist (18), Buddhist (10), Muslim (7), Hindu (1) and Jewish (1). Within Education, 51.7% of employees did not disclose their religion or belief (a decrease of 8.2% since 2020), followed by employees with no religion or belief at 24%, Church of Scotland at 12.8% and Roman Catholic at 7.5%. 109
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Page 22 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Further Considerations We recognise that there is a high percentage of ‘not disclosed’ with some of our statistics. Following an exercise to encourage our employees to update their records, we have seen improvements in the number of employees disclosing for disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion and belief. We will periodically continue to encourage our employees to update their records. Employee Pay Gap Information Under legislation, we are required to publish our pay gap information for Gender, Disability and Ethnicity. Our Gender Pay Gap for 2022 is 0.22%; which is our lowest figure since pay gap reporting was introduced, the last four year trend has seen a steady closing of the mean pay gap from 1.48% in 2019 to 0.22% at the end of December 2022. Mean Pay Difference (basic hourly rate) 2019 2020 2021 2022 Female 16.02 16.54 16.54 18.03 Male 16.26 16.76 16.74 18.07 Difference (%) 1.48 1.31 1.19 0.22 Our Disability Pay Gap for 2022 is 7.44%, which is an increase from 2021 of 3.32% and has increased from a low of 0.88% in 2019. There are potentially a number of reasons for this, including the relatively low percentage of employees declaring a disability, meaning small changes to the workforce may have a significant impact on the percentage figures. In part, due to encouraging our employees to update their records, we have seen a slight increase in the percentage of employees declaring a disability, from 2.2% in 2019 to 3.7% in 2022. 110
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Page 23 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Our Council has implemented a number of activities to both support employees with a disability and to support potential candidates into employment; these include an internal employee disability forum, the Equal Supported Employment programme and the See Me CV programme for people with a disability applying for a Modern Apprenticeship. Mean Pay Difference (basic hourly rate) 2019 2020 2021 2022 Disabled 15.77 15.62 15.83 16.66 Not disabled 15.91 16.49 16.51 18.00 Difference (%) 0.88 5.28 4.12 7.44 Our Ethnicity Pay Gap figure in 2022 was 0.89%, this figure has fluctuated over the last four years, with each alternative year since 2019, having a positive pay gap in favour of ‘other ethnicity’. Although for 2022 this figure is positive for employees of a white ethnicity, this is less than 1% of a difference. In part, the recent encouragement for employees to update their personal records including their ethnic status saw an increase of employees from ‘other ethnicity’ from 63 in 2020 to 93 in 2022. Mean Pay Difference (basic hourly rate) 2019 2020 2021 2022 Other Ethnicity 16.15 16.38 16.69 17.81 White 15.89 16.46 16.47 17.97 Difference (%) -1.64 0.49 -1.34 0.89 Occupational Segregation Information Occupational Segregation is one of the key factors influencing the gender pay gap. It concerns aspects of employment that see men and women being clustered into different occupations. There are several influences on Occupational Segregation and these include gender norms and stereotyping. There are two main types of Occupational Segregation, which are considered as ‘Horizontal’ and ‘Vertical’. Gender (Sex) The gender split in the Council is 75 – 25% female to male. The highest percentage of ‘female to male’ employees work in grades 4 - 7 and in teaching (78%). The greatest number of females work in grades 4 -7 or 35% of the total workforce and 47% of the total female workforce. Horizontal Segregation: People with certain protected characteristics being clustered into certain job types. For women this could be occupations that are associated with low pay and fewer opportunities for progression, such as care work, cleaning, catering and administration work. In comparison men may be more often found in occupations that pay higher wages, including the trades, engineering, or technical work. Vertical Segregation: Those with particular protected characteristics may be more likely to be clustered into certain positions and be more absent from senior management and executive positions. 111
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Page 24 of 37 Mainstreaming the Equality Duty Within the management and senior management grades (11 – 17), as a % of the total female workforce, 4.0% are in this category, with 6.6% of males as a total of male employees. The percentage split for our Chief Officers is 58% female to male. The table below provides an average hourly rate by sex for 2022 and 2020 for comparison. The grades with the biggest pay gap percentage are 4 – 7 (4.04%), 11 – 17 (3.59%) (management), promoted teacher (3.4%) and Chief Officers (2.82%). Grades 4 - 7 are where the highest number of female employees are employed and from a ‘horizontal segregation’ perspective will be where some ‘traditionally’ female oriented roles such as caring and catering roles are based. Grades where the pay gap favours females include Grades 8 – 10 (-0.05%), other (-0.60%) and teaching staff (- 1.31%). Average Hourly Rate 2022 Variance Female (£) Male (£) % variance (2022) % variance (2020) Grades 1 - 3 - - - - Grades 4 - 7 12.83 13.67 6.14 4.04 Grades 8 - 10 20.41 20.47 0.29 -0.05 Grades 11 - 17 27.06 27.89 2.98 3.59 Other 11.00 11.26 2.31 -0.60 Chief Officer 54.84 57.04 3.86 2.82 Teacher 26.44 26.10 -1.30 -1.31 Promoted Teacher 35.47 36.20 2.02 3.40 Total Workforce 18.03 18.07 0.22 1.31 Ethnicity For Employees with an ethnicity other than white, it is difficult to discern any trends due to the low numbers of employees from the other ethnicity category. The ‘Other Ethnicity’/White split for grades 4–7 is 45% for those of an “Other ethnicity” and 47% white. For grades 8-10 the comparison is 14% other ethnicity compared to 16% white and for Grades 11 – 17, 3% of employees are other ethnicity compared to 5% white. There are no minority ethnic employees at Chief Officer level, but the figures don’t indicate any particular trends with the spread of minority ethnic employees across grades within our Council. Disability Similarly, to our employee information for other ethnicity, in relation to employees with a declared disability we have 302 employees or 3.7% of the total workforce with a known disability and 18% not disclosed. Within the gradings, when comparing the number of disabled employees within each of the categories against the total disabled figure and the non-disabled against total non-disabled, there are no significant differences. For Grades 4–7, 45% of those with a disability are employed in this category, compared to 47% non-disabled. For Grades 8–10, 16% of employees with a disability, compared to 16% non-disabled and for Grade 11 – 17, 5% of employees with a disability and 5.4% are non-disabled. 112
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Page 25 of 37 All public sector organisations are required to set Equality Outcomes every four years. This report covers the mid-point of the four-yearly Equality Outcome 2021 - 2025 reporting period and contains information and data covering the calendar years of 2021 and 2022. National guidance on setting equality outcomes states that they should be proportionate and relevant to the functions and strategic priorities of the organisations setting them, and that they may include both short and long-term benefits for people with protected characteristics. Our Equality Outcomes have been developed as short to medium term (one to four years) and link with both longer term and national outcomes. In addition, we have adopted sub-outcomes and actions to support the main overarching outcomes. A number of these equality outcomes link with already existing policies and strategies. This is to help embed the outcomes in our activities and drive a more focused effort on areas for improvement specifically to improve equality and reduce inequalities. Ayrshire Shared Equality Outcomes The public sector partners of the Ayrshire Equality Partnership agreed to consult on and develop shared outcomes and actions across Ayrshire. Alongside our Council, partners include East and South Ayrshire Councils, North, East and South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnerships, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Ayrshire College, Ayrshire Joint Evaluation Board and the South West Community Justice Authority. All the organisations involved support the same communities, therefore this coordinated approach to consulting with our interest groups helps avoid consultation fatigue. Additionally, through sharing resources and expertise during the consultation and development process and into the implementation phase, this ultimately improves the experiences of communities through a more consistent approach across the partner agencies. The development of the shared equality outcomes and actions allow partner agencies to maintain their own individual organisational accountability for reporting on equality mainstreaming and outcomes, while recognising the shared work of the partner agencies. The Ayrshire Shared Overarching Outcomes are as follows. The actions supporting each of the four equality outcomes and sub-outcomes are outlined below alongside the pan- Ayrshire updates. Equality Outcomes Outcome 1 In Ayrshire people experience safe and inclusive communities Outcome 2 In Ayrshire people have the opportunity to access and shape our public services Outcome 3 In Ayrshire people have the opportunity to fulfil their potential throughout life Outcome 4 In Ayrshire public bodies will be inclusive and diverse employers 113
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Page 26 of 37 Equality Outcomes Equality Outcomes Equality Outcome 1 – In Ayrshire people experience safe and inclusive communities Sub-Outcome - Through a variety of methods victims, witnesses and partner agencies feel more confident in reporting hate incidents. 1.1 Key Actions Supporting this Outcome • Raise Awareness to better understand hate crime. • Work with partners to raise awareness of hate crime with community members through a conference. • Work with partners to increase awareness of third party reporting. • Develop a Hate Crime awareness course. Progress During 2022, members of the Ayrshire Equality Partnership, including our Council came together to organise a Hate Crime Awareness Conference. The conference took place at Ayrshire College, Kilmarnock on 5 October 2022 with the overall aim of Empowering Communities in Ayrshire to end Hate Crime. Dave Scott, Campaign Director Nil by Mouth charity hosted the conference with keynote addresses from Dr Christian Harrison, Reader in Leadership and Khadjia Mohammed, Senior Lecturer both from the University of the West of Scotland. The conference also offered workshops for participants to choose from including the ‘I am me’ charity (Keep Safe initiative); Scottish Refugee Council; Police Scotland and the Procurator Fiscal Service, Community Justice Authority and LGBT+ experience. The conference offered opportunities to support learning about hate crime through the lived experiences of its speakers and the good practice demonstrated across Ayrshire and beyond to tackle the issues related to hate crime and promote positive solutions. Over 100 people from various partner agencies, including students from Ayrshire College attended the event, which evaluated very positively. Following on from the event information on third party reporting was disseminated to local community groups across Ayrshire. Partners are in discussions to create hate crime awareness training. Third Party Reporting was highlighted as part of the conference approach and disseminated via partners. As most, if not all, third party reporting centres were closed during the pandemic, further work will be required during 2023 and onwards to re-establish centres as third-party reporting venues. 114
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Page 27 of 37 Equality Outcomes Equality Outcome 2 – In Ayrshire, people have equal opportunity to access and shape our public services - Ayrshire Shared Actions Sub Outcome - Improve engagement with our services and enhance access to information for marginalised and under-represented groups 2.2 Key Actions supporting this Outcome • Work with the Council’s Web Team and Sensory Impairment Team to create a BSL friendly landing page on our website. • Work with our Web Team and our Connected Communities Teams to create a community language landing page for North Ayrshire residents • Explore joint approach for the commissioning of BSL Interpretation. Progress In addition to the British Sign Language (BSL) Plan landing page and videos in BSL on Council services during the pandemic, an additional page for BSL was added to our Council’s main website during 2022. This page contains videos in BSL on various topics such as school holidays, bin collections, contact us, council tax and recycling centres. Since going live in late 2022, the site has had 150 views and 125 unique user views. We aim to add more BSL videos through further engagement with the BSL community and Council services. Due to a number of issues the community language landing page did not progress as planned. However further discussions have been taken place to find a way forward. Progress has been made with the partners on agreeing a joint approach to commissioning BSL interpretation services, with the aim of keeping costs to partner agencies as low as possible. It is hoped this can be launched during 2023. Equality Outcome 3 - In Ayrshire, people have opportunities to fulfil their potential throughout life Sub-Outcome 3A - Our young people, disabled people and women have access to training and employment. 3.1 Key actions supporting this Outcome Through the Ayrshire Growth Deal: • Provide support for unemployed residents, in particular people with disabilities and women, to overcome health barriers to economic activity. • To support residents to retain employment by addressing health barriers. • Support local businesses to access health related supports to improve retention and productivity of their workforce. 115
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Page 28 of 37 Equality Outcomes Progress Working for a Healthy Economy is a large-scale investment, totalling £5million, to deliver occupational health to ensure that Ayrshire has the requisite workforce to drive economic growth in the future. This project, implemented in May 2021, will serve to widen the labour pool and provide the basis for the maximisation of benefits arising from Ayrshire Growth Deal capital investments. It will support: • Unemployed residents overcome health barriers to economic activity. • Employed residents to retain employment by addressing health barriers. • Local businesses to access health related supports to improve retention and productivity of their workforce. Since its initiation in in May 2021, the Working for a Healthier Economy programme has engaged with 514 unemployed individuals. Evaluations have shown that 34.6% of people reduced their anxiety levels, 43.3% reduced levels of depression, 26.5% improved their health and wellbeing and 51 people gained employment. Further work is on-going to review information being gathered in relation to other protected characteristics, including those with a disability. Case Study – Working for a Healthy Economy Anne* is 54 years old and was recently made redundant after many years in the same job. This change has had a detrimental effect on her wellbeing as she has high levels of anxiety and feels low most of the time. She has difficulty leaving the house, socialising with friends and placing herself in social environments and three weeks prior to meeting with someone from Working for a Healthy Economy, had attempted to take her own life. Anne participated in anxiety management using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and started seeing friends again socially. She also took up volunteering as a step towards employment. (*Name has been changed) Sub-Outcome 3A: Our young people, disabled people and women have access to training and employment. Equal Supported Employment Programme Our Equal Supported Employment Service provide opportunities for those with disabilities where their academic achievement has been prohibitive to their career development. It is accepted that to progress within a chosen career, academic study is required to progress within a high number of fields. By providing practical experience, it is anticipated that those with neuro diverse disabilities will have the ability to progress towards fulfilling long term employment. To support this process practical training via the Royal Horticultural Society Awards scheme (RHSA) provides participants with a solid certificate of their achievements and work experience in a horticultural environment. 3.2 Key Actions Supporting this Outcome • To offer candidates the opportunity of paid work experience in the Horticulture industry whilst working alongside several local organisations creating a Community Garden. • To provide additional practical training via the Royal Horticultural Society awards scheme which should result in solid knowledge and experience for future permanent employment within the Horticulture industry. 116
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Page 29 of 37 Equality Outcomes Progress During 2021, the Equal Supported Employment team were successful in setting up a horticultural programme at Eglinton Park in Irvine. The programme supports small groups of people through paid work experience, to gain the skills and confidence of working in this type of environment and to build their workplace skills in general. This resulted in: • 26 residents attending over three courses, with 16 competing the course and 10 still ongoing at the time of writing. • Of the 16 people who have completed the work experience, six have moved into full time employment; four started volunteering; one progressed to university; two progressed to college and two moved to further providers for additional support. • In relation to the Royal Horticultural Society award scheme, 10 participants achieved a full pass in the RCHS modules and an additional seven achieved SQA units in Horticulture. Key neurodiverse conditions supported include people with Autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disability, mental health issues, Cerebral Palsy and partial sightedness. Positive feedback was received from every person participating in the scheme, with general comments stating that it was an excellent experience and a positive educational result for everyone involved. Moving forward, in-work support will continue for all those that are in employment and volunteering, this will provide continued support for all clients to ensure further career progression. Case Study 1 – Steven’s Story Steven* joined Equal shortly after leaving school. He quickly progressed as a Trainee Horticulture Assistant at Eglinton Garden. His dyslexia had caused him problems throughout his learning and we adapted learning styles to suit. He worked really hard with his advisor to progress through his training and this ensured that he achieved his Grow and Learn Certification from the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. During his six months paid work experience Steven became a valuable team member and specialised in using heavier garden machinery such as a petrol driven strimmer and mower and he began to express an interest in working with heavy machinery. An opportunity arose through Kickstart within Bridgend Garage for a trainee and Steven applied for and successfully gained the job. He was still concerned that his dyslexia would be an obstacle, however his advisor worked with both him and Bridgend Training staff to ensure a smooth transition into work. Equal advisors continued to support and ensured that his 6 months went smoothly. Management was trained and staff awareness sessions were held at the employer’s premises. After his six-month contract had ended, Steven was taken on full time in a permanent position and has progressed from being quiet and reserved to become much more confident. Equal continue to work with Steven behind the scenes and are always on call should the need arise. (*Name has been changed.) 117
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Page 30 of 37 Equality Outcomes Case Study 2 – Nadine’s Story Nadine* came to EQUAL straight from school and was appointed an advisor right away. During her appointments with her Advisor, Nadine advised that she was looking for a Modern Apprenticeship in Business Administration as she had a keen interest in this and possessed strong Microsoft skills she wanted to develop further. Nadine was confident in applying for a Modern Apprenticeship position with North Ayrshire Council and achieved an interview pretty quickly. She was successful in gaining a post within the Health and Social Care Partnership. Her Advisor contacted her new manager to advise of the role that EQUAL could provide. She also arranged for an Access to Work assessment to be carried out to support Nadine’s disability. During COVID and the restricted return to work period afterwards Nadine’s new department was not fully manned and teams were struggling to support Nadine at work every day. Her Advisor attended office three days per week for an initial period of three months to support with duties and empower Nadine when using systems and scanning of complex files. Nadine completed her apprenticeship and achieved an SVQ in Office Admin. She became a confident employee and gained new skills. She has since secured an Office Administrator job within another department within North Ayrshire Council. Her Advisor continues to support with new office duties including inventory of property and answering a busy telephone enquiry line and she provides this support one morning per week. Nadine continues to gain new skills including customer service in her new role. One of her new tasks is the responsibility for petty cash, however as Nadine does not have any experience using money, her Advisor requested additional support from North Ayrshire Council’s Community Development Tutor to provide numeracy tutoring. Nadine‘s confidence continues to grow from strength to strength and her Advisor has formed an excellent relationship with her manager keeping in touch with both on a regular basis. Nadine ‘s Advisor also works closely with Nadine’s parents ensuring that they are kept informed of all the support being provided to Nadine. “We were introduced to ' Equal' through Nadine’s school to offer support in her transition from school to the workplace. This is a big step for any school leaver but particularly for someone with Autism like Nadine. Not forgetting that this had been a very uncertain time and home schooling was now happening. Equal have been an amazing source of support for not only Nadine but also for us as parents. They built a relationship with Nadine through video chats and were very focused on her as an individual. This was then followed on to provide support within the workplace when Nadine first started her apprenticeship. So valuable for both Nadine and her workplace. A new environment, learning a brand new job and meeting new people can be very overwhelming for most and it was a lifeline for Nadine having someone she knew to offer support.” – Nadine’s Mother. (*Name has been changed.) 118
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Page 31 of 37 Equality Outcomes Sub-Outcome 3B - To continue to embed UNCRC across schools in North Ayrshire to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity in our schools and the wider community Rights Respecting Schools The UNICEF UK Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) supports schools across the UK to embed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into their ethos practice and culture. The output from taking this work forward is that all schools across North Ayrshire would be registered as a Rights Respecting School. This approach would lead to the embedding of children’s rights across the curriculum and within child protection and additional support needs practices. 3.3 Key actions supporting this Outcome • Support the embedding of children’s rights across the curriculum and within Child Protection and Additional Support Needs practices. Progress Over 90% (92%) of schools have embarked on the RRSA journey within North Ayrshire Council. This compares extremely favourably to the national picture of 68% of all Scottish schools involved in the RRS programme. A very small percentage have not engaged in the program (8%, four schools) but all continue to promote rights through their vision values and aims and Additional Support Needs work. Key results include: • An increase in schools achieving Bronze Status - 25% (13 schools) are at Bronze level. • An increase in schools achieving Silver Status - 48% (25 schools) are at Silver Status, an increase of 2 schools since our 2020 report.* • An increase in Schools achieving Gold Status - 19% (10 schools) are at Gold Status; an increase of 6 schools since our 2020 report. *This figure is offset with the increase from four to 10 schools achieving the Gold award. A high number of schools are approaching reaccreditation, UNICEF charge to submit for reaccreditation, which has now been made easier due to funding provided by the Scottish Government until 2024. Children’s Rights and Child Protection and Additional Support Needs Children and young people’s rights are recognised in line with revised child protection and additional support needs legislation. All schools in North Ayrshire would recognise these processes and build in the ‘young person’s voice’ in child protection and additional support needs planning. This is reflected in Article 12 of the UNCRC. 3.4 Key Actions Supporting this Outcome • Implement the Children and Young People’s voice in Child Protection and Additional Support Needs planning • Respect for the views of the child (Article 12 of the UNCRC: ‘Children and Young People have the right to speak up and have their opinions listened to and be taken seriously.’) Through this aim of capturing and reflecting the ‘young person’s voice’ employees have been engaging with young people through additional support needs (ASN), child protection and young carers meetings. All teams are aware of the need to reflect the voice of the child or young person in realisation of Article 12 UNCRC. A variety of voice gathering tools have been developed through our nurture approach including nurture bricks approach for primary and a pupil voice template for secondary. These in addition to those tools found in the national practice model. 119
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Page 32 of 37 Equality Outcomes Progress Almost all, 90% plus of children, have their voice recognised in decisions affecting their lives, this is a key measure around ensuring children have had the chance to input into decisions affecting their lives. All additional support for learning child and young people plans sampled contain the views of our children and young people. This process is also reflected in child protection planning for children and young people. Education continues to work closely with the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to strengthen this still further and through revised child protection practice as a result of the Inspection of Children’s Services. The voice of our children and young people is part of educational policy development through a process of realising Children’s Rights. Mentors in Violence Prevention Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) is a peer mentoring programme that gives young people the chance to explore and challenge the attitudes, beliefs and cultural norms that underpin gender-based violence, bullying and other forms of violence. 3.5 Key Actions Supporting this Outcome • Establish the Mentors in Violence Programme in two secondaries, followed by further secondaries. Progress From an initial target of two schools participating in the Mentors in Violence Programme (MVP) programme, eight out of nine secondary schools are now taking part in MVP during 22/23. Over 60 employees have been trained and over 200 young people in North Ayrshire are MVP mentors delivering learning to hundreds of young people in our schools. Mentors are developing leadership, exploring violence through a gendered lens, using a bystander approach, exploring the scope of violent behaviour and challenging victim blaming. Employees and mentors are working together to increase communication and to our young people in becoming active by-standers. Leadership accreditation is being sought in several schools using MVP as evidence of these skills in action. Early indications from schools show that mentors are confidently delivering lessons to junior classes. There is a greater shared understanding of issues related to gender-based violence and bullying. The programme has been welcomed in all participating schools. Sub-outcome 3C - Our young LGBT people feel supported and have access to improved digital platforms and sources of support. 3.6 Key actions supporting this Outcome • Create digital space for our young people who identify as LGBT with support staff to support LGBT and separate space for trans young people. • Regular digital support and information sessions with information and guest speakers for both our young people and parents and carers 120
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Page 33 of 37 Equality Outcomes • Connected Communities (Youth) have signed up to achieve the LGBT Silver Charter Mark – which includes specific LGBT Awareness and Trans Awareness training for all staff. • Regular Social Media content that shares support and resources for LGBT+ through all our social media channels – linking into local and national support. Progress The Connected Communities Team has submitted evidence to LGBT Youth Scotland for the Silver LGBT Chartermark. The Chartermark asks organisations to focus on inclusion in relation to LGBT issues and covers aspect of training and awareness raising and policy and practice within organisations. Planning and facilitation of employee information sharing twilight sessions have taken place which aims to improve inclusive practice across our Council’s Connected Communities Team. As part of the work towards submitting evidence, a group of employees volunteered to provide support to the LGBT Silver Charter Mark Journey. The group have been meeting quarterly to discuss LGBT support within each of the North Ayrshire localities and feed this back into an LGBT Action Plan. The group has representatives from each locality and from the Modern Apprenticeship Programme. They have been instrumental in providing evidence and support for the LGBT Silver Charter Portfolio North Ayrshire now has four active LGBTQI Youth group provisions that meet weekly in the Garnock Valley, Kilwinning, North Coast and Irvine. Members of the group have been proactive in participating in a range of activities, including, • In the North Coast, 10 Young people ran an LGBT bake sale to make LGBT issues more openly discussed in the secondary school. Open discussions with campus officers were held to discuss ‘dead naming’ (calling a transgender person by their birth name after they changed their name due to their gender transition) and putting pronouns on registration forms. • In Kilwinning, seven young people worked on an LGBT basic 'introduction to (LGBT) terms' leaflet that will be displayed in Kilwinning library. • The Garnock Valley group started in April 2022, with eight regular attendees, and attended the Arran Pride event in July. Although numbers have reduced since then, work continues to keep the group active. Our Council continues to support awareness of LGBT History month. A full LGBT campaign was created throughout February that was pushed out though all of our social media channels. This included national signposting, promotion of the LGBTQI Youth Group and promotion of Hate Crime Reporting, mental health support and more. Our Council also supported the first Arran Pride event that took place in July 2022 and will continue to support this event moving forward. Sub-outcome 3D - Support the integration of our refugee population into life in North Ayrshire. 3.7 Key actions supporting this Outcome • Create refugee-led groups at a local level. • Enable collective identification of issues and engagement with services. • Build knowledge and skills for organisational development such as governance, employing staff, asset transfer and registering as a charity. • Assess and meet the needs of refugee community members. 121
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Page 34 of 37 Equality Outcomes • Facilitate the participation of refugees in forums as well as other activities of local authorities and other public bodies. Progress A refugee lead community group called the Spike Wheat Scots, has been set up and hosts a community hub from Whitehurst Park community centre in Kilwinning. The group is now a key holder at the premises and the Community Learning and Development (CLD) new Scots team, other Council services, external organisations and volunteers all help to support the delivery of the group. A Ukrainian guest led community group has been set up and hosts a community hub from Cranberrymoss community centre in Kilwinning and is supported in a similar manner to the Spike Wheat Scots group. The group has engaged with the Department of Work and Pensions to provide a weekly drop in for Ukrainian guests, supporting them with employability issues. A programme of activities has been developed, including input from Police Scotland, information sessions on Halloween and Guy Faulks night and supporting the group with governance. The CLD team support refugee youth activities including a girls Duke of Edinburgh group, a boys group, girls football, boys football, SWANS (girls only youth group), and dance group in partnership with Y-Dance and we have one refugee who was voted in as a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament. Through the Spike Wheats Scots group an adults football group is now running as well. We are in discussions with the Scottish Football Association and Street Soccer regarding coaching qualifications and games. The CLD New Scots team currently has one refugee as a core member of staff. They also have one refugee and three Ukrainian guests on their sessional employee list. A language café is hosted monthly that brings together all our New Scots to help them improve their spoken English and engage with other New Scot learners. In partnership with East and South Ayrshire as part of the Pan Ayrshire English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) working group we are piloting a language learning platform and generating content and really promoting independent learning including the ESOL and other organisations including the Perth, Yemeni community. We are also in the final stages of being able to offer a community interpreting qualification. Future work includes a joint bid with ‘Think Outside the Box’ that has been submitted to the National Lottery to work on a woman’s only project specifically targeting Arabic women. Equality Outcome 4 – In Ayrshire public bodies will be inclusive and diverse employers Sub-Outcome 4A - Our BAME, disabled and LGBT+ employees have safe and supportive work environments to thrive, and we are seen as an employer of choice 4.1 Key actions supporting this Outcome • Explore with colleagues the desire to establish a Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employee network either locally or with employees from South and East Ayrshire Council. • Following the successful introduction of an Employee Disability Forum, explore with the workforce the desire to establish an employee LGBT+ staff network. 122
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Page 35 of 37 Equality Outcomes Progress During 2022, colleagues from North, South and East Ayrshire Council areas collaborated on an approach to establish a Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employee forum. The partners felt that due to the relatively low number of minority ethnic employees across all organisation, (0.83% of total workforce for North Ayrshire in our last report), creating a combined group across the three Ayrshire Local Authorities would make the group viable. The main aim of the group was to establish a safe and supportive environment for employees from a BAME background that would also act as a consultative forum to help inform Council processes. The group has had three meetings between June – December 2022 and is still in its forming stage. Of the 18 employees involved, three were Equality Officers from each of the three Council areas, one Human Resource Officer and an EIS Union representative, both from North Ayrshire. Of the remaining number, 10 employees were from North Ayrshire, two from South Ayrshire and one from East Ayrshire. At the second meeting a chairperson was nominated from within the group and draft Terms of Reference were considered. General feedback was that the Terms of Reference required further work to make them more focused on the needs of the group and a group member agreed to do some further research which will be progressed during 2023. The establishment of an LGBT+ forum has been delayed until 2023/24 to ensure the BAME forum is well established. 4.2 Key Actions Supporting this Outcome This action is around recognising the benefits of a more diverse and inclusive organisational culture and determining how and where we advertise our vacancies to ensure best coverage and access to everyone within our communities. The key action is: • Contact specialist organisations to seek opportunities to advertise our vacancies to a more diverse range of candidates. Progress Vacancies for positions within the Council are advertised through the MyJobScotland website, which is the national shared recruitment portal for Scotland’s 32 local authorities, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Further and Higher Education Institutes. Although this is generally an accessible platform, concerns have been raised nationally at groups such as the Scottish Council Equality Network that some individuals across Scotland might not be aware of or necessarily have the required skills to apply for a position using this platform. To help expand the promotion of Council vacancies to as wide an audience as possible, our North Ayrshire Council vacancy portal is now promoted on the Care and Support North Ayrshire (CARENA) site. The CARENA site provides a range of information on accessing care services, community groups, employability and self-directed support. This is in addition to promotion through social medic platforms such as Linked in and Facebook. Our Employability team liaises with specialist partners such as CEIS Ayrshire, who are an organisation that focus on creating a more inclusive economy and support individuals, communities, businesses and prospective candidates throughout North Ayrshire and across Scotland. Information provided by our Council Resources team show a spread of applicants across various platforms (Table 1 below), however by far the highest number of applications was directly via the MyJobScotland Portal. This is not unexpected, as it is the main platform for the public sector. Further work will be carried out to determine if information can be gathered by protected characteristic by platform to determine if there are any trends in how people are seeking a position within our Council. Although the table below highlights where people are viewing adverts, these will direct the applicant to the MyJobScotland portal, where they will be required to go through the form on the portal; for some applicants, completing the form itself may be challenging and wider support mechanisms on the completion of the form may be a future consideration for public sector organisations. 123
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Page 36 of 37 Equality Outcomes Table 1 Number of Applicants per platform (snapshot Q3 2022) Source July August Sept Total CARENA Website 0 1 3 4 Facebook 12 44 21 77 LinkedIn 11 9 8 28 MyJobScotland (directly/alerts) 834 1913 1623 4370 Newspaper/journal 0 1 1 2 Poster 0 2 1 3 Radio 0 1 0 1 Twitter 4 1 3 8 Word of Mouth 115 276 208 599 Other 56 132 111 299 Total 1032 2380 1979 5391 Equality Sub-Outcome 4B - Enhanced opportunities for people with communication difficulties to fully express their skills, personality and ability as part of the application process for employment and skills development programmes. Key Actions Supporting this Outcome • Pilot the See Me CV initiative with Modern Apprentice roles and review to potentially open across the Council for all disabled individuals. • Following successful pilot of the See Me CV Scheme we will consider the longer term roll out of the programme. Progress The See Me CV process was initially set up through the Equal Supported Employment programme in order for clients with disabilities to show their capabilities, skills and a flavour of their personality behind the CV that would hopefully see employers invite them to interview. This online process would support the written CV, especially for people who are not always confident about expressing themselves on paper. The See Me CV Programme was introduced to our Council in 2022 and has become a permanent feature of the Modern Apprentice Programme. It also provides recruiting managers a flavour of the applicant’s personality. There continues to be steady uptake on the See Me CV where applicants feel this alternative route would be helpful. In support of this programme, all Recruiting Managers are fully briefed on the programme and how this should be implemented in practice. In addition, guidance is available for all candidates on what is required and where to access supports if needed. 124
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Page 37 of 37 Equality Outcomes Equality Sub-Outcome 4C - Our understanding of race employment issues is improved to ensure we maintain robust employment practices Key Actions Supporting this Outcome • Review of recruitment procedures to adopt an anonymised statement process prior to interview. • Review the ‘My Connections’ videos for diversity content. • Encourage North Ayrshire Council employees to update their personal HR records. • Carry out an organisational assessment of race and racism. • Review our Equality training around Race in conjunction with Scottish Government Guidelines. Progress Current recruitment procedures through the MyJobScotland portal mean that interview panels do not get to see any personal demographic information of the applicant and only the information directly on the application form, including the applicant’s name is visible. COSLA who own the MyJobScotland portal, are aiming to create a feature within the process that would allow the application to remain completely anonymous. The ‘My connections’ videos are short videos of our employees explaining their views on working for our Council. These have been reviewed with some updates to try and reflect more of the diversity of our workforce. A video of our Sensory Impairment Manager, who is registered blind, has been loaded onto the Council’s MyJobScotland portal. Further work is required to continue to encourage other employees from diverse backgrounds to share their experience of working for our Council. This will continue into 2023/24. The Human Resources team carried out an exercise to encourage employees who had not updated their personal records to do so on our systems. During Autumn/Winter 2021, 900 employees were asked to complete an Equal Opportunities Survey, encouraging them to update their ethnicity and disability status on the HR records system. The communication explained the importance of holding accurate employee data and ensured employees are fully aware of the requirements as to why the Council holds this data. The survey was positively received, with 350 employees updating their records. This increase in employees updating their records led to a fall in the % not disclosing, in turn this provides more confidence when analysing the data. It was agreed that this exercise would be repeated every two years and other protected characteristics would be considered. In 2022, the Ayrshire Equality Partnership commissioned the Coalition for Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations (CEMVO) to deliver Cultural Awareness training for the partners. The training covered national and local statistics for ethnic minority groups, concepts such as unconscious bias, institutional racism and engaging with ethnic minority communities. Following the training the partners are considering an approach to develop in-house awareness training and also reflect shared knowledge and training following a wider scoping exercise carried out by the Scottish Council Equality Network. 125
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Page 38 of 37 For further information please contact: The Corporate Policy, Performance and Elections Team Tel: 01294 310000 Email: NorthAyrshirePerforms@north-ayrshire.gov.uk 126
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Eq ualities Mainstreaming and Outcomes Report Appendix 2 Employee Statistics 2021 and 2022 127
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To view the Equalities Mainstreaming and Outcomes Report Employee Statistics, please click here. 128
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For further information please contact: The Corporate Policy, Performance and Elections Team Tel: 01294 310000 Email: NorthAyrshirePerforms@north-ayrshire.gov.uk 129
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: Appointment of Older People’s Champion Purpose: To consider the appointment of an Older People’s Champion following the resignation of the previous representative. Recommendation: To agree a replacement Member as Older People’s Champion. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The Cabinet on 7 June 2022, appointed Elected Members as Champions in a number of areas, namely Carers, Young People, Veterans, Mental Health and Older People. 1.2 A vacancy has arisen for the role of Older People’s Champion. This report recommends that Cabinet considers appointing another Elected Member as Older People’s Champion following the resignation of the previous representative, Councillor Donald L. Reid. 2. Background 2.1 The rationale for the creation of a Champion position recognises the specific needs and wishes of communities with special interests across North Ayrshire. These communities span geographical boundaries and, often, portfolio briefs. It is therefore important that individuals and communities with special interests have a clear conduit into the Council along with an identified Elected Member who will act as an Ambassador and Advocate for them. 2.2 The role of Older People’s Champion has become vacant following the resignation of Councillor Donald L Reid. Appointing another Councillor to the role will ensure that there is an Elected Member in place as the named advocate to support, listen to and understand the needs of older people across the full range of Council services. The role of the Champion is to work with groups of citizens to understand their needs and to advocate on their behalf in relation to how services are delivered. 3. Proposals 3.1 It is recommended that Cabinet approves the appointment of another Elected Member as the Older People’s Champion. Agenda Item 7 131
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4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 None arising from this report. Human Resources 4.2 None arising from this report. Legal 4.3 None arising from this report. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 The appointment of Champions supports the Council’s equalities work. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 None arising from this report. Key Priorities 4.6 The appointment supports the Council’s strategic priorities which underpins delivery of the Council Plan. Community Wealth Building 4.7 Not applicable. 5. Consultation 5.1 Consultation has taken place with Elected Members. Aileen Craig Head of Democratic Services For further information please contact Craig Stewart, Committee Services Officer , on 01294 324130 email: craigstewart@north-ayrshire.gov.uk Background Papers -- 132
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: Revenue Budget 2022/23 : Financial Performance to 31 March 2023 Purpose: To advise Cabinet of the financial performance for the Council for 2022/23. Recommendation: That Cabinet agrees to: (a) note the information and financial outturn position outlined in the report; (b) approve the earmarking of £3.524m identified at 2.5 to meet future year commitments; (c) note the transfer of the net in-year underspend of £1.524m to support the Roads Maintenance budget and the Energy Smart scheme, as approved by Council; (d) note the financial performance of the Health and Social Care Partnership highlighted at 2.6; (e) note the deficit position of KA Leisure; (f) note the virements detailed in Appendix 7. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The General Services Revenue Estimates for 2022/23 were approved by Council on 2 March 2022. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Revenue Budget for 2022/23 was approved by Council on 16 February 2022. 1.2 As part of the monitoring procedures to keep the Cabinet informed of the financial performance of the Council, financial performance reports are presented on a regular basis. This is the final report for 2022/23 and covers the period to the end of March 2023 (Period 12). This is the final financial performance information on which the annual accounts for the Council will be prepared. 1.3 At Period 12 the General Fund is reporting a net in-year underspend of (£1.524m), (0.4%), after transferring resources to/from earmarked reserves. This is an increase of (£0.601m) from that reported at Period 10 and is primarily related to cost reductions arising from industrial action by teaching staff during February and March 2023. As approved by Council on 1 March 2023, £1.000m of this underspend will be utilised to supplement the Council’s Roads Maintenance Programme for 2023/24 with the balance utilised to support the Energy Smart scheme. Agenda Item 8 133
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1.4 The Housing Revenue Account is reporting a net in-year breakeven position, after transferring resources to/from earmarked reserves. This is a movement of £0.239m from the underspend reported at Period 10. The movement is primarily related to increased Bad Debt Provision, revised Capital Charges and the under recovery of Recharge income. This has been offset by a draw on HRA Balances. 1.5 At Period 10 the Health and Social Care Partnership reported a projected underspend of (£1.181m) and work is ongoing to confirm the final outturn position for the year, the HSCP awaits final confirmation of the NHS budget outturn. It is anticipated that the Integration Joint Board (IJB) will carry forward this underspend reserves for use in future years, resulting in an in-year net breakeven position for the HSCP. 1.6 KA Leisure has yet to finalise their year-end position. However, a net trading deficit is anticipated for 2022/23 and funding to support a breakeven position will be drawn from previously approved earmarked funds. 2. Background General Fund 2.1 The Council set a breakeven budget for 2022/23. In addition to the budget approved on 2 March 2022, earmarked funds of £31.875m were carried forward from 2021/22 for service expenditure in 2022/23 and are reflected in the figures within the 2022/23 financial performance reports as they are drawn down. 2.2 The reported net in-year underspend is (£1.524m), net of transfers to/from reserves. This represent 0.4% of the Council’s total General Fund revenue budget. As approved by Council on 1 March 2023, £1.0m of this underspend will be earmarked for the Roads Maintenance budget in 2023/24 and the balance will be applied to support the Energy Smart scheme. 134
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2.3 The following table details the final position on a service by service basis: 2.4 The reported Aggregate External Finance within Planned Income includes a number of adjustments to Scottish Government funding from that reported at Period 10, as detailed in the following table: App. No Annual Budget Actual Outturn to 31 March 2023 Variance for year (Fav)/Adv Projected Variance at P10 (Fav)/Adv Movement Request for Carry Forward Approved @ P10 New Requests for Carry Forward Variance for Year After Carry Forward (Fav)/Adv Service Expenditure £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's Chief Executive's 1 26,560 25,702 (858) (394) (464) 233 327 (298) Communities 2 176,746 171,407 (5,339) (3,222) (2,117) 2,184 1,419 (1,736) Place 3 54,485 55,384 899 2,196 (1,297) 286 645 1,830 Other Corporate Services 4 18,441 15,407 (3,034) (3,199) 165 959 1,133 (942) Sub Total 276,232 267,900 (8,332) (4,619) (3,713) 3,662 3,524 (1,146) Health and Social Care Partnership 120,549 120,549 - - - - - - Balance for Services 396,781 388,449 (8,332) (4,619) (3,713) 3,662 3,524 (1,146) Financing Charges 5 20,077 20,077 - - - - - - Contribution to Loans Fund Reserve 5 7,125 7,125 - - - - Total Planned Expenditure 423,983 415,651 (8,332) (4,619) (3,713) 3,662 3,524 (1,146) Planned Income Aggregate External Finance 5 (348,966) (348,950) 16 - 16 - - 16 Council Tax 5 (61,595) (61,989) (394) 34 (428) - - (394) Contribution to Capital Fund 5 161 161 - - - - - - Contribution to/from Earmarked Funds 5 (13,583) (13,583) - - - - - - Total Planned Income (423,983) (424,361) (378) 34 (412) - - (378) - (8,710) (8,710) (4,585) (4,125) 3,662 3,524 (1,524)Net Expenditure/ (Income) Non Domestic Rates Specific Grants TOTAL AEF £000's £000's £000's Revised Budget 31 January 2023 (288,560) (37,512) (21,259) (347,331) Movements: Scottish Child Bridging Payments (additional) (28) (28) 22/23 Teachers Pay Award (1,751) (1,751) DHP Accrual (373) (373) PEF Carried Forward to 23-24 442 442 CJSW Funding Adjustment 75 75 Final Scottish Government Income (290,712) (37,512) (20,742) (348,966) General Revenue Grant £000's 135
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2.5 Commentary on Significant Movements from the Approved Budget Detailed explanations of the significant variances in service expenditure compared to the approved budgets, together with information on funding to be carried forward to support expenditure during 2023/24, are provided in appendices 1 to 5 to this report. A full list of the proposed carry forward of earmarked funds is included at Appendix 5. A brief explanation of the significant movements for each service since Period 10 is outlined as follows: (i) Chief Executive’s – underspend of (£0.858m), an increase of (£0.464m) from the previously reported underspend. The movement since Period 10 is primarily related to: • Reduced Sheriff Officers’ commission costs, (£0.180m); • Reduced expenditure on LAN and software licenses, (£0.052m); and • Vacancy management across services, (£0.073m). It is requested that £0.327m of the projected underspend is earmarked to support anticipated additional expenditure in relation to the Scottish Welfare Fund, based on current levels of demand continuing into 2023/24. (ii) Communities – underspend of (£5.339m), an increase of (£2.117m) from the previously reported underspend. The movement since Period 10 is primarily related to: • Additional impact of industrial action by Teachers, (£0.486m); • Net teaching and non-teaching staff turnover, (£0.478m); • Lower than anticipated expenditure across Connected Communities Supplies & Services and Third Party Payments, (£0.327m); • Lower than anticipated expenditure on Early Learning and Childcare funded providers due to a lower than anticipated uptake of places, (£0.200m); • Reduced expenditure on residential childcare placements, (£0.170m); • Increased Facilities Management Income, (£0.125m); and • Lower than anticipated expenditure on Cost of the School Day, (£0.065m). It is requested that a further £1.419m is earmarked to support anticipated additional expenditure during 2023/24, including: • Classroom Assistant workforce review as part of the Supporting Needs national review process, £0.600m; • Additional funding to support Ukrainian Resettlement teaching costs, £0.259m, and Youth modern Apprentices, £0.038m; • Essential boiler and pool plant investment at Auchenharvie pool, £0.258m; • The ongoing implementation of the expansion of ELC to 1140 hrs to help address future funding reductions, £0.200m; and • Additional Cost of the School Day funds due to delays in procurement process for purchase of clothing stock for uniform exchanges in schools, £0.064m; 136
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Virements in relation to the realignment of Information and Culture budget lines have been included within Appendix 7. (iii) Place – overspend of £0.899m, a reduction of (£1.297m) from the previously reported overspend. The net movement since Period 10 is primarily related to: • Lower expenditure on gas and electricity, (£0.426m); • Increased income across Planning and Building Control, (£0.352m); • Lower expenditure on temporary accommodation furniture and fittings and repairs, (£0.187m); • Revised General Fund Housing arrears and bad debt provisions, (£0.157m); and • Lower expenditure in relation to the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan, (£0.107m). These have been partly offset by additional recharges in relation to Sheltered Housing Unit community hubs, £0.233m. It is requested that a further £0.645m is earmarked to support anticipated additional expenditure during 2023/24, including: • Provision for outstanding Covid related leave entitlement within Waste Services to fund backfill arrangements, £0.177m; • Support for delayed furniture and fittings purchases across Temporary Accommodation properties £0.117m and £0.173m in relation to the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan linked to the 5 year RRTP delivery programme; and • Funding to support the Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Scheme, £0.075m, and Trading Standards and Economic Regeneration staffing, £0.080m. In addition, a £0.023m underspend in Largs Car Park will be ring fenced to support Largs Car par activities. Virements in relation to the realignment of income budgets within Roads, Regeneration and PMI have been included within Appendix 7. (iv) Other Corporate Items – underspend of (£3.039m), a reduction of £0.165m from the previously reported underspend. The movement since Period 10 is primarily related to the in-year settlement of outstanding HSCP debt, £0.834m, partly offset by a range of centrally held funds which have not been fully utilised in year, (£0.661m). It is requested that a further £1.133m is earmarked to support anticipated additional expenditure during 2023/24, including: • Provision for contractual electricity and gas prices following recent notification of pass through costs from energy providers for 2023/24, £0.870m; • Contribution to Loans Fund Reserves to address ongoing significant cost pressures in the Capital Programme, £0.512m; 137
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• Provision for the review of Democratic Services’ structures linked to workload pressures, £0.250m; • Business continuity resilience infrastructure to ensure provision across localities, £0.100m; • Scottish Government Funding not fully utilised in year, £0.156m • Previously approved budget allocation to support future service delivery in relation to the CCTV Review, £0.050m; and • Essential repairs to Irvine Harbour property, £0.029m. (v) Council Tax – overrecovery of (£0.394m), a movement of (£0.428m) from the previously reported underrecovery. The movement since Period 10 is primarily related to an adjustment to the historical contribution to the Affordable Housing Reserve. Health and Social Care Partnership 2.6 The final HSCP financial performance report for the year will be presented to the Integration Joint Board on 15 June 2023 and will outline the 2022/23 financial performance in more detail. At Period 10 the HSCP reported a projected underspend of (£1.181m) and work is ongoing to confirm the final outturn position for the year, with the HSCP awaiting final confirmation of the NHS budget outturn. It is anticipated that the IJB will carry forward this underspend in reserves for use in future years, resulting in an in-year net breakeven position for the HSCP. The IJB supported in March 2023 as part of the 2023-24 budget approval, the earmarking of the 2022-23 in-year underspend to be held in a reserve to support service transformation to assist with the delivery of future efficiencies and cost reduction, including the costs associated with future Voluntary Early Release (VER) of staff. During 2022/23, £2.320m, set aside by North Ayrshire Council, has been applied to make full and final repayment of the IJB’s deficit to the Council. Housing Revenue Account 2.7 The Housing Revenue Account budgeted for a breakeven position in 2022/23. A net in-year breakeven position, net of transfers to/from reserves, has been reported. This is a movement of £0.239m from the previously reported underspend position and is summarised in the following table with further details provided in Appendix 6. 138
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2.8 Commentary Significant Movements from the Revised Budget Detailed explanations of the significant variances in expenditure compared to the approved budgets are provided in appendix 6 to this report. A brief explanation of the significant movements for each service since Period 10 is outlined as follows: (i) Property Costs – overspend of £1.683m, an increase of £0.122m from the previously reported overspend The movement is primarily related to increased expenditure on: • Responsive Repairs, £0.129m; • Void Repairs, £0.233m; and • Other Property Costs, £0.215m, which is primarily related to Sheltered Housing utilities. These have been partly offset by reduced expenditure on Planned and Cyclical Maintenance, (£0.427m). (ii) Administration Costs – underspend of (£0.341m), an increase of (£0.258m) from the previously reported underspend The movement is primarily related to lower than anticipated expenditure on Central Support Costs, £0.177m. (iii) Third Party Payments – overspend of £0.210m, an increase of £0.061m from the previously reported overspend The movement is primarily related to an increase in Housing Asset and Investment recharges, £0.086m. Annual Budget Actual Outturn to 31 March 2023 Variance for year (Fav)/Adv Projected Variance at P10 (Fav)/Adv Movement Note £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's Employee Costs 5,300 5,290 (10) - (10) Property Costs 18,850 20,533 1,683 1,561 122 (i) Supplies & Services 451 374 (77) (120) 43 Transport Costs 34 16 (18) (10) (8) Administration Costs 1,881 1,540 (341) (84) (257) (ii) Third Party Payments 2,550 2,760 210 149 61 (iii) Transfer Payments 155 136 (19) - (19) Other Expenditure 368 836 468 (36) 504 (iv) Capital Financing Costs 25,264 23,527 (1,737) (2,068) 331 (v) Gross Expenditure 54,853 55,012 159 (608) 767 Income (54,853) (54,038) 815 369 446 (vi) Utilisation of Reserves - (974) (974) - (974) (vii) Income (54,853) (55,012) (159) 369 (528) Net Expenditure - - - (239) 239 139
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(iv) Other Expenditure – overspend of £0.468m, a movement of £0.504m from the previously reported underspend The movement is primarily related to increased provision of Bad Debts, £0.497m. (v) Capital Financing Costs – underspend of (£1.737m), a reduction of £0.331m from the previously reported underspend The movement is primarily related to revised loan charges reflecting expenditure on the HRA Capital Programme. (vi) Income – underrecovery of £0.815m, an increase of £0.446m from the previously reported underrecovery The movement is primarily related to the under recovery of Recharge Income £0.397m. (vii) Utilisation of Reserves – overrecovery of (£0.974m), an increase of (£0.974m) from the previously reported position The movement is related to the drawdown of £0.974m from earmarked reserves to offset the reported overspend across the HRA. 3. Proposals 3.1 It is proposed that Cabinet agrees to: (a) note the information and financial outturn position outlined in the report; (b) approve the earmarking of £3.524m identified at 2.5 to meet future year commitments; (c) note the transfer of the net in -year underspend of £1.524m to support the Roads Maintenance budget and the Energy Smart scheme, as approved by Council; (d) note the financial performance of the Health and Social Care Partnership highlighted at 2.6; (e) note the deficit position of KA Leisure; (f) note the drawdown of HRA reserves identified at 2.7; (g) note the virements detailed in Appendix 7. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 General Services The final outturn position for the year is an underspend of (£1.524m) which will be applied to support the Roads maintenance budget and the Energy Smart scheme as approved by Council. Housing Revenue Account The final outturn position for the year is a net breakeven position after the draw down of HRA earmarked reserves. Human Resources 4.2 None. 140
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Legal 4.3 None. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 None. Environmental and Sustainability 4.5 None. Key Priorities 4.6 This report directly supports the Council Plan 2019 to 2024 by maximising resources and providing value for money to support financially sustainable delivery models. Community Wealth Building 4.7 None. 5. Consultation 5.1 Progress as outlined in this report has been approved by Executive Directors. Mark Boyd Head of Service (Finance) For further information please contact David Forbes, Senior Manager (Strategic Business Partner), on 01294 324551. Background Papers Revenue Budget 2022/23 : Financial Performance to 31 January 2023 - Cabinet 21 March 2023 141
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Appendix 1 CHIEF EXECUTIVES BUDGETARY CONTROL 2022/23 REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023 Objective Summary Annual Budget Actual Outturn Annual Variance Adverse or (Favourable) % Variance Note No £000 £000 £000 Chief Executive's Office Chief Executive's Office 147 156 9 6% Total for Chief Executive's Office 147 156 9 6% Financial Services Change Programme 109 109 - 0% Audit, Fraud, Safety & Insurance 703 675 (28) (4%) Corporate Procurement 1,080 910 (170) (16%) 1 Financial Services 1,533 1,487 (46) (3%) Revenues (289) (462) (173) 60% 2 Transformation 745 753 8 1% Total for Financial Services 3,881 3,472 (409) (11%) People & ICT Employee Services 999 981 (18) (2%) 3 HR & Organisational Development 1,207 1,205 (2) (0%) ICT 5,777 5,547 (230) (4%) 4 Business Support 1,537 1,537 - 0% Customer Services 8,623 8,645 22 0% 5 Total for People & ICT 18,143 17,915 (228) (1%) Democratic Services Legal & Licensing 745 705 (40) (5%) Policy, Performance & Elections 489 407 (82) (17%) 6 Communications 493 473 (20) (4%) Civil Contingencies 60 57 (3) (5%) Committee Services 782 755 (27) (3%) Member Services 1,309 1,293 (16) (1%) Ayrshire Area Support team 59 59 - 0% Information Governance 452 410 (42) (9%) Total for Democratic Services 4,389 4,159 (230) (5%) Totals 26,560 25,702 (858) (3%) Less Proposed Carry Forwards 560 560 Net Total 26,560 26,262 (298) (1%) 142
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Appendix 1 Subjective Summary Annual Budget Actual Outturn Annual Variance Adverse or (Favourable) % Variance £000 £000 £000 Employee Costs 17,652 17,324 (328) (2%) Property Costs 70 94 24 0% Supplies and Services 3,151 2,876 (275) (9%) Transport and Plant Costs 32 18 (14) (44%) Administration Costs 1,470 1,190 (280) (19%) Other Agencies & Bodies 7,242 7,304 62 1% Transfer Payments 889 889 - 0% Other Expenditure 72 72 - 0% Capital Financing - - - - Gross Expenditure 30,578 29,767 (811) (3%) Income (4,018) (4,065) (47) 1% Net Expenditure 26,560 25,702 (858) (3%) 143
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Appendix 1a CHIEF EXECUTIVES BUDGETARY CONTROL 2022/23 REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023 Budget £000 Variance £000 Variance as % of budget Section Note 1 Finance - Corporate Procurement Movement : There have been no significant movements since P10 1,008 (141) -14% Employee Costs - There is an underspend of £0.141m due to vacancy management. (50) (35) 69% Income - There is an over recovery of £0.035m due to increased rebates. 5 Other minor variances (170) Finance - Revenues Movement - There has been a favourable movement of £0.180m from P10 mainly due to the Sheriff Officer Commission. 7 (162) -2314% Sheriff Officer Commission - £0.162m underspend due to release of accrual which is no longer required under the new agreement terms. (11) Other minor variances (173) Note 3 People & ICT - Employee Services Movement : There have been no significant movements since P10 940 (8) -1% Employee Costs - There is an underspend of £0.008m due to vacancy management. (10) Other minor variances (18) Note 4 People & ICT - ICT Movement - There has been a favourable movement of £0.052m from P10 primarily due to underspends on LAN and software licences. 2,307 (206) -9% Supplies and Services - There is an underspend of £0.206m in software licences due to some contracts not being renewed and national delays in procuring a collective Security Operations Centre (SOC); a one-off reduction in cost for the O365 backup solution; and delays in delivery of WAN upgrade, planned bandwidth increases will incur increased WAN charges in 2023/24. (16) Income - This variance includes an over-recovery of £0.014m in income from IT hardware. (8) Other minor variances (230) Note 5 People & ICT - Customer Services Movement : There have been no significant movements since P10 2,540 (17) -1% Employee Costs - There is an underspend of £0.017m due to vacancy management. 298 (29) -10% Supplies and Services - There is an underspend of £0.029m due to lower than budgeted software licence costs. 6,207 71 1% Third Party Payments - There is an overspend of £0.071m. This is due to an overspend of £0.081m in community care grants. This overspend has occurred despite £0.147m unspent funding being accrued from 21/22 and a further £0.088m top up being received from Scottish Government. This is offset by £0.010m excess funding received from Scottish Government for bridging payments. (3) Other minor variances 22 Note 6 Democratic Services - Policy, Performance & Elections Movement : There have been no significant movements since P10 449 (61) -14% Employee Costs - There is an underspend of £0.041m due to vacancy management. (21) Other minor variances (82) Note 2 144
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Appendix 2 COMMUNITIES BUDGETARY CONTROL 2022/23 REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023 Objective Summary Annual Budget Actual Outturn Annual Variance Adverse or (Favourable) % Variance Note No £000 £000 £000 Early Years Education 20,675 19,857 (818) (4%) 1 Primary Education 45,541 45,378 (163) (0%) 2 Secondary Education 51,079 51,078 (1) (0%) 3 Additional Support Needs 13,686 13,447 (239) (2%) 4 Education - Other 8,583 5,867 (2,716) (32%) 5 Pupil Equity Fund 4,972 4,972 - 0% Facilities Management 18,042 16,967 (1,075) (6%) 6 Connected Communities 14,168 13,841 (327) (2%) 7 Net Total 176,746 171,407 (5,339) (3%) Less Proposed Carry Forwards 3,603 3,603 Net Total 176,746 175,010 (1,736) (1%) Subjective Summary Annual Budget Actual Outturn Annual Variance Adverse or (Favourable) % variance £000 £000 £000 Employee Costs - Teachers 95,035 93,139 (1,896) (2%) Employee Costs - Non Teachers 59,939 57,869 (2,070) (3%) Property Costs 2,107 2,196 89 4% Supplies and Services 16,496 15,253 (1,243) (8%) Transport and Plant Costs 180 212 32 18% Administration Costs 828 754 (74) (9%) Other Agencies & Bodies 14,547 14,183 (364) (3%) Transfer Payments 580 541 (39) 0% Other Expenditure - - - 0% Capital Financing 78 70 (8) 0% Gross Expenditure 189,790 184,217 (5,573) (3%) Income (13,044) (12,810) 234 (2%) Net Expenditure 176,746 171,407 (5,339) (3%) 145
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Appendix 2a COMMUNITIES BUDGETARY CONTROL 2022/23 REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023 Budget £000 Variance £000 Variance as % of budget Section Note 1 Early Years Education Movement : There has been a favourable movement of £0.200m compared to P10. This is mainly due to a larger than expected underspend in payments to Funded Providers. 16,089 (102) -1% Employee costs: £0.102m underspend due to continuing recruitment gaps 545 (274) -50% Supplies & Services: an underspend of £0.227m in milk and healthy snack payments due to reduced uptake. There are also small underspends across remaining budgets 4,311 (627) -15% Third Party Payments: an underspend of £0.627m mainly in payments to Funded Providers largely due to lower uptake of places against anticipated projections. (372) 203 -55% Income: under recovery of milk and healthy snack grant of £0.227m due to reduced uptake. (18) Other minor movements across various budget lines It is proposed to earmark £0.200m to address funding pressures in 23/24. (818) Note 2 Primary Education Movement : There has been an unfavourable movement of £0.283m compared to P10. This is mainly due to an overspend in some schools against teaching staff (£0.168m) and a reduction in underspend (£0.123m) against non teaching staff. 44,212 (261) -1% Employee Costs : £0.430m underspend in non teaching staff costs of which £0.270m is due to a part year saving for School Dining Supervisors who were appointed at the start of this academic year. The remainder is due to recruitment gaps. An overspend of £0.168m in teacher staff costs across a number of schools. Further management action will determine underlying reasons for these teacher overspends. 1,152 84 7% Supplies and Services : £0.086m overspend in PPP costs due to pass through utility costs subject to same inflationary pressures as other schools. 93 (44) -47% Third Party Payments: an underspend of £0.044m due to reduced recharges following a process review. (84) 58 -69% Income: under recovery of school let income due to school lets not fully operational (163) Note 3 Secondary Education Movement : There has been an unfavourable movement of £0.185m compared to P10. This is mainly due to an overspend in some schools against teaching staff (£0.098m) and a reduction in underspend (£0.072m) against non teaching staff. 44,118 (86) 0% Employee Costs : a net £0.086m underspend in employee costs - £0.186m underspend in non teaching staff costs due to recruitment gaps and a £0.098m overspend in teacher staff costs. Further management action will determine underlying reasons for these teacher overspends. 6,703 64 1% Supplies and Services : £0.064m overspend in PPP costs due to pass through utility costs subject to same inflationary pressures as other schools. 202 (35) -17% Third Party Payments: an underspend of £0.035m due to reduced recharges following a process review. (83) 56 -67% Income: under recovery of school let income due to school lets not fully operational (1) Note 4 ASN Movement: There has been a favourable movement of £0.294m compared to P10, due to a decrease in placement costs of £0.170m as there has been a reduction in young persons accessing these services; further employee costs underspends of £0.057m; and £0.059m underspend in third party payments. 12,261 (432) -4% Employee costs: £0.164m underspend in teaching costs and a £0.268m underspend in non teaching staff costs across all ASN school and bases provision from recruitment gaps. There is an ongoing Supporting Needs review and this is due to be completed later this calendar year. 993 (233) -23% There is an underspend of £0.233m on external day placements as a result of the assessment process currently in place. This enables the children to remain in mainstream establishments or in-authority ASN establishments. 499 523 105% There is an overspend of £0.523m on external specialist residential placements. Currently there are 9 children in accommodation. Joint working is ongoing with HSCP to continually assess the care setting for these children in delivering positive outcomes. 119 (58) -49% There is an underspend in payments to other bodies due to lower home and hospital charges from other local authorities of £0.021m; an underspend in payments to private nurseries for ASN assistance £0.018m; and £0.020m underspend in ASN General payments to other bodies. (527) (56) 11% Other Local Authorities income - Other Local Authorities that choose to place children in NAC establishments. There is an over recovery of £0.056m due to an increase in demand. 17 Other minor movements across various budget lines (239) 146
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Appendix 2a Budget £000 Variance £000 Variance as % of budget Section Note 5 Education Other Movement :There has been a favourable movement of £1.629m since P10. This is mainly due to underspends in employee costs as a result of the teachers industrial action and over achieved teacher turnover but is partly offset by an increased spend in teachers HQ cover costs. 6,799 (2,068) -30% Employee costs: mainly due to an over recovery of teacher payroll turnover partially offset against an overspend against Teachers HQ Cover costs giving a net over recovery of £0.789m. There was £1.279m underspend in relation to the industrial action by teachers during Dec 2022/Feb 2023. 356 (48) -13% Property Costs: underspends across various budget lines 169 (12) -7% Admin Costs: small underspends across all budget lines 889 (211) -24% Supplies & Services: small overspends across various budget lines of £0.018m offset by underspend of £0.215m in COSD due to procurement tendering process to obtain best value for money. 1,415 (16) -1% Third Party Payments - small overspends across various subscriptions/licences amounting to £0.039m and underspend of £0.054m 580 (39) -7% Transfer: underspend against EMA payments made (1,717) (355) 21% Income - PPP insurance rebate £0.075m, PPP deductions of £0.302m in excess of budget due to rigorous contract compliance arrangements and £0.017m salaries rec'd from capital 33 Other minor movements across various budget lines It is requested to earmark a further £0.064m of COSD funds due to delays in procurement process for purchase of clothing stock for uniform exchanges in schools It is requested to earmark £0.259m of additional funding to be used to continue to meet the additional Teaching costs of Ukrainian families. It is requested to earmark £0.600m towards the first year costs of a Classroom Assistant workforce review as part of the Supporting Needs national review process. (2,716) Note 6 Facilities Management Movement: There has been a favourable movement of £0.125m since period 10 which is primarily due to an over- recovery of income. 15,031 (585) -4% Employee Costs: Underspend of £0.050m is due to reduced commercial catering activity. There is an underspend of £0.205m due to the reduced uptake of school meals. In addition, there is an underspend of £0.309m due to recruitment challenges and reduced overtime and casual costs. 1,079 126 12% Property Costs: Overspend is primarily in relation to purchasing cleaning materials in response to Covid-19. 4,774 (873) -18% Supplies and services: There is a saving of £0.062m in food due to reduced commercial catering. There are further food savings of £0.269m due to reduced school meal uptake and £0.064m within social services. In addition, there is an underspend within Early Years of £0.444m which has arisen due to a lower attendance rate than originally anticipated. (2,982) 231 -8% Income: There is an under-recovery in commercial catering income of £0.472m due to a reduction in commercial events and cost/ income challenges within commercial venues. This is offset against an over-recovery of school meal income of £0.068m and cleaning and janitorial income of £0.140m. Facilities Management continue to promote the school meal service to maximise uptake. 26 Other minor movements (1,075) Note 7 Connected Communities Movement: There has been a favourable movement of £0.327m since P10. This is a result of reduced spend across many budgets held within supplies and services £0.218m and Third Party Payments of £0.123m. 7,957 (387) -5% Employee Costs: underspends across all sectors due to vacancy management. 1,473 (19) -1% Supplies and Services: small underspends across all budget lines. 5,980 (124) -2% Third Party Payments: There are a number of underspends across various budget lines amounting to £0.124m. The NALL deficit is not included but it is expected that any deficit will be offset by a draw from earmarked funds of £0.318m set aside for this purpose. (1,805) 182 -10% Income: £0.200m under recovery across various sectors as income has not returned to pre covid levels, partly offset by over recovery in Harbour Arts Centre of £0.018m. 21 Other minor movements across various budget lines. It is requested to earmark funds of £0.038m in relation to funding for youth modern apprentices It is requested to earmark funds of £0.258m to meet essential boiler repair costs in swimming pools (327) 147
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Appendix 3 PLACE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2022/23 REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023 Objective Summary Annual Budget Actual Outturn Annual Variance Adverse or (Favourable) % Variance Note No £000 £000 £000 Directorate and Support (26) - 26 (100%) Housing and Public Protection Building Services (2,547) (2,547) - 0% 1 Property Governance 43 43 - 0% Planning Services 376 176 (200) 0% 2 Protective Services 1,784 1,111 (673) 100% 3 Other Housing 2,936 1,855 (1,081) (37%) 4 Total for Housing and Public Protection 2,592 638 (1,954) (75%) Neighbourhood Services Roads 6,727 7,109 382 6% 5 Streetscene 5,583 5,997 414 7% 6 Waste Resources 9,748 9,941 193 2% 7 Total for Neighbourhood Services 22,058 23,047 989 4% Economic Development, Growth & Investment Economic Development 6,682 6,540 (142) 0% 8 Growth & Investment 283 283 - 0% Total for Economic Development, Growth & Investment 6,965 6,823 (142) (2%) Sustainability, Transport and Corporate Property Property Management & Investment 2,127 2,174 47 0% 9 Housing Assets & Investment (22) - 22 0% Property Maintenance (120) 40 160 0% 10 Property Running Costs 5,073 5,347 274 0% 11 Energy and Sustainability 5,657 6,297 640 11% 12 Internal Transport 10,181 11,018 837 8% 13 Total for Sustainability, Transport and Corporate Property 22,896 24,876 1,980 9% Net Total 54,485 55,384 899 2% Transfer to Earmarked Reserves 931 931 Net Total 54,485 56,315 1,830 3% 148
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Appendix 3 Subjective Summary Annual Budget Actual Outturn Annual Variance Adverse or (Favourable) % variance £000 £000 £000 Employee Costs 48,456 50,635 2,179 4% Property Costs 21,851 23,951 2,100 10% Supplies and Services 9,963 9,443 (520) (5%) Transport and Plant Costs 9,880 11,314 1,434 15% Administration Costs 2,096 2,010 (86) (4%) Other Agencies & Bodies 22,715 22,972 257 1% Transfer Payments - - - Other Expenditure 182 37 (145) (80%) Capital Financing 60 58 (2) Gross Expenditure 115,203 120,420 5,217 5% Income (60,718) (65,036) (4,318) 7% Net Expenditure 54,485 55,384 899 2% 149
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Appendix 3a PLACE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2022/23 REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023 Budget £000 Variance £000 Variance as % of budget Section Note 1 Building Services Movement: There has been no movement since P10 however the service continued to manage significant financial challenges. 9,164 184 2% Employee costs: There was an overspend of £0.184m in employees costs due to the increased agreed pay award and additional overtime payments to assist with labour shortages and changes to work composition. These increased costs were partially offset by a number of vacancies experienced throughout the year. 5,624 (1,151) (20%) Supplies & Services: An underspend of £1.151m in supplies and services. This is due to an underspend in materials as a result of a change in the composition of the works programme. 547 60 11% Transport costs: The overspend of £0.060m in transport costs is due to increasing costs of skip hire. 2,152 1,017 47% Third Party Payments: An overspend in third party payments of £1.017m. New workstreams for 22/23 have required an above average subcontractor element. There has also been an increase in works that are wholly subcontracted due to either labour shortages or specialist activities. (20,153) (128) 1% Income: Movement across income lines has resulted in an over-recovery of £0.128m. 18 Other minor movements 0 Note 2 Planning Services Movement: There has been a favourable movement of £0.140m since P10 mainly due to increased planning fee income of £0.129m. (608) (129) 21% Income : Over recovery of £0.129m due to additional planning fee application Income. 104 (62) (60%) Supplies & Services: An underspend of £0.062m due to plans for the LDP reprofiling costs into 23-24. (9) Other minor movements (200) Note 3 Protective Services Movement: There has been a favourable movement of £0.310m since P10 mostly due to increased building warrant income of £0.149m and additional employee underspends within CCTV of £0.058m. 2,650 (173) (7%) Employee Costs: An underspend of £0.173m in staffing costs due to vacancies during the year now mostly filled with the exception of two posts. (1,231) (482) 39% Income: Over recovery of £0.418m in building warrants and £0.053m additional recharged to HRA. (18) Other minor movements It is requested to earmark £0.040m of the vacancy underspend which was funding for the Trading Standards Authorised Officer due to delays in recruiting. (673) 150
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Appendix 3a Budget £000 Variance £000 Variance as % of budget Section Note 4 Other Housing Movement: There has been a favourable movement of £0.435m since period 10 predominantly as a result of reductions in property costs £0.187m; bad debt provision required and arrears write offs £0.157m; and futher underspends in RRTP of £0.107m. These are partially offset by an increase in employee costs of £0.079m. 4,110 (646) (16%) Employee Costs: Underspend is due to a number of vacancies within the homeless service, this is of a temporary nature and it is anticipated that all vacancies will be filled next financial year. In addition to this a number of posts transferred over to the Housing Options Hub to assist with the Ukraine Humanitarian crisis and funding for these posts came from Scottish Government for that purpose. 3,015 (113) (4%) Property Costs: £0.192m underspend in furniture and fittings purchases and property repairs as a result of delaying replacements until an assessment of all Temporary Accommodation properties was carried out and due to staff being redeployed to assist the Ukrainian resettlement programme; and £0.031m underspend in window and contract cleaning. This has partially been offset a £0.055m overspend in furnished tenancies; £0.022m additional costs in property rents; £0.020m utility costs overspend due to rising prices; and £0.012m overspend in Council Tax payments. This is for backdated Council Tax from the previous two years, which is due for temporary furnished properties while they were unoccupied for a short period of time between tenants. A significant proportion of furnished tenacies are in very poor condition, work had been postponed as a result of COVID and staff shortages. The team are in the process of drawing up a schedule of works to be undertaken throughout 2023/24 to bring the accommodation back up to an appropriate standard. 1,589 (118) (7%) Third Party Payments: mainly due to £0.107m underspend on Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan costs, due to delays in the start of the programme. 104 (134) (129%) Other Expenditure: The bad debt calculation has been reviewed and adjusted to reflect the current debt collection profile resulting in a £0.096m underspend. Arrears write offs are £0.038m lower than budgeted. (6,308) (26) 0% Income: £0.051m over recovery in House and Hostel rents partially offset by under recovery of £0.023m in income from other departments. (44) Other minor movements It is requested to earmark £0.290m of this underspend, £0.117m for furniture and fittings purchases, and £0.173m for the 5 year Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan. This is in addition to the £0.121m RRTP funding that has previously been requested to be earmarked and is linked to the ongoing 5 year delivery programme. As previously highlighted, funding for the 5 year RRTP ends on 31 March 2024, there were delays to to implementation in the first two years as a result of the pandemic, funding is therefore required for the 5 year plan to be implemented beyond the 31 March 2024. (1,081) Note 5 Roads Movement: There has been a favourable movement of £0.031m since period 10. £0.022m of this favourable movement relates to Roads Lighting and Traffic Signal energy costs. 2,467 229 9% Supplies and Services: Overspend of £0.085m on street lighting and traffic signal energy costs, which is due to inflation. Overspend of £0.103m relates to coated roadstone costs, which have been adversely affected by inflation. Further overspend of £0.021m on Artificial Intelligence software costs and small overspends across the service. 2,588 (203) (8%) Third Party Payments: £0.125m budget allocated for the introduction of the Car Parking Charges and Decriminalised Parking Enforcement was not used. Underspends of £0.044m in both Coastal Assets and Flood Risk Management due to contractor delays. (3,143) 335 (11%) Income: Under recovery of income relates mainly to the £0.346m saving for Car Parking Charges and Decriminalised Parking Enforcement, which was not achieved. 21 Other minor movements. 382 Note 6 Streetscene Movement: There has been a favourable movement of £0.082m since period 10. Employee costs have decreased by £0.030m and there has been a £0.031m increase in income, mainly from work for other Council departments. 7,316 355 5% Employee Costs: There is an overspend of £0.355m in employee costs, primarily due to overtime costs, which is partially offset with increased income from other Council departments. The overspend on overtime is partly due to non scheduled operational activities such as A78 litter clearance (£0.056m), various events (£0.050m), and safety works for memorials (£0.041m). Turnover of £0.112m wasn't realised. 133 176 132% Transport Costs: There is an overspend of £0.176m in transport costs, which can be attributed partly to additional vehicles required for the Covid response, vehicles required for seasonal workers, and to support the operational needs within bereavements. In addition to this, there is a £0.062m overspend on skip hire costs. 0 352 49 14% Supplies and Services: Overspend on materials is partly offset with underspends against tools and employee uniforms. (2,698) (187) 7% Income: There is an over recovery of income of £0.086m relating to internments and £0.256m relating to income from other departments, offset with a £0.145m under recovery of fees and charges. 21 Other minor movements Included within the Streetscene outturn there is a £0.023m underspend in Largs Car Park that will be transferred to earmarked funds. 414 151
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Appendix 3a Budget £000 Variance £000 Variance as % of budget Section Note 7 Waste Services Movement : There has been no significant movement since P10. 5,155 915 18% Employee Costs: Additional temporary labour remains in place within Waste Operations as the service recovers from the pandemic. Work to review beats taking account of post pandemic waste composition analysis and to balance the burden of new builds is ongoing with Trade Union colleagues resulting in support arrangements being required. In addition there is a high volume of annual leave not taken due to COVID, requiring holiday cover. 489 180 37% Supplies & Services: Overspends on Trade effluent £0.147m and Refuse containers £0.131m, offset by underspends in Materials £0.074m and Leachate £0.043m. 191 (41) (21%) Admin Costs: Underspend of £0.041m due to reduced spend on external printing and advertising. 6,426 (737) (11%) Third Party Payments: Underspend in Payment to contractors of £0.718m largely a result of improved quality of our recyclate streams following sustained ‘right stuff, right bin’ campaigns alongside more competitive recyclate prices within our disposal contracts. 202 161 80% Transport Costs: Overspend of £0.183m due to the new way of working requiring 2 additional hire vehicles plus a long term hire. This is being reviewed in line with the post pandemic review of beats. (3,015) (264) 9% Income: Over-recovery of income due to the recyclates market for glass, cans, plastics and paper being favourable to provide income rather than a cost to the council £0.123m, along with increased income from the disposal of the content of skips over the year of £0.136m. (21) Other minor movements It is requested to earmark £0.177m to support the cover costs for the remaining Covid annual leave. 214 Note 8 Economic Development Movement : There has been no significant movement since P10. 5,522 (93) (2%) Employee Costs: Underspend of £0.093m due to vacancies across Economic Development. 5,936 (73) (1%) Third Party Payments: Underspend on consultancy within Economic Policy £0.026m. 24 Other minor movements. It is requested to earmark £0.040m of the above employee cost underspend for Interim Senior Manager positions with EDR in 2023/24. (142) Note 9 Property Management and Investment Movement : There has been no significant movement since P10. 2,485 (6) (0%) Employee Costs: An underspend of £0.006m due to vacancy management. 256 16 6% Supplies & Services: small overspends across various budget lines of £0.016m. (1,236) 31 (3%) Income: There is an under-recovery in fees general service (revenue) of £0.0.31m due to a concentration on delivery of capital projects at the current time. 6 Other minor movements 47 Note 10 Property Maintenance Costs Movement : There has been no significant movement since P10. 3,420 158 5% Property Costs: increased costs due to external consultancy work associated with supporting the Education Estate Review of £0.199m, and an increase in statutory compliance of £0.122m due to increasing compliance requirements as the specification of our property estate increases through investment, offset by £0.135m through active management of planned maintenance budgets to offset the aforementioned overspend. (3,362) (22) 1% Income: additional income from Largs Campus grant. 24 Other minor movements 160 Note 11 Property Running Costs Movement : There has been an unfavourable movement of £0.233m since P10 due to unbudgeted HRA charges for community hubs within SHUs. 6,529 265 4% Property Costs: increase in costs primarily due to unbudgeted HRA charges for community hubs within SHUs - service charges of £0.112m and internal rental charges of £0.115m. There are also additional costs against the repairs-other landlords budget of £0.038m due to the transfer of the commercial estate budget to Business Support & Development, but remaining/residual commitments with Estates/ PMI. 9 Other minor movements 274 152
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Appendix 3a Budget £000 Variance £000 Variance as % of budget Section Note 12 Energy and Sustainability Movement : There has been a favourable movement of £0.426m since P10. This is due to reduced expected Gas and Electricity costs. 532 (31) (6%) Employee Costs: An underspend of £0.031m due to vacancy management. 5,494 787 14% Property Costs: Due to the current energy crisis and after drawing down £0.658m from contingencies there is an overspend in property costs of £0.787m due to increased utility cost charges. Most of this is overspend is Gas of £0.854m, offset by small underspends in Biomass £0.035m and Electricity £0.035m. The reported overspends are after the inclusion of budgeted inflation contingencies. The remaining overspend will be offset against the additional inflationary provisions agreed by Council which have been reported within the Other Corporate Items appendix. 288 (108) (38%) Third Party Payments: Underspend of £0.108m, the majority being £0.075m in relation to the LHEES delays in appointing a consultant. (9) Other minor movements It is requested to earmark £0.075m in relation to the Local Heat Energy Efficiency Scheme due to delays in appointing a consultant. 639 Note 13 Internal Transport Movement - There has been a favourable movement of £0.035m since P10 due to a £0.039m decrease in fuel costs as a result of lower fuel prices; £0.037m lower than expected repairs and maintenance costs; £0.032m additional over recovery of income; and a £0.033m movement in other minor movements across various lines. These are partially offset by an increase in transport provision costs of £0.061m; and £0.058m of additional external hire costs. 1,802 8 0% Employee Costs: There is an overspend of £0.008m due to reduced staff turnover. 4,226 578 14% Transport Provision Costs: Projected overspend of £0.578m is largely due to direct fuel cost increases and indirect fuel and labour cost increases through our school transport contracts. 1,800 208 12% Fuel Costs: The overspend of £0.208m is due to the increase in fuel prices and the legislative changes restricting the use of rebated gas oil (or 'red diesel' as it is commonly referred to). 567 124 External Hires: Overspend of £0.124m due to additional hire vehicles as a result of increased lead time for replacement vehicles. 1,114 43 4% Repairs & Maintenance: Overspend of £0.043m in repairs and maintenance due to price increases and maximising the life of assets due to the increased lead time for replacement vehicles and the shortage of available rental alternatives. (251) (92) 37% Income: Overrecovery of £0.092m in bus transport income and hire of pool vehicles. (33) Other minor movements The reported overspends are after the inclusion of budgeted inflation contingencies. The remaining fuel price related overspend will be offset against the additional inflationary provisions agreed by Council which have been reported within the Other Corporate Items appendix. 836 153
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Appendix 4 OTHER CORPORATE ITEMS BUDGETARY CONTROL 2022/23 REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023 Objective Summary Annual Budget Actual Outturn Annual Variance Adverse or (Favourable) % Variance Note No £000 £000 £000 Strathclyde Passenger Transport 2,212 2,187 (25) -1% SPT Concessionary Fares 286 286 - 0% Ayrshire Joint Valuation Board 975 932 (43) -4% 3,473 3,405 (68) -2% 1 Other Corporate Costs Pension Costs 2,545 2,545 - 0% Central Telephones 190 190 - 0% Other Corporate Items (incl Transformation Costs, Bad Debt Provision, External Audit fees and other centrally held funding.) 9,281 6,362 (2,919) (31%) 2 Insurance Account 100 100 - 0% Housing Benefit 2,852 2,805 (47) -2% 18,441 15,407 (3,034) (16%) Less Proposed Carry Forwards 2,092 2,092 Net Total 18,441 17,499 (942) (5%) 154
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Appendix 4a OTHER CORPORATE ITEMS BUDGETARY CONTROL 2022/23 REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023 Budget £000 Variance £000 Variance as % of budget Section Note 1 Joint Boards There has been no material movement from Period 10 3,473 (68) -2% Annual requisitions confirmed at less than current budget. (68) Note 2 Other Corporate Items There has been a favourable movement of £0.165m since Period 10 is primarily related to the in year settlement of outstanding HSCP debt, £0.834m, partly offset by a range of centrally held funds which have not been fully utilised in year, (£0.661m). 9,281 (2,919) The projected underspend is primarily related to the drawdown of £1.666m earmarked funds in relation to additional contractual and non contractual energy and fuel costs reported across the services, linked to significant unbudgeted inflationary pressures and the release of £0.711m of bad debt provision linked to the settlement of the outstanding HSCP debt. In addition, centrally held funds of £1.220m are not expected to be fully utilised in year, including additional Scottish Government funding in relation to Core Curriculum Charges, changes to DHP distributions and the administration of grants, £0.744m, and funding for pension autoenrolment and severances, £0.444m. In addition, an overrecovery of corporate income has been reported in relation to the shared AVC scheme and the purchase of additional annual leave, £0.116m. These have been partly offset by the early settlement of outstanding HSCP debt, (£0.834m). It is proposed to earmark funds of £1.967m as follows: Provision for contractual electricity and gas price increases for 2023/24 to reflect current market inflationary levels, £0.870m; Contribution to Loans Fund Reserve to address ongoing signficant cost pressures in the Capital Programme, £0.512m; Provision for the review of Democratic Services’ structures linked to workload pressures, £0.250m; Business continuity resilience infrastructure, £0.100m; Scottish Government Funding not fully utilised in year, £0.156m; Previously approved budget allocation to support CCTV Review, £0.050m; and Essential repairs to Irvine Harbour property, £0.029m. (2,919) 155
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Appendix 5 MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS BUDGETARY CONTROL 2022/23 REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023 Objective Summary Annual Budget Actual Outturn Annual Variance Adverse or (Favourable) % variance Note No £000 £000 £000 Financing Charges 20,077 20,077 - - Contribution to Loans Fund Reserve 7,125 7,125 - - Scottish Government Funding (348,966) (348,950) 16 (0%) Council Tax (61,595) (61,989) (394) 1% 1 Contribution to Capital Fund 161 161 Use of / Contribution to Earmarked Funds (13,583) (13,583) - - Net Total (396,781) (397,159) (378) 0% Carried Forward Funds to 2023-24 £000 £000 Previously Approved Grants / External Funding Early Learning and Childcare Expansion 1,622 Ukrainian Resettlement 259 ICT LAN and Telephony 166 Government funding not fully utilised 156 Cost of School Day 150 Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Scheme 75 Facilities Management - Lochshore 139 Trading Standards & Econ Dev staffing 80 Chambers webcasting 125 Youth Modern Apprenticeships 38 Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 121 608 Sustainability agenda 80 Easter Study Support 75 Other Commitments Facilities Management - Moorpark PS 60 Energy Cost Inflation Provision 870 Educational Psychologist Staffing 58 Classroom Assistants workforce review 600 Local Development Plan 50 Contribution to Loans Fund Reserve 512 Marress House Resources 40 Scottish Welfare Fund Demand Pressures 327 Minor Adaptations 40 Auchenharvie Pool plant 258 Community Wealth Building 35 Democratic Services Structure Review 250 Democratic Service pressures 34 Early Learning and Childcare Expansion 200 23/24 Non recurring savings contributions 33 Waste Services Annual Leave 177 2,828 Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 173 Temporary Accommodation Furniture 117 Cost of School Day 64 CCTV installation and maintenance 50 Essential repairs to Irvine Harbour property 29 Largs Car Park Fund 23 3,650 Investments Resilience Infrastructure 100 100 7,186 Note 1 Council Tax Movement: There has been a favourable movement of £0.428m since period 8. This is primarily related to an adjustment to the historic contributions to the Affordable Housing Reserve. 156
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Appendix 6 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT BUDGETARY CONTROL 2022/23 REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023 Annual Budget Actual Outturn Annual Variance Adverse or (Favourable) % Variance Note No £ £ £ Employee Costs 5,300 5,290 (10) (0%) Property Costs Responsive Repairs 5,677 6,632 955 17% Void Repairs 3,147 3,476 329 10% Planned and Cyclical Maintenance 4,856 4,489 (367) (8%) Aids and Adaptions 1,617 1,590 (27) (2%) Other property costs 3,553 4,346 793 22% Total for Property Costs 18,850 20,533 1,683 1 Supplies & Services 451 374 (77) (17%) 1 Transport Costs 34 16 (18) (53%) Administration Costs 1,881 1,540 (341) (18%) 3 Third Party Payments 2,550 2,760 210 8% 4 Transfer Payments 155 136 (19) (12%) Other Expenditure 368 836 468 127% 5 Capital Financing Costs 25,264 23,527 (1,737) (7%) 6 Gross Expenditure 54,853 55,012 159 0% Income Council House Rents (53,310) (52,663) 647 (1%) Other Rents (326) (344) (18) 6% Recharges (1,071) (812) 259 (24%) Other Income (146) (219) (73) 50% Transfer from HRA Reserves - (974) (974) 0% Total Income (54,853) (55,012) (159) 0% 7 Net Expenditure - - - 157
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Appendix 6a HRA BUDGETARY CONTROL 2022/23 REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023 Budget £000 Variance £000 Variance as % of budget Note 1 18,850 1,683 9% 1,683 Note 2 451 (77) -17% (77) Note 3 1,881 (341) -18% (341) Note 4 2,550 210 8% 210 Note 5 368 468 127% 468 Note 6 25,264 (1,737) -7% (1,737) Note 7 (54,853) (159) 0% (159) Third Party Payments Movement - there has been an favourable movement of £0.258m primarily due to an underspend on central support costs. An overspend of £0.468m in Other Expenditure mainly due to an increase in bad debt provision of £0.497m Section Property Costs An overspend in property costs of £1.683m. This is due to an overspend of £0.955m in Responsive Repairs, £0.329m in Void Repairs and £0.766m in other property costs of which £0.138m relates to increased Council Tax payments and £1.010m in sheltered housing utility costs. This is partially offset by an underspend of £0.366m in Planned and Cyclical Maintenance and £0.028m in Aids & Adaptations. Movement - an adverse movement of £0.122m since Period 10. This is due to an increase of £0.129m in Responsive Repairs, £0.233m in Void Repairs and £0.215m in Other Property costs partially offset by a reduction of £0.427m in Planned and Cyclical Maintenance and £0.028m in Aids & Adaptations. An underspend in administration costs of £0.341m. This is primarily due to an underspend of £0.130m in legal fees and £0.177m in central support costs. Administration Costs Supplies and Services An underspend in supplies and services of £0.077m. This is primarily due to an underspend of £0.072m in computer equipment. Movement - an adverse movement of £0.043m since Period 10. Capital Financing Costs Movement - an adverse movement of £0.331m since P10 due to revised loan charges linked to revised capital expenditure requirements. Other Expenditure There is an underspend in capital financing costs of £1.737m due to reduced loan charges. This is due to the reduced levels of expenditure currently being experienced in the HRA Capital budget. Income Movement - an adverse income movement of £0.446m since Period 10. This is due to a reduction of £0.046m in Council House rents, £0.035m in Rents, £0.397m in Recharges partially offset by an increase of £0.032m in other income. This movement has been offset by a drawdown from Earmarked Reserves of (£0.974m). An under recovery in income of £0.815m. This is due to an under recovery of £0.647m in Council House Rents and £0.259m In Recharges. This is partially offset by an over recovery of £0.018m in Rents and £0.073m in Other Income. This has been offset by a drawdown from Earmarked Reserves of (£0.974m). Movement - there has been an adverse movement of £0.061m since Period 10. This is primarily due to an increase of £0.086m in Housing Asset and Investment recharges partially offset bya reduction of £0.019m in the ASB & Tenancy support charges. Movement - there has been an adverse movement of £0.504m since P10. This is primarily due to an increase in bad debt provision of £0.497m An overspend in third party payments of £0.210m. This is primarily due to an overspend of £0.271m in the Housing Asset and Investment recharges partially offset by an underspend of £0.057m in the ASB & Tenancy support charges. 158
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Appendix 6a B/fwd from 2021/22 Transfer to / from Reserves Use of Earmarked sums Earmarking of in year surplus Funding of Capital Projects Balance at 31/03/23 £m £m £m £m £m £m 5.280 - - - (0.571) 4.709 1.500 - - - - 1.500 5.000 - - - - 5.000 1.558 (0.974) - - - 0.584 0.123 - - - - 0.123 0.270 - - - - 0.270 0.416 - - - - 0.416 0.052 - - - - 0.052 0.636 - - - - 0.636 0.781 - - - - 0.781 15.616 (0.974) - - (0.571) 14.071 Major Refurbishment Works Council House Building Fund Welfare Reform Unearmarked Tenant led budget HRA reserves and balances Sustainability Fund Voids - non programmed works Software Licences Electrical Testing Infrastructure Improvements 159
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Appendix 7 1) Budget Virements Place Roads Third Party Payments T 0.145 Roads Employee Costs T 0.079 Roads Supplies and Services T 0.065 Roads Income T -0.289 Regeneration Grant Income T 0.088 Regeneration Third Party Payments T -0.039 Regeneration Employee Costs T -0.049 PMI Supplies and Services T -0.196 PMI Income T 0.196 0.000 Information and Culture - Third Party Payments T 0.020 Information and Culture - Property Costs T 0.085 Information and Culture - Supplies and Services T -0.071 Information and Culture - Transport Costs T -0.005 Information and Culture - Income T -0.029 0.000 Communities Budget Management - 31 March 2023 Virement/Budget Adjustments 2022/23 Perm (P) / Temp(T) Virement £m Directorate Total £m 160
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: Capital Programme Performance to 31 March 2023 Purpose: To advise Cabinet of progress in delivering the Capital Investment Programme for 2022/23. Recommendation: That Cabinet agrees to (a) note the revisions to budgets outlined in the report; and (b) note the General Services and HRA expenditure to 31 March 2023. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The General Services Capital Investment Programme 2022/23 to 2030/31 was approved by Council on 2 March 2022. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Investment Programme 2022/23 sits within the updated HRA Business Plan and was approved by Council on 16 February 2022. 1.2 This is the final monitoring report for the year which identifies the current programme for 2022/23, taking account of adjustments made to the initial budgets and advises of the actual expenditure to 31 March 2023. 1.3 The final outturn report for the General Fund reports a net breakeven position against a revised budget of £36.194m. The final outturn position for the HRA is an underspend of (£6.399m) against a revised budget of £36.910m. 1.4 Within the General Fund, adjustments to funding have resulted in net reductions to the overall capital programme of (£2.385m). Further reviews of individual project plans have identified a number of adjustments to the current profiles. As a result, (£5.625m) has been reprofiled for delivery in 2023/24. This has been partly offset by the acceleration of £1.391m to 2022/23 from future years. 1.5 Within the HRA, additional government grants of £0.496m have been received in relation to the Ukrainian Resettlement programme while a review of delivery timescales has identified a requirement to re-profile (£9.185m) of works for delivery in 2023/24 and beyond. This is offset by the acceleration of £2.158m to 2022/23 from future years. Agenda Item 9 161
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1.6 Major cost risks have been identified across the Capital Investment Programme as a result of the uncertainty arising from the ongoing inflationary pressures and supply chain issues which are impacting on tender returns and the cost of materials, as reported across a number of General Fund and HRA projects. In addition, upward movements on the interest rates applicable to public sector borrowing present further risks to the deliverability of both the General Fund and HRA capital programmes over the medium term. While some mitigation has been built into the programme to offset cost pressures, all projects will continue to be monitored to identify and assess any cost pressures which cannot be met from within the existing flexibility. 2. Background General Fund 2.1 The following table outlines the movements in the 2022/23 General Services budget: 2.2 (a) Changes to Funding The capital programme has been updated to reflect the following changes to funding: 2022/23 £m Budget as at 31 January 2023 42.813 a) Changes to Funding 0.209 b) Other Revisions to the Programme (2.594) Revised Budget 40.428 c) Alterations to phasing of projects:- 2022/23 to 2023/24 (5.625) 2023/24 to 2022/23 1.391 Budget as at 31 March 2023 36.194 Funding Body Amount Project Scottish Government £0.120m Scottish Office New Grant - Boyle St Hostel Sustrans £0.269m Saltcoats Old Cal Railway Ph1 £0.034m Access Paths £0.032m Saltcoats Old Cal Railway Ph2 £0.029m AGD Great Harbour Energy Saving Trust £0.002m Workplace Chargers SPT (£0.222m) Bus Corridor etc. Grants Downturned Scottish Forestry (£0.055m) STTS U88 North Sannox Grant Downturned Total £0.209m 162
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2.3 (b) Other Revisions to the Programme Further additions to the programme of £1.204m have been identified in relation to drawdowns from reserves and other revenue funding to support a range of projects. This has been offset by the identification of a number of projects totalling (£3.798m) which, although managed as part of the Capital Programme, have been transferred for inclusion in the year end Revenue Monitoring report in line with accounting requirements. 2.4 (c) Alterations to the Phasing of Projects A review of individual project plans has identified a requirement to re-profile a further (£5.625m) of works for delivery in 2023/24 and beyond. This includes the reversal of the in-year corporate phasing adjustment which reflected the level of optimism bias included in the expenditure forecasts: Funding Source Amount Project Transfers to Revenue (£1.605m) Millport Town Hall (£0.886m) Various CFCR transferred to Revenue (£0.587m) Place Based Investment Programme (£0.529m) Improvement Grants (£0.085m) Stevenston Beach Hub (£0.069m) Town Centre Regeneration (£0.037m) VDLF CFCR £0.703m Glenartney Arran Staff Accommodation £0.069m Marress House £0.024m AGD - Irvine Harbourside (The Great Harbour) £0.012m Brodick Library £0.012m AGD Marine Tourism - Arran £0.012m AGD Marine Tourism - Cumbrae Capital Receipt £0.049m Insurance Recoveries Use of Reserves £0.085m Park Improvements £0.076m Shewalton PV £0.069m Street Furniture £0.052m Shiskine Early Years £0.026m Gallowgate Toilets £0.015m Ardrossan Hostel Total (£2.594m) 163
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Service Amount Project Communities (£0.139m) Lockhart Campus (£0.055m) Kilwinning Learning Enviroment (£0.151m) Other Minor Adjustments (£0.345m) Chief Executives (£0.050m) ICT Investment Fund (£0.007m) Telephony (£0.057m) HSCP (£0.363m) Residential & Respite Unit (£0.168m) Carefirst Replacement (£0.001m) Other Minor Adjustments (£0.532m) Place (£0.768m) Upper Garnock FPS (£0.724m) Millport FPS (£0.599m) Fleet Decarbonisation (£0.495m) Place Based Investment (£0.475m) VDLF Development Work (£0.435m) Vehicles (£0.431m) Industrial Portfolio (£0.398m) Solar PV Nethermains (£0.369m) Lochshore Garnock HUB (£0.350m) CCTV Review (£0.323m) B714 Upgrade (£0.246m) Gallowgate Toilets (£0.238m) BUILD (£0.214m) Saltcoats Old Railway (£0.200m) AGD - I3 DPMC Phase 1 (£0.157m) Emergency Control Centre (£0.154m) AGD - Hunterston - Low Carbon Energy (£0.151m) AGD - Great Harbour (£0.143m) AGD - IMSE (£0.140m) Island Infrastructure Fund (£0.126m) Renew Playparks (£0.112m) Lochshore Kilbirnie (£1.403m) Other Minor Adjustments (£8.651m) Other (£0.104m) Flexibility Fund (£0.104m) Corporate £4.064m Uncertainty / Sensitivity Adjustment £4.064m Total (£5.625m) 164
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These adjustments have been partly offset by the acceleration of £1.391m of expenditure to 2022/23 from future years. 2.5 These adjustments have resulted in a revised 2022/23 budget at 31 March 2023 of £36.194m. 2.6 The following graph illustrates the movement in each programme on a service basis compared to the revised programme: Service Amount Project Chief Executives £0.045m ICT Investment Fund £0.011m LAN/WiFi £0.056m Place £0.149m Cycling/Safer Walking Streets £0.099m AGD - I3 Flexible Business Space £0.052m Cemetery Extensions & Walls £0.153m Other Minor Adjustments £0.453m Communities £0.636m Moorpark Primary £0.209m Montgomerie Park Primary £0.035m Schools ICT Investment £0.002m Other Minor Adjustments £0.882m Total £1.391m 38.672 32.249 0.492 50.239 2.500 124.152 25.201 8.948 2.002 43.502 (10.019) 69.634 25.196 6.764 1.672 38.451 (8.321) 63.762 9.045 2.555 1.578 40.231 (4.782) 48.627 8.573 2.366 1.262 34.676 (4.064) 42.813 10.207 1.014 0.903 24.070 - 36.194 (30.099) (29.883) 0.770 (15.563) (6.564) (81.339) Approved Programme Movement Programme @ P6 Programme @ P4 Programme @ P10 Programme @ P8 Programme @ P12 165
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2.7 The impact on budgeted funding, elements of which are related to the profile of expenditure reported above, is a reduction of (£6.619m) from the revised budget, including: 2.8 Capital Expenditure to 31 March 2023 The actual expenditure by service is summarised in the following table: 2.9 Significant cost risks have been identified across the Capital Investment Programme. Although these have not all been formally reflected in the financial performance reports at this time, areas of cost risk have been identified as a result of cost volatility arising from the ongoing inflationary pressures, outstanding contractor claims and supply chain issues which are impacting on tender returns and the cost of materials across a number of projects, as highlighted in appendix 1. Some mitigation has been built into the Capital Investment Programme in the form of enhanced flexibility budgets. However, cost pressures may exceed this provision, requiring additional revenue investment to offset any additional borrowing requirements. These risks will be quantified as individual projects are completed and tendering exercises are finalised, with the impact on the costs of the programme being monitored and reported to Cabinet as appropriate. Category Amount Comments Borrowing £1.814m Rephased aligned to projected expenditure CFCR (£0.428m) Additional CFCR Contributions Capital Grants £4.768m Rephased and additional government grants Other Grants £0.544m Rephased and revised contributions Capital Receipts (£0.079m) Realigned capital receipts Total £6.619m Revised Budget 2022/23 Budget Revisions Carry Forwards and Adjustments Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Expenditure / Income to 31 March 2023 Variance Over / (Under) £m £m £m £m £m £m Expenditure Communities 8.573 1.097 0.537 10.207 10.207 - Chief Executive 2.366 (1.351) (0.001) 1.014 1.014 - Health and Social Care Partnership 1.262 0.173 (0.532) 0.903 0.903 - Place 34.676 (2.408) (8.198) 24.070 24.070 - Other including Flexibility (4.064) 0.104 3.960 - - - Total Expenditure 42.813 (2.385) (4.234) 36.194 36.194 - Income General Capital Grant (26.341) 0.530 - (25.811) (25.811) - Specific Capital Grant (9.194) 2.263 1.975 (4.956) (4.956) - Capital Funded from Current Revenue (0.081) (0.167) (0.261) (0.509) (0.509) - Capital Receipts (0.212) (0.049) (0.030) (0.291) (0.291) - Other Grants & Contributions (2.679) (0.089) 0.633 (2.135) (2.135) - Prudential Borrowing (4.306) (0.103) 1.917 (2.492) (2.492) - Total Income (42.813) 2.385 4.234 (36.194) (36.194) - 166
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2.10 Any funding in excess of the current level of financial flexibility, which is required to deliver the current capital programme, will be a matter for Council to consider within the context of overall affordability. This affordability assessment was included in the Capital Budget approved at Council on 1 March 2023 and incorporated all known cost pressures, funding and borrowing requirements based on current and projected interest rates, the anticipated re-direction of revenue resources and use of financial flexibilities to support delivery of the programme and a further flexible allowance to help manage the ongoing cost risks associated with the programme. Housing Revenue Account 2.11 The following table outlines the movements in the 2022/23 HRA Capital budget: 2.12 (a) Changes to Funding The HRA capital programme has been updated to include additional Scottish Government grant funding of £0.486m in relation to the Ukrainian Resettlement programme supporting the redevelopment works at Glebe Place, Saltcoats. 2.13 (b) Alterations to the Phasing of Projects A further review of the timescale for delivery of capital projects has identified a requirement to re-profile (£9.185m) of works for delivery in 2023/24 and beyond, including: 2022/23 £m Budget as at 31 January 2023 43.451 a) Changes to Funding 0.486 b) Alterations to phasing of projects:- 2022/23 to 2023/24 (9.185) 2023/24 to 2022/23 2.158 Budget as at 31 March 2023 36.910 167
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This has been partly offset by the acceleration of £2.158m of project expenditure for delivery during 2022/23, including: Category Amount Project New Builds (£0.728m) Harbourside Irvine (£0.626m) Afton Court (£0.543m) Corsehillhead (£0.299m) Largs Police Station (£0.282m) Caley Court (£0.241m) Flatt Road Phase 1 (£0.219m) Acquisiton on Open Market (£0.107m) Other Minor Adjustments (£3.045m) Improvements (£1.048m) Insulated Rerendering (£1.018m) Kitchen Programme Voids (£0.855m) Bathroom Programme Voids (£0.063m) Sheltered Housing Units (£2.984m) Category Amount Project Refurbishments (£0.478m) Roofing & Rendering (£0.295m) Demolition High Flats Irvine (£0.230m) Friars Lawn (£0.024m) Other minor adjustments (£1.027m) Other (£1.738m) Professional Management Charges (£0.348m) Solar Panels (£0.043m) Other minor adjustments (£2.129m) Total (£9.185m) Category Amount Project New Builds £0.120m James Reid ASN £0.113m Other minor adjustments £0.233m Improvements £0.997m Bathroom Programme £0.297m Kitchen Programme £0.132m Central Heating £0.031m Other minor adjustments £1.457m Refurbishments £0.035m Friars Lawn Other £0.384m Estate Based Regeneration £0.049m Other minor adjustments £0.433m Total £2.158m 168
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2.14 These adjustments have resulted in a revised 2022/23 budget at 31 March 2023 of £36.910m. 2.15 The impact on budgeted funding is a reduction of (£6.297m) in Prudential Borrowing and (£1.626m) in Use of Reserves aligned to the revised projected expenditure. This has been partly offset by an increase drawdown of Capital grants of £1.382m. 2.16 Capital Expenditure to 31 March 2023 The actual expenditure is summarised in the following table: 2.17 A variance of (£6.399m) is reported within the HRA capital programme for 2022/23 arising from revisions to a number of projects. This is primarily related to the overprovision against a number of improvement programmes, which will be reprofiled to align to the revised Business Plan and net underspends on the final costs across a number of new build programmes which are now complete. In addition, the reports highlights additional unbudgeted expenditure in relation to Ukrainian Resettlement work and discussions with the Scottish Government are ongoing in relation to potential funding: Category Amount Comments Borrowing £6.297m Rephased aligned to actual expenditure Use of Reserves £1.626m Rephased aligned to actual expenditure Capital Grants (£1.382m) New grants and re-aligned to actual expenditure Total £6.541m Revised Budget 2022/23 Carry Forwards and Adjustments Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Expenditure / Income to 31 March 2023 Variance Over / (Under) Service £m £m £m £m £m Expenditure Housing Revenue Account 43.451 (6.541) 36.910 30.511 (6.399) Total Expenditure 43.451 (6.541) 36.910 30.511 (6.399) Income Sale of Assets - - - (0.005) (0.005) CFCR (12.209) (12.209) (12.209) - Capital Grants (1.767) (1.382) (3.149) (3.149) - Use of Reserves (1.151) 0.580 (0.571) (0.571) - Affordable Housing Contribution (1.596) 1.046 (0.550) (0.550) - Prudential Borrowing (26.728) 6.297 (20.431) (14.027) 6.404 Total Income (43.451) 6.541 (36.910) (30.511) 6.399 169
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2.18 Increased costs arising from tender inflation and supply chain issues have been identified in relation to some projects, including the Door Replacement Programme and Sheltered Housing Unit Improvements. Further cost pressures resulting from inflationary and supply chain issues continue to be monitored and a review of the potential impact on the Business Plan and Capital Programme will be undertaken to address any identified issues. Further information on the progress of all projects can be found in Appendix 2. 3. Proposals 3.1 That Cabinet agrees to (a) note the revisions to budgets outlined in the report; (b) note the General Services and HRA expenditure to 31 March 2023. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 The financial implications are as outlined in the report. Expenditure will continue to be closely monitored to ensure early action is taken regarding any projected underspends or overspends. Human Resources 4.2 None. Legal 4.3 None. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 None. Project Variance Comments Glebe Place Refurb £0.052m Unbudgeted Expenditure New Build St Michaels Wynd £0.097m Complete New Build St Beya Millport (£0.002m) Complete New Build Towerlands (£0.009m) Complete New Build Dalrymple Place (£0.017m) Complete New Build St Colms (£0.034m) Complete New Build Springvale Saltcoats (£0.091m) Complete New Build Brathwic Terrace (£0.125m) Complete Central Heating (£0.642m) Aligned to revised Business Plan Electrical Rewiring (£1.494m) Aligned to revised Business Plan Roofing & Rendering (£1.834m) Aligned to revised Business Plan Kitchen Programme (£2.300m) Aligned to revised Business Plan Total (£6.399m) 170
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Environmental and Sustainability 4.5 None. Key Priorities 4.6 This report directly supports the Council Plan 2019 to 2024 by maximising resources and providing value for money to support financially sustainable delivery models. Community Wealth Building 4.7 None. 5. Consultation 5.1 Progress as outlined in this report has been approved by Executive Directors. Mark Boyd Head of Service (Finance) For further information please contact David Forbes, Senior Manager (Strategic Business Partner), on 01294 324551. Background Papers Capital Programme Performance to 31 March 2023 – Cabinet, 21 March 2023 171
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TOTAL PROJECT Project Description Total Project Budget Cumulative Expenditure to date Total Project Forecast Projected Over/ (Under) Spend Total Revised Budget 2022/23 Brought / Carry Forward to 2023/24 Total Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Expenditure to 31 March 2023 Actual Over/ (Under) Spend for 2022/23 True Over/ (Under) Spend £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ EXPENDITURE Communities Nursery Education 15,918,237 15,799,375 15,918,237 0 2,316,976 (27,263) 2,289,713 2,289,713 0 0 Primary Schools 41,255,113 8,167,653 41,255,113 0 4,389,528 813,158 5,202,686 5,202,686 0 0 Secondary Schools 83,010,742 3,916,675 83,010,742 0 719,721 (101,085) 618,636 618,636 0 0 Special Education 25,343,637 25,205,042 25,343,637 0 803,662 (138,595) 665,067 665,067 0 0 Schools Other 1,648,363 1,536,800 1,648,363 0 1,395,712 34,980 1,430,692 1,430,692 0 0 Information & Culture 113,479 6,563 113,479 0 40,852 (40,852) 0 0 0 0 Completed Projects 43,419,379 43,415,700 43,419,379 0 3,679 (3,679) 0 0 0 0 SUB TOTAL 210,708,950 98,047,807 210,708,950 0 9,670,130 536,663 10,206,793 10,206,793 0 0 Chief Executive Council IT Strategy 8,496,682 2,525,457 8,496,682 0 1,014,758 (1,030) 1,013,728 1,013,728 0 0 SUB TOTAL 8,496,682 2,525,457 8,496,682 0 1,014,758 (1,030) 1,013,728 1,013,728 0 0 Health & Social Care Management & Support 2,753,095 1,493,221 2,753,095 0 919,529 (170,065) 749,464 749,464 0 0 Housing Non HRA 506 0 506 0 506 (506) 0 0 0 0 Adults 4,608,078 4,590,031 4,608,078 0 26,868 1,889 28,757 28,757 0 0 Young People 5,579,718 5,216,541 5,579,718 0 487,982 (363,177) 124,805 124,805 0 0 SUB TOTAL 12,941,398 11,299,792 12,941,398 0 1,434,885 (531,859) 903,026 903,026 0 0 Place Roads 108,160,167 28,669,977 108,160,167 (2,154,880) 13,926,294 (2,154,880) 11,771,414 11,771,414 0 0 Streetscene 7,891,828 3,680,140 7,891,828 0 2,385,756 (125,146) 2,260,610 2,260,610 0 0 Transport 4,719,306 1,729,406 4,719,306 0 2,740,706 (1,126,900) 1,613,806 1,613,806 0 0 Waste Services 14,539,343 14,539,343 14,539,343 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Renewable Energy 14,952,181 1,868,609 14,952,181 0 787,008 (516,864) 270,144 270,144 0 0 Office Accommodation 3,356,286 1,476,916 3,356,286 0 1,674,133 (197,217) 1,476,916 1,476,916 0 0 Other Property 5,986,638 467,239 5,986,638 0 962,243 (877,634) 84,609 84,609 0 0 Other Housing 470,000 88,975 470,000 0 470,000 (381,025) 88,975 88,975 0 0 Economic Development & Regeneration 165,624,490 28,313,889 165,624,490 0 9,306,699 (2,818,098) 6,488,601 6,488,601 0 0 Completed Projects 6,355,261 6,314,666 6,355,261 0 15,304 0 15,304 15,304 0 0 SUB TOTAL 332,055,501 87,149,160 332,055,501 (2,154,880) 32,268,143 (8,197,764) 24,070,379 24,070,380 0 0 Other Other 7,704,146 0 7,600,000 (104,146) 104,146 (104,146) 0 0 0 0 SUB TOTAL 7,704,146 0 7,600,000 (104,146) 104,146 (104,146) 0 0 0 0 Uncertainty / Sensitivity Adjustment* (4,064,230) 4,064,230 0 Total Project Expenditure 571,906,677 199,022,217 571,802,531 (2,259,026) 40,427,832 (4,233,906) 36,193,927 36,193,927 0 0 Total Project Income (40,427,832) 4,233,906 (36,193,927) (36,193,927) (0) 0 Total Net Expenditure 0 0 0 (0) 0 0 * Sensitivity adjustment of 10% or 25% based on source and reliability of expenditure projections On Target (+0.5% of budget) On Target (up to 5% delay of original timescales) Slightly off target (+ 0.5% to 2% of budget, or £0.125m, whichever is less) Slightly off target (+ 5% to 10% of original timescales) Significantly off target (+2% or more of budget, or £0.500m, whichever is less) Significantly off target (+10% or more of original timescales) The following classifications have been used to highlight financial performance against budget CURRENT YEAR 2022/23 North Ayrshire Council Capital Statement 2022/23 Year Ended 31st March 2023 Period 12 The following classifications have been used to highlight delivery performance against original timescales set 172
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Revised Budget 22/23 Variance £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ CAPITAL BORROWING Prudential Borrowing 94,515,334 9,882,875 1,655,477 106,053,686 (103,561,460) 2,492,226 2,492,226 0 SUB TOTAL 94,515,334 9,882,875 1,655,477 106,053,686 (103,561,460) 0 2,492,226 2,492,226 0 SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT FUNDING Specific Capital Grants Early Learning & Childcare 464,253 517,775 982,028 (89,170) 892,858 892,858 0 Cycling / Walking /Safer Streets 1,111,122 38,831 (300,566) 849,387 (135,172) 714,215 714,215 0 Vacant & Derelict Land Funding 3,710,375 123,927 848,022 4,682,324 (3,109,316) 1,573,008 1,573,008 0 UK Government Grant - AGD 2,040,120 2,040,120 (1,733,379) 306,741 306,741 0 Lochshore - Garnock Community Visitor Hub 0 50,000 50,000 0 50,000 50,000 0 Town Centre Regeneration 0 166,774 250,000 416,774 (274,288) 142,486 142,486 0 Stevenston Beach Hub 0 34,525 50,000 84,525 (84,525) 0 0 0 Annickbank - Vacant & Derelict Land Investment Programme 0 0 0 0 Millport Town Hall Regeneration 0 382,028 1,187,810 1,569,838 (1,569,838) 0 0 0 Millport Town Hall Phase 2 0 0 0 0 0 Ardrossan Promenade 0 0 0 0 0 Islands Pit Stops 0 0 0 0 0 Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund 0 0 0 0 0 Place Based Investment Programme 706,000 147,903 346,040 1,199,943 (1,065,579) 134,364 134,364 0 UK Shared Prosperity Fund 0 0 0 0 Island Infrastructure Fund 0 259,000 259,000 (140,373) 118,627 118,626 0 Bridges Infrastructure 567,000 (567,000) 0 0 0 0 0 B714 Improvements 857,907 197,160 1,055,067 (165,808) 889,259 889,259 0 Renewal of Play Parks 0 117,000 117,000 (117,000) 0 0 0 Nature Restoration Fund 0 0 0 0 0 0 2-4 Boyle Street Hostel 0 88,975 88,975 88,975 0 CO2 Monitors in Schools 0 122,000 122,000 (76,651) 45,349 45,349 0 Capital Grants General Capital Grant 9,805,000 845,000 10,650,000 15,161,506 25,811,506 25,811,506 0 SUB TOTAL 22,039,777 1,780,923 3,035,306 26,856,006 3,911,382 0 30,767,388 30,767,388 0 CFCR 600,000 0 0 600,000 (91,325) 0 508,675 508,675 0 Grants & Contributions 1,925,682 866,594 1,539,395 4,331,671 (2,196,996) 0 2,134,675 2,134,675 0 Capital Receipts 352,500 0 0 352,500 (61,534) 0 290,966 290,966 0 SUB TOTAL 7,597,157 1,050,109 1,628,337 10,275,603 (7,341,287) 0 2,934,313 2,934,313 0 TOTAL CAPITAL PROGRAMME FUNDING 124,152,268 12,713,907 6,319,120 143,185,295 (106,991,365) 0 36,193,927 36,193,927 0 22/23 Budget at Capital Refresh Mar 2022 Capital Programme Funding 2022/23 Approved budget at Period 1 used as revised starting point 2022/23 Actual Income to 31 March 2023Funding Description Carry Forward from 2021/22 Changes after Capital Refresh Mar 2022 Total Changes in Year Changes at Capital Refresh Mar 2023 173
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COMMUNITIES MILESTONE Total Project Budget Cumulative Expenditure to date Total Project Forecast Projected Over/ (Under) Spend Total Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Expenditure to 31 March 2023 Actual Over/ (Under) Spend for 2022/23 True Over/(Under) Spend Brought / Carry Forward to 2023/24 Original Target Revised Forecast Current Project Stage Delivery Status Financial Delivery Status Physical £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Nursery Education Early Years Programme ST BRIDGETS EARLY YEARS 787,477 787,477 787,477 0 10,378 10,378 0 0 Complete Complete Complete On Target On Target KILMORY EARLY YEARS 55,978 28,187 55,978 0 195 195 0 0 15-Aug-22 31-Aug-23 Pre Tender On Target On Target ST PETERS EARLY YEARS 1,261,310 1,243,727 1,261,310 0 25,646 24,750 (896) (896) Complete Complete Complete On Target On Target MAYFIELD PS EARLY YEARS 215,710 215,710 215,710 0 5,680 5,680 (0) (0) Complete Complete Complete On Target On Target BEITH PS EARLY YEARS 339,764 339,763 339,764 0 4,983 4,983 (0) (0) Complete Complete Complete On Target On Target SKELMORLIE PS EARLY YEARS 359,069 358,835 359,069 0 4,121 3,887 (234) (234) 30-Apr-23 30-Apr-23 Defects On Target On Target WEST KILBRIDE EARLY EARLY YEARS 232,807 225,055 232,807 0 11,531 3,779 (7,752) (7,752) Complete Complete Complete On Target On Target GATESIDE EARLY YEARS 407,764 407,764 407,764 0 2,899 2,899 0 0 Complete Complete Complete On Target On Target FAIRLIE EARLY YEARS 205,120 205,120 205,120 0 1,470 1,470 0 0 Complete Complete Complete On Target On Target DREGHORN EARLY YEARS 82,940 82,940 82,940 0 497 497 0 0 Complete Complete Complete On Target On Target PIRNMILL EARLY YEARS 80,000 71,846 80,000 0 77,510 69,357 (8,154) (8,154) 31-Oct-21 30-Apr-23 Construction On Target On Target SHISKINE EARLY YEARS 127,013 127,013 127,013 0 70,855 70,855 0 0 31-Oct-21 30-Apr-23 Construction On Target On Target CORRIE EARLY YEARS 38,606 28,442 38,606 0 36,441 26,883 (9,558) (9,558) 31-Oct-21 01-Aug-23 Defects On Target On Target LAMLASH EARLY YEARS 15,000 877 15,000 0 195 195 0 0 31-Oct-21 31-Aug-23 Tender On Target On Target BRODICK EARLY YEARS 354,660 354,659 354,660 0 346,221 346,221 (0) (0) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete MARRESS HOUSE 3,560,310 3,560,310 3,560,310 0 1,632,968 1,632,968 (0) (0) 22-Jul-22 31-May-23 Construction On Target Significantly off target result of poor performance by the contractor and continuing issues with the condition of the existing building Completed Nursery Education LAWTHORN EARLY YEARS 201,037 201,037 201,037 0 77 77 (0) (0) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Other Nursery Education ANNICK PRIMARY EXT - EARLY YRS PROVISION 3,103,415 3,070,354 3,103,415 0 85,309 84,640 (669) (669) Complete Complete Complete On Target On Target Total Nursery Education 15,918,237 15,799,375 15,918,237 0 2,316,976 2,289,713 (27,263) 0 (27,263) Primary Schools MOORPARK PRIMARY 10,849,442 6,536,549 10,849,442 0 3,086,371 3,722,113 635,742 635,742 30-Sep-22 30-Sep-23 Construction Slightly off target Significantly off target Delays are being experienced by the contractor and wider supply chain. MONTGOMERIE PARK SCHOOL 23,449,000 1,095,998 23,449,000 0 736,478 945,730 209,252 209,252 30-Apr-24 12-Aug-24 Tender Significantly off target On Target Revised project costs £2.550m above initial budget as reported to Cabinet on 27/4/22 UFSM BRODICK PRIMARY SCHOOL 144,178 121,334 144,178 0 144,178 121,334 (22,844) (22,844) 31-Aug-23 31-Aug-23 Construction On Target On Target UFSM CORRIE PRIMARY SCHOOL 52,795 52,795 52,795 0 52,795 52,795 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete UFSM LARGS PRIMARY SCHOOL 150,000 148,533 150,000 0 150,000 148,533 (1,467) (1,467) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete UFSM SHISKINE PRIMARY SCHOOL 15,000 6,072 15,000 0 3,553 6,072 2,519 2,519 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete UFSM WEST KILBRIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL 2,252,504 206,372 2,252,504 0 216,448 206,110 (10,338) (10,338) 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 On Site On Target On Target Total Primary Education 41,255,113 8,167,653 41,255,113 0 4,389,528 5,202,686 813,158 0 813,158 Secondary Schools KILWINNING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT 2,805,435 2,427,034 2,805,435 0 127,953 72,632 (55,321) (55,321) 31-Aug-21 31-Mar-24 Construction On Target On Target ARDROSSAN NEW BUILD 80,205,307 1,489,641 80,205,307 0 591,768 546,004 (45,764) (45,764) 31-Aug-26 31-Aug-26 In Development Slightly off target Slightly off target Delayed expenditure linked to anticipated delays and inflationary pressures linked to the advance works tender process. Total Secondary Education 83,010,742 3,916,675 83,010,742 0 719,721 618,636 (101,085) 0 (101,085) Special Education LOCKHART CAMPUS 25,343,637 25,205,042 25,343,637 0 803,662 665,067 (138,595) (138,595) Complete Complete Snagging On Target On Target Total Special Education 25,343,637 25,205,042 25,343,637 0 803,662 665,067 (138,595) 0 (138,595) Schools Other CO2 MONITORS IN SCHOOLS 298,000 151,457 298,000 0 45,349 45,349 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-24 Planning On Target On Target SCHOOLS ICT INVESTMENT * 1,350,363 1,385,343 1,350,363 0 1,350,363 1,385,343 34,980 34,980 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 On-going On Target On Target Total Schools Other 1,648,363 1,536,800 1,648,363 0 1,395,712 1,430,692 34,980 0 34,980 Information & Culture CASTLES & HISTORIC MONUMENTS 38,303 0 38,303 0 38,303 0 (38,303) (38,303) Holding Code Holding Code Holding Code Holding Code Holding Code ABBEY TOWER 75,176 6,563 75,176 0 2,549 0 (2,549) (2,549) Autumn 2023 Autumn 2023 Planning On Hold On Hold Total Information & Cultural 113,479 6,563 113,479 0 40,852 0 (40,852) 0 (40,852) Completed Projects GARNOCK CAMPUS 40,307,259 40,304,366 40,307,259 0 2,893 0 (2,893) (2,893) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete AUCHENHARVIE SECONDARY ESTATE LEARNING ENVT 3,112,120 3,111,334 3,112,120 0 786 0 (786) (786) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Total Completed Projects 43,419,379 43,415,700 43,419,379 0 3,679 0 (3,679) 0 (3,679) Total Communities 210,708,950 98,047,807 210,708,950 0 9,670,130 10,206,793 536,663 0 536,663 CAPITAL MONITORING 2022/23 CommentsProject Description TOTAL PROJECT COMPLETION DATES DELIVERY STATUS2022/23 BUDGETS 174
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE MILESTONE Total Project Budget Cumulative Expenditure to date Total Project Forecast Projected Over/ (Under) Spend Total Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Expenditure to 31 March 2023 Actual Over/ (Under) Spend for 2022/23 True Over/(Under) Spend Brought / Carry Forward to 2023/24 Original Target Revised Forecast Current Project Stage Delivery Status Financial Delivery Status Physical £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Council IT Strategy ICT INVESTMENT FUND 3,732,986 909,733 3,732,986 0 285,000 279,944 (5,057) (5,057) 31-Mar-26 31-Mar-26 On-going On Target On Target WAN 902,100 402,197 902,100 0 139,297 139,394 97 97 31-Mar-28 31-Mar-28 Implementation On Target On Target LAN/WiFi 2,673,000 944,162 2,673,000 0 561,816 572,978 11,162 11,162 31-Mar-28 31-Mar-28 Implementation On Target On Target TELEPHONY 1,146,693 227,643 1,146,693 0 24,988 17,938 (7,050) (7,050) 31-Mar-28 31-Mar-28 Implementation On Target On Target OUR FUTURE WORKING ENVIRONMENT 41,903 41,722 41,903 0 3,657 3,476 (181) (181) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Total IT Strategy 8,496,682 2,525,457 8,496,682 0 1,014,758 1,013,728 (1,030) 0 (1,030) Total Chief Executive 8,496,682 2,525,457 8,496,682 0 1,014,758 1,013,728 (1,030) 0 (1,030) CAPITAL MONITORING 2022/23 CommentsProject Description COMPLETION DATESTOTAL PROJECT DELIVERY STATUS2022/23 BUDGETS 175
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HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE MILESTONE Total Project Budget Cumulative Expenditure to date Total Project Forecast Projected Over/ (Under) Spend Total Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Expenditure to 31 March 2023 Actual Over/ (Under) Spend for 2022/23 True Over/(Under) Spend Brought / Carry Forward to 2023/24 Original Target Revised Forecast Current Project Stage Delivery Status Financial Delivery Status Physical £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Management & Support HOME CARE SYSTEM 433,917 433,917 433,917 0 42,682 42,682 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete COMMUNITY ALARMS - ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL 996,000 4,190 996,000 0 6,190 4,190 (2,000) (2,000) 31-Dec-23 31-Dec-23 Future Years On Target On Target CAREFIRST IT SYSTEM 84,620 84,620 84,620 0 0 0 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete CAREFIRST REPLACEMENT 536,058 267,993 536,058 0 168,157 92 (168,065) (168,065) 31-Aug-24 31-Aug-24 In development On Target On Target ARRAN STAFF ACCOM – GLENARTNEY 702,500 702,500 702,500 0 702,500 702,500 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Acquisition On Target On Target Total Management & Support 2,753,095 1,493,221 2,753,095 0 919,529 749,464 (170,065) 0 (170,065) Housing Non HRA IMPROVEMENT GRANTS * 506 0 506 0 506 0 (506) (506) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Ongoing On Target On Target Total Housing Non HRA 506 0 506 0 506 0 (506) 0 (506) Adults TRINDLEMOSS 4,608,078 4,590,031 4,608,078 0 26,868 28,757 1,889 1,889 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Total Older People 4,608,078 4,590,031 4,608,078 0 26,868 28,757 1,889 0 1,889 Young People RESIDENTIAL & RESPITE UNIT 5,579,718 5,216,541 5,579,718 0 487,982 124,805 (363,177) (363,177) Complete Complete Snagging On Target On Target Total Young People 5,579,718 5,216,541 5,579,718 0 487,982 124,805 (363,177) 0 (363,177) Total Health & Social Care 12,941,398 11,299,792 12,941,398 0 1,434,885 903,026 (531,859) 0 (531,859) CAPITAL MONITORING 2022/23 2022/23 BUDGETSTOTAL PROJECT COMPLETION DATES CommentsProject Description DELIVERY STATUS 176
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PLACE MILESTONE Total Project Budget Cumulative Expenditure to date Total Project Forecast Projected Over/ (Under) Spend Total Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Expenditure to 31 March 2023 Actual Over/ (Under) Spend for 2022/23 True Over/ (Under) Spend Brought / Carry Forward to 2023/4 Original Target Revised Forecast Current Project Stage Delivery Status Financial Delivery Status Physical £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Roads ROADS IMPROVE/RECONSTRUCTION * 4,814,795 4,767,534 4,814,795 0 4,814,795 4,767,534 (47,261) (47,261) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Multiple Projects On Target On Target A737 DALRY BYPASS 136,000 129,955 136,000 0 136,000 129,955 (6,045) (6,045) 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 In Development On Target On Target TRAFFIC CALMING 175,000 92,047 175,000 0 100,000 92,047 (7,953) (7,953) 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 In Development On Target On Target VEHICLE RESTRAINT SYSTEM UPGRADE 100,000 100,000 100,000 0 100,000 100,000 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 In Development On Target On Target LIGHTING * 1,244,770 1,170,485 1,244,770 0 1,244,770 1,170,485 (74,285) (74,285) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Multiple Projects On Target On Target LED LIGHTING REPLACEMENT 695,000 338,021 695,000 0 329,690 338,021 8,331 8,331 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Multiple Projects On Target On Target A737 DALRY BYPASS LIGHTING 20,685 4,074 20,685 0 6,485 4,074 (2,411) (2,411) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Preparing Works PackagesOn Target On Target UPPER GARNOCK FPS 18,503,800 17,435,972 18,503,800 0 3,154,934 2,387,106 (767,828) (767,828) Complete Complete Complete Slightly off target Slightly off target The contractor did not achieve the programme before winter. The drainage and topsoiling/ seeding cannot be completed until next spring MILLPORT COASTAL FPS 48,599,796 1,840,415 48,599,796 0 1,300,000 575,618 (724,382) (724,382) 31-Aug-24 31-Aug-24 Construction Slightly off target On Target MILLBURN FPS 1,757,000 253,471 1,757,000 0 60,000 66,453 6,453 6,453 31-Mar-23 31-Jul-24 Design On Target Significantly off Delays in the design process MILLPORT PIER 500,000 150,080 500,000 0 0 0 0 0 31-Mar-25 31-Mar-25 In Development On Target On Target BRIDGES INFRASTRUCTURE PROG * 1,000,000 1,000,570 1,000,000 0 1,000,000 1,000,570 570 570 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Multiple Projects On Target On Target LARGS PROMENADE SEAWALL 3,969,000 333,954 3,969,000 0 191,596 223,326 31,730 31,730 31-Oct-23 31-Oct-23 Tender Slightly off target On Target Increased tender cost risks identified B714 UPGRADE 26,063,443 889,259 26,063,443 0 1,212,000 889,259 (322,741) (322,741) 31-Mar-25 31-Mar-25 Outline Design Significantly off target On Target Increased tender cost risks identified LARGS CAR PARK INFRASTRUCTURE 54,467 54,467 54,467 0 0 0 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete GALLOWGATE TOILETS 275,803 29,650 275,803 0 273,119 26,967 (246,153) (246,153) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target PARKING CHARGES & DPE 250,610 80,025 250,610 0 2,905 0 (2,905) (2,905) 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 In Development On Target On Target Total Roads 108,160,167 28,669,977 108,160,167 0 13,926,294 11,771,414 (2,154,880) 0 (2,154,880) Streetscene CEMETERY EXTNS, WALLS & INFRA * 665,405 0 665,405 0 (52,174) 0 52,174 52,174 Holding Code Holding Code Holding Code Holding Code Holding Code CMTY, LAMLASH - EXTENSION 715,065 715,065 715,065 0 30,540 30,540 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete CMTY, ARDROSSAN - PLOTS/WALLS 217,922 156,058 217,922 0 55,921 5,355 (50,566) (50,566) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete CMTY, KILBIRNIE - WORKS 25,383 25,383 25,383 0 0 0 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete CMTY, KILWINNING - NEW 1,264,528 1,264,528 1,264,528 0 1,176,082 1,176,082 0 0 01-Sep-22 31-May-23 Construction On Target Significantly off Contractor appointed and work commenced CMTY, KNADGERHILL - EXTENSION 416,471 414,810 416,471 0 22,230 20,569 (1,661) (1,661) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete CMTY, WEST KILBRIDE - WORKS 361,142 361,141 361,142 0 322,422 329,928 7,506 7,506 25-Nov-22 28-Feb-24 Construction On Target On Target CMTY, STEV HIGH ROAD - WORKS 545,429 369,470 545,429 0 365,961 325,642 (40,319) (40,319) 23-Dec-22 30-Apr-23 Construction On Target On Target ARDROSSAN CEMETERY NEW 900,603 603 900,603 0 0 0 0 0 Future years Future years Future years On Hold On Hold CMTY, BRODICK - NEW 12,000 7,021 12,000 0 9,521 7,021 (2,500) (2,500) Future years Future years Planning On Hold On Hold CMTY, KILBIRNIE - WALLS 188,370 15,626 188,370 0 2,043 15,626 13,583 13,583 31-Mar-23 30-Apr-23 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, BEITH - WALLS 87,542 14,635 87,542 0 2,533 14,046 11,513 11,513 31-Mar-23 30-Apr-23 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, ABBEY TOWER - WALLS 95,550 6,052 95,550 0 3,520 6,052 2,532 2,532 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, STEV HAWKHILL - WALLS 108,732 5,860 108,732 0 1,811 5,860 4,049 4,049 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, WEST KILBRIDE - WALLS 99,528 4,604 99,528 0 2,413 4,604 2,191 2,191 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 Feasibility Works On Hold On Hold CMTY, MILLPORT - WALLS 2,846 2,846 2,846 0 2,846 2,846 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, ARDROSSAN - WALLS 4,338 4,338 4,338 0 4,338 4,338 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, IRVINE OP CHURCH - WALLS 2,775 2,775 2,775 0 2,775 2,775 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, DREGHORN - WALLS 3,260 3,260 3,260 0 3,260 3,260 (1) (1) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, KILBIRNIE BARONY - WALLS 1,828 1,828 1,828 0 1,828 1,828 (0) (0) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, LAMLASH - WALLS 3,627 3,627 3,627 0 3,627 3,627 (0) (0) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, STEV HIGH KIRK - WORKS 22,754 22,754 22,754 0 22,754 22,754 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, KILBIRNIE - NEW 598,450 11,287 598,450 0 9,223 11,287 2,064 2,064 31-Mar-25 31-Mar-25 Feasibility Works On Target On Target CMTY, DALRY - WALLS 2,450 2,450 2,450 0 2,450 2,450 0 0 On Target On Target COASTAL PLAY PARKS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target STREET FURNITURE IMPROVEMENT 69,469 69,469 69,469 0 69,469 69,469 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target PARK ENABLING WORKS 85,363 85,363 85,363 0 85,363 85,363 (0) (0) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target RENEWAL OF PLAY PARKS 1,391,000 109,288 1,391,000 0 235,000 109,288 (125,712) (125,712) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Construction On Target On Target Total Streetscene 7,891,828 3,680,140 7,891,828 0 2,385,756 2,260,610 (125,146) 0 (125,146) Transport VEHICLES * 1,901,045 1,466,418 1,901,045 0 1,901,045 1,466,418 (434,627) (434,627) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Ongoing On Target On Target WORKPLACE CHARGERS 318,261 225,403 318,261 0 202,661 109,803 (92,858) (92,858) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Ongoing On Target On Target FLEET DECARBONISATION 2,500,000 37,585 2,500,000 0 637,000 37,585 (599,415) (599,415) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Ongoing On Target On Target Total Transport 4,719,306 1,729,406 4,719,306 0 2,740,706 1,613,806 (1,126,900) 0 (1,126,900) Renewable Energy SOLAR PV RETROFIT EXTENSION 120,000 42,014 120,000 0 78,205 219 (77,986) (77,986) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target SOLAR PV INVESTMENT - NETHERMAINS 7,289,441 145,681 7,289,441 0 500,000 102,241 (397,759) (397,759) 30-Apr-24 30-Apr-24 Work Ongoing On Target On Target SOLAR PV INVESTMENT - SHEWALTON 5,540,347 98,110 5,540,347 0 75,640 98,110 22,470 22,470 30-Oct-24 30-Oct-24 Work Ongoing On Target On Target NON DOMESTIC ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMME 1,000,000 936,411 1,000,000 0 63,589 0 (63,589) (63,589) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Work Ongoing On Target On Target NATURE RESTORATION FUND 356,000 0 356,000 0 0 0 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target ELECTRIC VEHICLES INFRASTRUCTURE 646,392 646,392 646,392 0 69,574 69,574 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Various On Target On Target Total Renewable Energy 14,952,181 1,868,609 14,952,181 0 787,008 270,144 (516,864) 0 (516,864) CAPITAL MONITORING 2022/23 Project Description TOTAL PROJECT 2022/23 BUDGETS COMPLETION DATES DELIVERY STATUS Comments 177
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PLACE MILESTONE Total Project Budget Cumulative Expenditure to date Total Project Forecast Projected Over/ (Under) Spend Total Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Expenditure to 31 March 2023 Actual Over/ (Under) Spend for 2022/23 True Over/ (Under) Spend Brought / Carry Forward to 2023/4 Original Target Revised Forecast Current Project Stage Delivery Status Financial Delivery Status Physical CAPITAL MONITORING 2022/23 Project Description TOTAL PROJECT 2022/23 BUDGETS COMPLETION DATES DELIVERY STATUS Comments Office Accommodation PROPERTY LIFECYCLE INVESTMENT * (6,204) 0 (6,204) 0 (6,204) 0 6,204 0 6,204 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Mulitple projects On Target On Target PLI CALEY COURT RESOURCE CTR 3,450 3,450 3,450 0 3,450 3,450 (0) 0 (0) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI CENTRAL AVE STREETSCENE DEPOT* 64,494 64,494 64,494 0 64,494 64,494 (0) 0 (0) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI BEITH CEMETERY 669 669 669 0 669 669 (0) (0) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI WHITLEES COMMUNITY CTR 3,916 3,916 3,916 0 3,916 3,916 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI WEST KILBRIDE COMMUNITY CENTRE 135,699 135,499 135,699 0 135,699 135,499 (200) 0 (200) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI WOODWYND HALL 2,000 1,809 2,000 0 0 1,809 1,809 0 1,809 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI PORTLAND PLACE 27,967 0 27,967 0 18,000 0 (18,000) 0 (18,000) 31-Dec-22 30-Jun-23 Planning On Target On Target Planned for w/c 20/03 PLI PADDOCKHOLM DEPOT 10,000 7,754 10,000 0 10,000 7,754 (2,246) 0 (2,246) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI WEST BYREHILL DEPOT 160,513 86,979 160,513 0 160,513 86,979 (73,534) 0 (73,534) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target PLI GOLDCRAIGS DEPOT 136,563 17,968 136,563 0 17,968 17,968 (0) (0) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-24 Planning On Target On Target PLI ANNICK PRIMARY SCHOOL 5,959 5,959 5,959 0 5,959 5,959 (0) (0) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI ARDEER PRIMARY SCHOOL 2,952 2,952 2,952 0 2,952 2,952 0 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI BEITH PRIMARY SCHOOL 2,300 0 2,300 0 2,300 0 (2,300) 0 (2,300) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target PLI BLACKLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL 210,000 178,405 210,000 0 210,000 178,405 (31,595) (31,595) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI CALEDONIA PRIMARY SCHOOL 6,646 6,646 6,646 0 6,646 6,646 (0) (0) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI DALRY PRIMARY SCHOOL 89,000 20,686 89,000 0 19,907 20,686 779 779 18-Aug-23 18-Aug-23 Planning On Target On Target PLI DREGHORN PRIMARY SCHOOL 1,500 0 1,500 0 1,500 0 (1,500) (1,500) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target PLI FAIRLIE PRIMARY SCHOOL 7,374 6,355 7,374 0 7,374 6,355 (1,019) (1,019) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI GLENCAIRN PRIMARY SCHOOL 175,759 160,003 175,759 0 175,759 160,003 (15,756) (15,756) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI PENNYBURN PRIMARY 415,450 0 415,450 0 3,500 0 (3,500) (3,500) 31-Aug-23 31-Aug-23 Planning On Target On Target PLI ST BRIDGETS PRIMARY 5,500 4,645 5,500 0 5,500 4,645 (855) (855) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target PLI SHISKINE PRIMARY 4,266 4,266 4,266 0 4,266 4,266 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI SKELMORLIE PRIMARY SCHOOL 75,000 1,020 75,000 0 0 1,020 1,020 1,020 31-Aug-23 31-Aug-23 Planning On Target On Target PLI ST JOHN OGILVIE PRIMARY SCHOOL 16,708 16,708 16,708 0 16,708 16,708 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI ST PETER'S PRIMARY 1,971 1,971 1,971 0 1,971 1,971 (0) (0) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI WEST KILBRIDE PRIMARY* 325 325 325 0 325 325 0 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI WOODLANDS PRIMARY 5,603 5,603 5,603 0 5,603 5,603 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI AUCHENHARVIE ACADEMY* 821,820 498,739 821,820 0 550,000 498,739 (51,261) (51,261) 31-Mar-23 30-Jun-23 Construction On Target On Target PLI IRVINE ROYAL ACADEMY* 378,785 11,354 378,785 0 10,171 11,354 1,183 1,183 31-Aug-23 31-Aug-23 Pupil Toilets: Complete AW Pitches: TenderOn Target Significantly off target Resource pressures within PMI resulting in this project being delayed PLI KILWINNING ACADEMY 270,000 81,580 270,000 0 87,677 81,580 (6,098) (6,098) 31-Aug-23 31-Aug-23 Planning On Target On Target PLI 6A KILWINNING ROAD 7,619 7,619 7,619 0 7,619 7,619 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI LARGS LIBRARY 7,239 7,239 7,239 0 7,239 7,239 (0) (0) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI STEVENSTON LIBRARY 5,915 5,915 5,915 0 5,915 5,915 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Works on hold depending on Land and Property review PLI CUNNINGHAME HOUSE 98,273 3,482 98,273 0 3,482 3,482 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Aug-23 On Hold On Hold On Hold PLI H&SCP 47 WEST ROAD 9,555 9,555 9,555 0 9,555 9,555 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI GALT HOUSE 8,593 8,593 8,593 0 8,593 8,593 (0) (0) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI ACHNAMARA CHILDREN'S UNIT 29,671 29,671 29,671 0 29,671 29,671 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI THE MEADOWS 5,900 5,482 5,900 0 5,900 5,482 (418) (418) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete PLI ANAM CARA 80,000 51,667 80,000 0 50,000 51,667 1,667 1,667 30-Apr-23 31-May-23 Planning On Target On Target PLI GARNOCK CAMPUS 10,925 10,925 10,925 0 10,925 10,925 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target PLI EGLINTON CASTLE 48,000 0 48,000 0 0 0 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target PLI THE PORTAL 8,611 7,016 8,611 0 8,611 7,016 (1,595) (1,595) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Total Office Accommodation 3,356,286 1,476,916 3,356,286 0 1,674,133 1,476,916 (197,217) 0 (197,217) Other Property INDUSTRIAL PORTFOLIO * 430,713 0 430,713 0 430,713 0 (430,713) (430,713) On Hold On Hold Multiple projects On Target On Target HOME 4,470,199 288,648 4,470,199 0 100,000 50,533 (49,467) 0 (49,467) On Hold On Hold On Hold On Hold On Hold BUILD 284,086 46,249 284,086 0 247,284 9,448 (237,837) 0 (237,837) On Hold On Hold On Hold On Hold On Hold EMERGENCY CONTROL CTR 158,000 1,220 158,000 0 158,000 1,220 (156,780) 0 (156,780) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 In development On Target On Target GOLDCRAIGS REFURBISHMENT 509,000 25,000 509,000 0 25,000 25,000 0 0 0 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 In development On Target On Target WOODLANDS PRIMARY PLAYINGFIELD DRAINAGE 134,640 106,122 134,640 0 1,246 (1,591) (2,837) (2,837) Complete Complete Complete On Target On Target Total Property 5,986,638 467,239 5,986,638 0 962,243 84,609 (877,634) 0 (877,634) Other Housing CCTV REVIEW 350,000 0 350,000 0 350,000 0 (350,000) (350,000) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target 2-4 BOYLE STREET HOSTEL 120,000 88,975 120,000 0 120,000 88,975 (31,025) (31,025) 12-May-23 12-May-23 Construction On Target On Target Total Other Housing 470,000 88,975 470,000 0 470,000 88,975 (381,025) 0 (381,025) 178
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PLACE MILESTONE Total Project Budget Cumulative Expenditure to date Total Project Forecast Projected Over/ (Under) Spend Total Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Expenditure to 31 March 2023 Actual Over/ (Under) Spend for 2022/23 True Over/ (Under) Spend Brought / Carry Forward to 2023/4 Original Target Revised Forecast Current Project Stage Delivery Status Financial Delivery Status Physical CAPITAL MONITORING 2022/23 Project Description TOTAL PROJECT 2022/23 BUDGETS COMPLETION DATES DELIVERY STATUS Comments Regeneration TOWN CENTRE REGENERATION 1,201,660 995,968 1,201,660 0 188,177 122,486 (65,691) (65,691) 30-Sep-22 30-Sep-23 Construction On Target On Target ISLAND INFRASTRUCTURE FUND 259,000 118,626 259,000 0 259,000 118,626 (140,374) (140,374) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 In development On Target On Target PBIP 36 BANK STREET 145,000 83,172 145,000 0 100,000 54,573 (45,427) (45,427) 31-Dec-24 31-Dec-25 In development On Target On Target IRVINE HIGH STREET 2,837,316 2,721,355 2,837,316 0 54,327 49,857 (4,470) (4,470) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete MONTGOMERIE PARK MASTERPLAN 3,718,598 1,774,932 3,718,598 0 36,264 32,599 (3,665) (3,665) 31-Mar-30 31-Mar-30 In development On Target On Target LOCHSHORE, KILBIRNIE 2,011,138 1,641,780 2,011,138 0 1,442,286 1,072,928 (369,358) (369,358) 31-May-25 31-May-25 In development On Target On Target LOCHSHORE GARNOCK HUB 4,195,999 4,083,770 4,195,999 0 1,377,575 1,265,346 (112,229) (112,229) Complete Complete Complete On Target On Target VDLF - IRVINE KYLE ROAD SITE PREP* 1,421,110 1,421,110 1,421,110 0 180 180 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete VDLF - KYLE ROAD PHASE 2 267,066 140,840 267,066 0 175,000 119,667 (55,333) (55,333) 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 In development On Target On Target VDLF - ANNICKBANK PH 3* 2,000,220 76,261 2,000,220 0 494,220 19,220 (475,000) (475,000) 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 Tender On Target On Target VDLF - DEVELOPMENT WORK* 347,479 93,467 347,479 0 75,000 44,205 (30,795) (30,795) 30-Sep-23 31-Mar-24 In development On Target On Target QUARRY ROAD PHASE 2 5,209,497 5,204,719 5,209,497 0 25,301 20,523 (4,778) (4,778) Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete CYCLING/WALKING/SAFER STREETS * 559,956 793,097 559,956 0 559,956 709,301 149,345 149,345 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 Various On Target On Target ACCESS PATH NETWORK PROGRAMME * 84,833 58,026 84,833 0 84,833 58,026 (26,807) (26,807) 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 Various On Target On Target FAIRLIE COASTAL PATH 49,887 49,887 49,887 0 49,887 49,887 0 0 31-Dec-23 31-Dec-23 In development On Target On Target PENNYBURN ROUNDABOUT BUS LANE 533 124,201 533 0 533 533 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Feasibility On Target On Target IRVINE CYCLE FRIENDLY TOWN 216,198 466,198 216,198 0 216,198 216,198 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Various On Target On Target BRODICK TO CORRIE CYCLE PATH 24,987 60,199 24,987 0 24,987 24,987 (0) (0) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Design On Target On Target BUS CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS 189,042 189,041 189,042 0 114,087 114,087 (0) (0) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Various On Target On Target BUS ROUTE CONGESTION MEASURES 710,722 710,722 710,722 0 105,472 105,472 (0) (0) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Construction On Target On Target CUMBRAE FERRY & BUS STOP 139,547 139,547 139,547 0 115,857 115,857 (0) (0) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Design On Target On Target B714 ACTIVE TRAVEL IMPROVEMENTS 100,000 100,000 100,000 0 100,000 100,000 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Design On Target On Target B777 CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS 38,400 4,800 38,400 0 4,800 4,800 0 0 31-Mar-24 31-Mar-24 Planning On Target On Target SALTCOATS OLD CAL RAILWAY PH1 268,588 55,075 268,588 0 268,588 55,075 (213,513) (213,513) 26-Jun-23 26-Jun-23 Planning On Target On Target STTS U88 NORTH SANNOX 126,572 126,572 126,572 0 126,572 126,572 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target STTS ROSS ROAD ARRAN 221,340 281,245 221,340 0 221,340 221,340 0 0 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Planning On Target On Target Total Regeneration 31,427,633 22,417,236 31,427,633 0 6,932,778 4,822,344 (2,110,434) 0 (2,110,434) Ayrshire Growth Deal AYRSHIRE GROWTH DEAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31-Mar-26 31-Mar-26 On Target On Target AGD - I3 DPMC PHASE 1 1,000,000 5,449 1,000,000 0 200,000 0 (200,000) (200,000) 31-Mar-26 31-Mar-26 Design On Target On Target AGD - I3 DPMC PHASE 2 5,000,000 239,415 5,000,000 0 70,000 59,446 (10,554) (10,554) 31-Mar-26 31-Mar-26 Design On Target On Target AGD - I3 FLEXIBLE BUSINESS SPACE 15,000,000 545,423 15,000,000 0 208,000 306,741 98,741 98,741 31-Mar-26 31-Mar-27 Multiple Projects On Target On Target AGD - HUNTERSTON - CENTRE OF LOW CARBON ENERGY & CIRCULAR ECONOMY 18,040,001 232,228 18,040,001 0 200,000 46,108 (153,892) (153,892) 31-Mar-26 31-Mar-30 Multiple Projects On Target On Target Project has been reprofiled as part of the overall review of the AGD programme. Slippage in current year due to work which is underway to clarify partnership arrangements. AGD - GREAT HARBOUR 14,164,951 598,089 14,164,951 0 452,909 301,771 (151,138) (151,138) 31-Mar-26 31-Mar-28 Multiple Projects On Target On Target Masterplan currently under consultation and design works delayed until that has been concluded. Programme has been revised across the AGD timeframe to reflect timing of the three Hubs AGD - IMSE 10,500,000 133,513 10,500,000 0 174,000 31,253 (142,747) (142,747) 31-Mar-27 31-Mar-30 Design On Target On Target Project has been reprofiled as part of the overall review of the AGD programme. Work is ongoing with partners to develop the delivery proposal for this project. AGD - MARINE TOURISM ARDROSSAN 7,500,000 334,696 7,500,000 0 137,638 123,955 (13,683) (13,683) 31-Mar-26 31-Mar-26 Design On Target On Target AGD - MARINE TOURISM ARRAN 2,025,577 60,484 2,025,577 0 42,255 31,773 (10,482) (10,482) 31-Mar-29 31-Mar-29 Design On Target On Target AGD - MARINE TOURISM CUMBRAE 2,025,577 68,179 2,025,577 0 44,266 33,618 (10,648) (10,648) 31-Mar-29 31-Mar-29 Design On Target On Target Total Ayrshire Growth Deal 75,256,105 2,217,477 75,256,105 0 1,529,068 934,665 (594,403) 0 (594,403) Growth & Investment ARDROSSAN HARBOUR INTERCHANGE 4,077,112 455,452 4,077,112 0 50,000 65,743 15,743 15,743 31-Dec-24 31-Dec-25 Design Slightly off target On Target Increased tender cost risks identified LOW CARBON HUB 1,430,017 112,005 1,430,017 0 123,698 25,204 (98,494) (98,494) 30-Apr-24 30-Sep-24 Multiple Projects On Target On Target Delays in securing landowner permissions for EV works and planning applications awaited for Path works - both will now carry into 2324 FY ARDROSSAN NORTH SHORE 41,532,860 2,833,766 41,532,860 0 541,317 536,243 (5,074) (5,074) 30-Apr-24 27-May-24 Tender Slightly off target Slightly off target Projected spend increased to include additional site investigations and service design costs. VDLF - HARBOUR MASTERS OFFICE 157,711 20,933 157,711 0 211 211 (0) (0) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-23 Design On Target On Target VDLF - I3 IRVINE ENTERPRISE 996,981 257,020 996,981 0 129,627 104,192 (25,435) (25,435) 31-Mar-23 31-Mar-24 Design On Target On Target Slippage as Site Investigations for SIC will now take place during 23/24 Financial Other Growth & Investment 58,940,752 3,679,176 58,940,752 0 844,853 731,592 (113,261) 0 (113,261) Total Economic Development & Regeneration 165,624,490 28,313,889 165,624,490 0 9,306,699 6,488,601 (2,818,098) 0 (2,818,098) Completed Projects ARDROSSAN HOSTEL 15,304 15,304 0 0 Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Total Completed Projects 6,355,261 6,314,666 6,355,261 0 15,304 15,304 0 0 0 Total Place 332,055,501 87,149,160 332,055,501 0 32,268,143 24,070,380 (8,197,763) 0 (8,197,764) 179
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OTHER BUDGETS AE Total Project Budget Cumulative Expenditure to date Total Project Forecast Projected Over/ (Under) Spend Total Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Expenditure to 31 March 2023 Over/ (Under) Spend for 22/23 £ £ £ £ £ £ £ FLEXIBILITY / IMPROVEMENT FUND 7,704,146 0 7,600,000 (104,146) 104,146 0 (104,146) CORE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Other Budgets 7,704,146 0 7,600,000 (104,146) 104,146 0 (104,146) 2022/23 BUDGETS CommentsProject Description TOTAL PROJECT 180
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HRA Capital Statement APPENDIX 2 For the Twelve months to 31 March 2023 Description Approved budget 16 February 2022 Current budget including carry forwards Approved Revisions to programme Carry forward (to)/from future years Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Spend to 31/03/2023 True Over / (Under)spend Delivery Status Financial Delivery Status Physical Comments £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'001 £'000 £'000 Council House Build Programme Council House Building General 1,542 1,542 (1,542) (6) (6) (6) - On Target On Target Acquisition Of Houses On Open Market 720 526 210 (219) 517 517 - On Target On Target New Build Corsehillhead 1,450 600 - (543) 57 57 - On Target Slightly off target Expected completion Winter 2024 New Build Brathwic Terrace 18 168 109 3 280 155 (125) On Target Complete Completed - final properties were handed over in June 2022 New Build Flatt Road Phase 1 1,712 1,072 (291) (241) 540 540 - On Target Complete Completed - final properties were handed over in December 2021. New Build Towerlands 25 160 20 3 183 174 (9) On Target Complete Completed - final properties were handed over in March 2022. New Build Kinnier Road 3 2 (2) - - - - Complete Complete Completed - properties were handed over in October 2021. New Build St Colms 1,896 782 367 30 1,179 1,145 (34) Complete Complete Completed - properties were handed over in September 2022 New Build St Michaels Wynd - 592 403 26 1,021 1,118 97 On Target Complete Completed - final properties handed over in August 2022. New Build Harbourside Irvine 6,460 6,000 (237) (728) 5,035 5,035 - On Target Slightly off target Completed - final properties were handed over during April 2023. New Build Afton Court 910 1,080 139 (626) 593 593 - On Target Slightly off target Expected completion Summer 2023. New Build Caley Court 1,769 1,843 - (282) 1,561 1,561 - On Target Slightly off target Completed - properties were handed over January 2023. New Build Springvale Saltcoats - 133 8 (1) 140 49 (91) On Target Complete Completed - properties were handed over in November 2021. New Build Dalrymple Place - 101 - 4 105 88 (17) On Target Complete Completed - properties were handed over in October 2021. New Build St Beya Millport 6 53 - - 53 51 (2) On Target Complete Completed - properties were handed over in July 2021. Garnock Academy Site 7,950 1,800 (1,700) (25) 75 75 - Slightly off target Slightly off target Tender stage. Expected completion Spring 2025. Largs police Station 1,908 1,600 105 (299) 1,406 1,406 - On Target Slightly off target Demolition complete. Expected completion Summer 2023. Ayrshire Central Site 9,497 1,500 (1,400) 17 117 117 - On Target Slightly off target Pre-planning stage. Expected completion Spring 2026. Bourtreehill Village 2,000 25 - (8) 17 17 - On Target Slightly off target Pre-planning stage. New completion date to be established. James McFarlane ASN Site 3,050 2,250 (2,150) 25 125 125 - On Target Slightly off target Consultation stage. Expected completion Summer 2024. James Reid ASN school 6,050 1,125 (1,005) 120 240 240 - On Target Slightly off target Consultation stage. Expected completion Winter 2024. Stanecastle ASN School 3,300 1,850 (1,750) (7) 93 93 - On Target Slightly off target Consultation stage. Expected completion Summer 2024. Fullarton Street 4,090 25 - (2) 23 23 - On Target Slightly off target Demolition of existing flats expected to complete in Summer 2023. Expected completion 2025. New Build Montgomerie Park 10,900 1,500 (1,450) (14) 36 36 - On Target Slightly off target Pre-planning stage. Expected completion Winter 2026. Glebe Place 10 50 (25) (25) - - - On Target On Target New build project deferred until 2025/26 Regeneration Project 1e 15 5 - (5) - - - On Target On Target Pre-planning stage. Unallocated Regeneration Block 1 55 - - - - - - On Target On Target Pre-planning stage. Laburnum Avenue (Regen 1a) 160 5 5 (10) - - - On Target On Target Pre-planning stage. Newhouse Drive (Regen 1b) 175 5 (5) - - - - On Target On Target Pre-planning stage. Regeneration Project 1d 360 5 - (2) 3 3 - On Target On Target Pre-planning stage. Contingency 1,163 8,820 (8,820) - - - - CONNEL COURT (49) 50 (1) - - - Complete Complete GARRIER COURT (56) 57 (1) - - - Complete Complete Harbour Street 5 5 5 Total For Council House Build Programme 67,194 35,114 (18,904) (2,812) 13,398 13,217 (181) 181
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Description Approved budget 16 February 2022 Current budget including carry forwards Approved Revisions to programme Carry forward (to)/from future years Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Spend to 31/03/2023 True Over / (Under)spend Delivery Status Financial Delivery Status Physical Comments £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'001 £'000 £'000 Improvement to Existing Homes - Building Services Window Replacement 325 364 (204) 2 162 162 - On Target On Target Bathroom Programme 75 75 201 997 1,273 1,273 - On Target On Target Kitchen Programme 2,610 4,450 (159) 297 4,588 2,288 (2,300) On Target Slightly off target Additional underspend showing due to previous years underspend not required. Previous years uncompleted units were included in the revised business plan last year, therefore already accounted for. Bathroom Programme Voids - - 991 (855) 136 136 - On Target On Target Kitchen Programme Voids - - 1,145 (1,018) 127 127 - On Target On Target Door replacement programme 2,191 2,191 (2,191) - - - - Significantly off target Significantly off target Door replacement programme - tender has been re-issued following specification review due to unviable costs. Balance of budget requires to be earmarked for 2023/24. Sheltered Housing Units 8,531 8,495 (8,245) (63) 187 187 - Significantly off target Significantly off target Projection reduced due to Procurement Issues and external contractor issues - remaining budget to be carried forward to 23/24. Spend this financial year will only be consultants and staff costs. Construction estimated to commence late 22/23. Tender for Barnett returned and checking quality. Saltcoats MSF Investment 4,767 1,881 (698) 13 1,196 1,196 - On Target Significantly off target Additional works required. Expected completion Summer 2023. Total For Improvements to Existing Homes - Building Services 18,499 17,456 (9,160) (627) 7,669 5,369 (2,300) Improvement to Existing Homes - External Contractors Central Heating 2,524 4,442 (1,756) 132 2,818 2,176 (642) Significantly off target Significantly off target Underspend showing due to previous years underspend not required. Previous years uncompleted units were included in the revised business plan last year, therefore already accounted for. Insulated Re-Rendering 421 865 1,756 (1,048) 1,573 1,573 - Significantly off target Significantly off target Budget vired from roofing & rerendering to offset additional spend in insulated render. Following contractor surverys some wall/floor render has been reprofiled as EWI and virement approved. The discorvery of asbestos delayed works in to 2023/24. Electrical Rewiring 698 1,742 - 16 1,758 264 (1,494) Significantly off target Significantly off target Underspend showing due to previous years underspend not required. Previous years uncompleted units were included in the revised business plan last year, therefore already accounted for. Also issues with contractor labour shortages and no access. Total For Improvements to Existing Homes - External Contractors 3,643 7,049 - (900) 6,149 4,013 (2,136) Refurbishment Schemes Refurbishment Schemes - - - - - - - Roofing & Rendering 4,450 5,507 - (478) 5,029 3,195 (1,834) Significantly off target Significantly off target Uncompleted units from previous years accounted for in future years. Previous years carry forward not required. Following contractor surverys some wall/floor render has been reprofiled as EWI and virement approved. Demolition High Flats Irvine 6,780 3,000 (2,033) (295) 672 672 - Slightly off target Slightly off target Tender received lower than budget estimate. Demolition contractor appointed and onsite, demolition expected to complete in Summer/Autumn 2023. Balance of budget requires to be earmarked for 2023/24. Kings Arms Project 265 600 (441) (23) 136 136 - On Target Slightly off target Tender stage. Works are expected to commence summer/ autumn 2023. Refurb Maress House - (12) 13 (1) - - - On Target On Target HRA contribution to the project complete. Refurb Friars Lawn - 254 - (230) 24 24 - On Target Complete Complete - practical completion achieved during April 2023 Glebe Place Refurb (Ukraine) - 521 521 573 52 Total For Refurbishment Schemes 11,495 9,349 (2,461) (506) 6,382 4,600 (1,782) - Other Capital Works Energy Efficiency Standard 5,362 5,488 (5,489) 1 - - - On Target On Target Other Capital Works 726 712 (711) (1) - - - On Target On Target Major Improvements 6 6 (6) - - - - On Target On Target Parkhall & Kirkhall Asbestos - 17 - (17) - - - On Target On Target Detection Equipment 458 1,463 (1,313) 48 198 198 - Slightly off target Slightly off target Contractor continuing to work through addresses, forced entries process in place / limited capacity due to staff issues (contractors) will span 2 years. Balance of budget to be earmarked for 2023/24. Solar Panels 3,862 3,888 (1,813) (348) 1,727 1,727 - On Target On Target Professional Management Charges 1,326 1,738 - (1,738) - - - On Target On Target Estate Based Regeneration 1,287 2,190 (1,187) 384 1,387 1,387 - Slightly off target Slightly off target Programme currently being revised. Balance of budget to be earmarked for 2023/24. Nelson Street Regeneration 442 451 (426) (25) - - - Significantly off target Significantly off target Final property obtained through CPO. Feasibility exercise being undertaken. Balance of budget to be earmarked for 2023/24. Health and Safety Works 207 207 (207) - - - - On Target On Target Total For Other Capital Works 13,676 16,160 (11,152) (1,696) 3,312 3,312 - TOTAL EXPENDITURE 114,507 85,128 (41,677) (6,541) 36,910 30,511 (6,399) 182
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Description Approved budget 16 February 2022 Current budget including carry forwards Approved Revisions to programme Carry forward (to)/from future years Revised Budget 2022/23 Actual Spend to 31/03/2023 True Over / (Under)spend Delivery Status Financial Delivery Status Physical Comments £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'001 £'000 £'000 Sale Of Assets - - - - (5) (5) CFCR (12,209) (12,209) - - (12,209) (12,209) - Capital Grants (14,175) (7,138) 5,371 (1,382) (3,149) (3,149) - Affordable Housing Contribution (1,596) (1,596) 1,046 (550) (550) - Prudential Borrowing (85,376) (63,034) 36,306 6,297 (20,431) (14,027) 6,404 Council House Build Fund (1,151) (1,151) 580 (571) (571) - TOTAL INCOME (114,507) (85,128) 41,677 6,541 (36,910) (30,511) 6,399 NET EXPENDITURE - - - - - - - The following classifications have been used to highlight financial performance against budget On Target On Target (+0.5% of budget) On Target (up to 5% delay of original timescales) Slightly off target Slightly off target (+ 0.5% to 2% of budget, or £0.125m, whichever is less) Slightly off target (+ 5% to 10% of original timescales) Significantly off target Significantly off target (+2% or more of budget, or £0.500m, whichever is less) Significantly off target (+10% or more of original timescales) 183
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: Cost of Living Crisis Purpose: To provide a second progress report to Cabinet in relation to the North Ayrshire Council responses to the current cost-of-living crisis and associated investments and funds. Recommendation: It is recommended that Cabinet: a) Notes the progress the Council has made in developing support in relation to the cost-of-living crisis; and b) Agrees to accept future progress reports on the investments, funds and activity associated with the cost-of-living crisis. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 North Ayrshire Council is designing and delivering a range of investments and initiatives to mitigate the impacts of the current cost-of-living crisis for its residents. 1.2 Further to an initial report to Cabinet on 22nd November 2022, this report provides a comprehensive overview of the current investments, funds, and activity relevant to the cost-of-living crisis, progress to date and next steps. This report will continue to form the basis of future six-monthly reports and progress will continue to be reported to Cabinet on a regular basis. 2. Background 2.1 The current cost-of-living crisis has resulted in a series of challenges for residents, communities, and businesses in North Ayrshire. The ongoing impact of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and economic unpredictability, compounded by the energy crisis, increased inflation and increased interest rates has resulted in higher household prices which have created hardship and financial exclusion for citizens, including North Ayrshire residents. 2.2 In August 2022, Monetary Policy Report, the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee noted that the risks around its projections from both external and domestic factors were exceptionally large, given the very large increase in wholesale gas prices since May and the consequent impacts on real incomes for UK households and on Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation. Agenda Item 10 185
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2.3 More recent assessments by the Office for Budget Responsibility indicate that consumer price inflation (CPI) will fall steadily throughout 2023, but with wage growth expected to stagnate or fall over the next year, many households will continue to struggle. The Bank of England thinks inflation peaked last year and expects it to keep falling in 2023 to around 4% by the end of the year. 2.4 North Ayrshire now has the 7th lowest employment rate, an improvement on the 2nd lowest in Scotland (73.6%) compared to a Scottish average of 74.4%. 2.5 The North Ayrshire rate for claimants as a proportion of the working age population (aged 16-64) is 4.6%. This compares to regional figures of 4.3% for East Ayrshire and 3.7% for South Ayrshire and a Scottish average of 3.3%. This dataset is for March 2023 and shows the rate has remained the same compared to other areas where figures have increased. (Source: Dataset Selection - Query - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics (nomisweb.co.uk)) 2.6 North Ayrshire’s vulnerability to the current economic crisis provides the context for the updates to Cabinet in relation to current national and local interventions. UK Government Response 2.7 The UK Government has committed to providing over £37 billion additional support this year: • The Energy Bill Scheme will ensure that 29 million households across the UK will receive a £400 non repayable discount on energy bills. In addition, 1.1 million families who are in receipt of tax credits across the country received a cost-of-living payment of £326, through till March 2023.The Energy Price Guarantee is designed to ensure a freeze on energy bills and typical households will pay not more than £2,500 annually. The Energy Price Guarantee has been extended at the same level for an additional 3 months to the end of June 2023. • All pensioner households received an extra £300 to help them to cover the rising cost of energy this winter. • More than 8 million households on means tested benefits received a payment of £650 including those who receive Universal Credit, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Income-related Employment Support Allowance, Income Support, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Pension Credit. Most people on DWP benefits received the next cost of living payment between April 25, 2023 and May 17, 2023. • People with disabilities received an extra £150 to help with the particular extra costs they face. • The National Insurance contribution threshold has risen to £12,570. • Households who do not pay for gas or electricity from the mains will receive support. • Support for businesses targets the most vulnerable industries. 186
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Scottish Government Response 2.8 In March 2022 and in response to the cost-of-living crisis, the Scottish Government announced additional financial support to low-income households through a cost-of- living credit of £150 on 2022/23 Council Tax bills. 2.9 The Scottish Government published the Programme for Government 2022 – 2023 with measures to address longer term challenges, provide urgent support and help tackle the current cost-of-living crisis. 2.10 Support includes the following: • For anyone in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, an automatic increase to £25 per week has been in place from 14 November 2022. Applications for the Scottish Child Payment are also open to all eligible under 16s from that date, with all payments backdated to the date of application. • Bridging Payments delivered immediate financial support to low-income families with school age children worth £130 in October and December 2022 were doubled to £260. • Legislation to ensure the Best Start Grant is paid automatically to eligible families in receipt of Scottish Child Payment without the need to apply. • Introduction of the new Winter Heating Payment allowance which guarantees a £50 annual payment to around 400,000 low-income households. • Doubling of the Fuel Insecurity Fund to £20 million in 2022-23, to help households at risk of self-disconnection or self-rationing their energy use. • Widening eligibility for the Tenant Grant Fund, to support those struggling with increasing costs. • Giving local authorities more flexibility to take account of energy bills in their prioritisation of households for Discretionary Housing Payments. Funding for Discretionary Housing Payments is increased by £5 million. • Legislation was introduced to reduce hardships particularly for those in rented accommodation by freezing rents for six months. The Scottish Government has confirmed that the measures will continue past these dates, with amendments. From 1 April 2023 until 30 September 2023, a new rent cap of 3% in most instances - or up to 6% for prescribed costs - will apply to the private rented sector. The eviction restrictions will also remain in place. • In December 2022, North Ayrshire received £63,000 revenue and £17,000 capital funding from the Scottish Government Island Cost Crisis Emergency Fund. North Ayrshire Response 2.11 Governance 2.11.1 In June 2022 Cabinet agreed to set up a new Board to tackle child poverty. With the escalation in cost-of-living concerns this board now also oversees the Council’s response to the current cost-of-living crisis. The board is chaired by the Council Leader. The strategic approach to the themes in relation to child poverty and cost-of-living are agreed by the Board and explored in conjunction with Community Planning, third sector partners and residents. 187
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2.11.2 A consistent approach to identifying actions is ensured by the following approach 2.11.3 Themes explored to date are: • No Wrong Door • Employability • Food Two place-based mini-enquiries have been concluded on Arran and Cumbrae to align with the Scottish Government Island Cost Crisis Emergency Fund. A mini-enquiry on childcare is planned for 25th May 2023. The outputs from this work have informed the three-year Child Poverty strategy and annual report which will be presented to Cabinet in June 2023 and will contribute to regular updates to Cabinet on the cost-of-living crisis and related expenditure. 188
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2.11.4 The Council has made substantial investments in tackling child poverty and the cost- of-living crisis. The most recent of these have been agreed in Cabinet reports of June 2022, August 2022 and the budget of March 2023, where the Cost of the School Day fund was replaced by the Child Poverty and Cost of Living Fund. This provides £400k per annum for three years to honour existing commitments in relation to digital devices, fund developments in community transport and provide support for actions directed by the Child Poverty and Cost of Living Board. 2.11.5 This Cabinet report brings together an overview of these investments, the funds that North Ayrshire administers locally on behalf of Scottish Government or Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) which have an impact on the costs of living, progress in relation to intended impacts and timetables for future progress against the funded actions. The funds have been organised thematically and this approach reflects the support we also offer to residents through the Council’s web presence at: www.north- ayrshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living. 2.11.6 Future regular reports to Cabinet will provide further updates on these funds and related activity as outlined at Appendix 1. 2.12 Cost-of-living Themes and Investments 2.12.1 The themes are as follows: Energy Advice and Support Food, Clothing and Essentials Finance and Benefits Children and Families Health and Wellbeing Business and community including transport for work Support for Communities Workforce wellbeing 2.12.2 Further detailed information about the funding associated with the above themes is contained in Appendix 1, as well as progress in relation to expenditure, future plans and timescales. 189
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2.13 Cost-of-living Funding and Activities: Update on current investments The following is a summary of the significant additions and changes since the previous report. Further detail is included at Appendix 1: 2.13.1 EnergySmart: allocation at the Council budget of 1st March 2023 of underspend in excess of £1m – value TBC – at the end of financial year 2022-23. 2.13.2 Early Intervention Fund – Child Poverty and Cost of Living: one off investment over three years (replaces Cost of School Day budget): allocation at the Council budget of 1st March 2023: £1.4m. 2.13.3 Financial Inclusion: £100k additional investment (included within the £1.4m outlined at 2.13.2 above). 2.13.4 Financial Inclusion: Community Investment Fund (CIF) allocation of £45,767 to CHAP for community-based outreach advice services: approved by Cabinet on 24th January 2023. 2.13.5 Community transport initiative: £100k investment (included within the £1.4m outlined at 2.13.2 above). 2.13.6 P4 – P5 Free School Meals / Holiday Meals: Scottish Government funding: £2.272m. 2.13.7 Island Cost Crisis Emergency Fund: Scottish Government funding: £63k revenue and £17k capital. 2.13.8 Parental Employment Support Fund (PESF): Scottish Government funding: £282,132. 2.14 Further detailed information about the funding associated with the above themes is contained in Appendix 1, as well as progress in relation to expenditure, future plans and timescales. This will continue to form the basis of future associated six-monthly updates to Cabinet. 3. Proposals 3.1 It is proposed that Cabinet: a) Notes the progress the Council has made on developing support in relation to the cost- of-living crisis; and b) Agrees to accept future progress reports on the investments, funds and activity associated with the cost-of-living crisis. 190
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4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 There are no direct financial implications as a result of this report. Human Resources 4.2 There are no direct HR implications as a result of this report. Legal 4.3 There are no direct legal implications as a result of this report. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 The purpose of the current report is to provide an overview of the measures which that Council has taken or delivers to mitigate the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis on our most vulnerable residents. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 This report includes information on the Energy Smart scheme which aims to reduce fuel poverty and increase affordable warmth, whilst reducing carbon emissions and providing local employment opportunities. Key Priorities 4.6 The proposals impact on the following: • Active and strong communities • Children and young people experience the best start in life • Inclusive, growing, and enterprising local economy • People enjoy good life-long health and well-being • Effective infrastructure and digital connectivity • Affordable, modern, and well-designed homes that meets residents’ needs • A sustainable environment Community Wealth Building 4.7 Community Wealth Building is an approach to developing more resilient local economies. First initiated in response to a previous economic crisis in USA, it has gained substantial global momentum as an approach to local economic development. North Ayrshire Council has led the way in Scotland with the first Community Wealth Building Council strategy and the establishment of the Ayrshire CWB Commission. CWB is based on the premise that over time the development of more resilient and sustainable local economy will require fewer reactive interventions in response to future economic, environmental or social crises. It is recognised that as part of the council’s comprehensive approach to CWB, short-term measures taken to mitigate the effects of the costs of living crisis will contribute to our medium and longer- term goals of developing a more resilient economy. A recent discussion at NAC CWB Expert Panel emphasised these points and advised where possible efforts should focus 191
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on supporting the long-term transition of our local economy, scaling up and joining up to drive the change that is needed. There are a wide range of initiatives and actions across each of the pillars which will mitigate the cost-of-living crisis including: • Fair Work – supporting the update of the Real Living Wage and improving job security for employees. • Procurement – development of local supply chains and strengthening the local company business base • Plural ownership – evidence shows that cooperatives and other forms of plural ownership are more resilient through periods of economic shocks than shareholder- based businesses, in addition to contributing to addressing social and economic inequality. • Financial Power - Work with partners including credit unions to encourage progressive finance The forthcoming CWB legislation and the new Ayrshire regional economic strategy will further strengthen this approach. 5. Consultation 5.1 A wide range of partners and residents have been consulted in the development of the interventions included in the report and improvements to delivery of services has resulted. The ongoing mini enquiries, on themes such as the “No Wrong Door” approach, are contributing to interventions and service design. Audrey Sutton Executive Director (Communities & Education) For further information please contact Audrey Sutton, Executive Director (Communities & Education), on (01294) 324308. Background Papers Appendix 1: Cost of Living Themes & Updates (April 2023) 192
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1 Energy Advice and Support Food, Clothing and Essentials Finance and Benefits Children and Families Health and Wellbeing Business and Community including transport to work Support for Communities Employee Wellbeing North Ayrshire Council Cabinet Cost of Living Themes and Updates – April 2023 Appendix 1 193
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2 Community based energy support 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount £1.726m Energy Smart Scheme was secured from funds as part of the 2022/23 Council budget setting process. The £1.726m investment was supplemented by an additional £0.450m to support the crisis payment element of the scheme by Cabinet on 23 August 2022. At the Council budget of 1/3/23, a further commitment to invest any year end underspend in excess of £1m – value TBC – was agreed. 2. Intended impact The key objective is to support residents of North Ayrshire through the cost-of-living crisis by reducing fuel poverty and increasing affordable warmth, whilst reducing carbon emissions and providing local employment opportunities as part of the programme. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure There are three elements of the Council’s Energy Smart programme, and an update on each is provided below. − The launch of a partnership with the Energy Agency to signpost households to free and impartial advice through the Home Energy Scotland helpline • The partnership was launched on 19 September 2022 and 1,991 North Ayrshire households have received energy advice since that date to help lower their bills. − The creation of a £450,000 fund to offer one-off emergency support payments towards energy bills for low-income families • The Energy Smart Emergency Support scheme launched on 31 October 2022 to provide assistance over the 2022/23 winter period. Our communication and promotion activities undertaken included a number of press releases highlighting the initiative to local media which was carried by the five regional newspapers and local radio stations. We also carried repeated promotion on our social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) with details on how to apply with links. The scheme featured as part of our Christmas social media campaign which signposted a number of ways in which households could get extra help in the run-up to the festive season. In addition, the following steps were taken: • Posters and awareness materials were provided to various locations including the 14 food larders, libraries, community centres, GP surgeries, churches and community shops; • Information shared with schools via head teachers; • Information shared with Council employees through message on payslips; • Display screens in libraries and offices were used to promote the scheme; and Energy Advice and Support 194
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3 • To date, the Council has supported over 1,300 households facing pressure from rising utility bills through the Emergency Smart Emergency Support scheme. − The creation of a £1.726 million fund to carry out home improvements to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy bills • The initial phase of support launched in January 2023, targeting low-income households who may be eligible for top-up loft insulation. The second phase of support is in the process of being procured and will offer a wider range of energy efficiency measures and is anticipated to launch in June 2023. In addition, we have also provided 900 LED bulbs to the 14 food larders to help reduce energy consumption in homes. 4. What difference has the investment made? The following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will monitor the success of the programme: 1) Number of households in fuel poverty helped with energy efficiency advice. 2) Number of households in receipt of crisis support. 3) Number of households granted financial assistance for energy efficiency measures. 4) Estimated annual savings on fuel bills. 5) Carbon emissions saved through installing energy efficiency measures. 5. Next steps and timescales Appoint a contractor to deliver multiple energy efficiency measures in homes in June 2023. 6. Comments The Energy Smart model aims to support residents of North Ayrshire through the cost-of-living crisis by reducing fuel poverty and increasing affordable warmth, whilst reducing carbon emissions. Delivery of the sustainability initiative is being implemented across three stages and incorporating energy efficiency and low carbon behaviour advice, crisis support payment and implementation of physical energy efficiency measures. 195
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4 Citrus Energy 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount Fuel Poverty - increase capacity in Citrus Energy Fund - Tackling Financial Insecurity: Scottish Government Funding: £0.060m Date awarded - 15/06/2021 2. Intended impact Increased capacity in Citrus Energy allowed the organisation to deliver the additional support in the Garnock Valley and Irvine and deliver much needed energy advice to local communities. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure The additional capacity was for a 12-month period and the allocation was fully spent. At its budget of March 2023 Council approved any balance of underspend in 2022/23 beyond £1m to be used to provide funding for further emergency support payments to citizens to help with their energy bills. This funding will be in addition to the previously secured £450,000, 4. What difference has the investment made? Additional information and advice has been provided at a critical time for residents seeking support. 5. Next steps and timescales As 3. above 6. Comments This piece of work was initiated as a result of learning from the pandemic. 196
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5 Fairer Food 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount Fairer Food System Fund: Recovery and Renewal Investment Fund - £0.150m Support to Fairer Food Network Fund: Tackling Financial Insecurity SG – 2021/22 Winter - £0.247m North Ayrshire Fairer Food Network Fund: North Ayrshire COVID Economic Recovery Fund - SG Funding - £0.142m Community Food Network Fund: Original Investment Fund - £0.500m Cost of School Day Food allocation: £150,000 2. Intended impact The prevention of food poverty through the provision of food with dignity. The aim is to reduce the cost of the weekly shop, not to provide a full shop, so that family budgets go further. This minimises pressure on the foodbank. Funding has been used for food vouchers during holidays and the provision of warm clothing/footwear/outdoor wear and basic household items, such as toiletries. It also includes support for self-isolation on islands, mental health, energy, and money advice. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure A network of community food larders has been established with North Ayrshire Fairer Food branding. The Council provides support in food safety, health and safety and other regulations. The NA Fairer Food Network of community food providers meet regularly and have been co-developing, sharing good practice and piloting bulk-buying, as well as establishing community benefit partnerships. Fairer Food System Allocation fully spent. This was the initial funding allocation that started off the establishment of the network. Expenditure included shelving, tills, resources for cooking & food preparation areas, initial stock, branding, fridges, freezers, chill cabinets etc. £0.150m Support to Fairer Food Network • NA Food Resilience (Community Hubs and NA Foodbank) Peripatetic Support Officer supports the transportation of supplies such as emergency parcels, larder top up stock, delivery, and uplifts of stocks/equipment/materials across all sites. Funding to cover additional Venue Assistants for food support at Whitlees Centre. Emergency stock supplies and equipment investment for emergency situations including BBQs for each larder site. Additional urns, crockery and twelve months Foodbank Co-ordinator and cook costs: £0.077. • Food Larder Development: Top up for winter food supplies, marketing and promotion, equipment and adaptations, training of staff – The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS), Elementary Food Hygiene, Financial Regulations: £0.143m. • Community Cafes: Costs for food, supplies to host free soup days, coffee mornings or similar targeting financially vulnerable and isolated. Investment in equipment within Community Cafes: £0.027m. Food, Clothing and Essentials 197
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6 North Ayrshire Fairer Food Network The North Ayrshire Fairer Food Network is our local alternative to foodbanks and is aimed at addressing food insecurity in a dignified way. Further development of the larders and shops will support low income residents by developing and improving the sustainability of the existing network. New initiatives and business models include community fridges, community cafes, social enterprises based on growing produce and better links across providers. It will also focus on support for the islands communities so that approaches are developed which fit their specific needs: £0.142m. Cost of the School Day (Food element) 2021/22 • Reusable water bottles were purchased for all North Ayrshire school pupils. Water bottles reduce the need for pupils to purchase single-use plastic liquids during the school day. Providing all pupils with a water bottle reduces stigma and promotes healthy practices. It is also more environmentally friendly. • Those accessing Community Larders with school aged children were provided with supplementary food items linked to the cost of the school day. Cost of the School Day (Food element) 2022/23 Planning with community larder network and partners is ongoing to address the particular issues created by the cost-of-living crisis. Ongoing NAC support to North Ayrshire Fairer Food Network External consultants have recently completed a review of the larder models, which vary depending on the local aims of the community organisation. The NA Fairer Food Network has agreed a model with should sustain current demand for 3 years, supported by the allocation of £500,000 from Cabinet. The payment model to distribute this funding will provide a quarterly payment for 12 quarters dependant on the larder footfall, which breaks down as follows: Up to 24 weekly appointments, £500 per quarter. Between 24 and 49 weekly appointments, £1,000 per quarter. Between 50 and 99 weekly appointments, £2,000 per quarter. Over 100 weekly appointments, £3,000 per quarter The first quarterly payment was made in January 2023 and covered a four month period from Dec 22 – March 23 to allow for a standard reporting period. The first payments totalled: £27,994.33 and supported 14 larders across the authority. This model allows capacity to expand as the cost-of-living crisis continues and more families and households need to access the provision. We anticipate continued growth in weekly appointments over the coming months. The second payment run will be in April 23 and will be based on the footfall from Jan – Mar 23 and will support 15 larders as Eco Savvy on Arran now has a subsided food model running in conjunction with their Zero Waste café’s on the island. This will be included in the next payment run in April. 198
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7 It was also agreed that £100k of the £500k be held in reserve to support any new larder set ups and infrastructure development. 4. What difference has the investment made? 15 Community Larders are operational. Network support group meets quarterly, and members are part of a communication group for peer support. Weekly footfall across the Larders – 850 per week (families/members). Membership is far greater than the weekly footfall estimated: c2000- 3000. “The people coming in are from all demographics, from those working to those on benefits.” “The groups have become experts in where to buy and how to get the best value for money from supermarkets and other suppliers. However, what is being offered in the larders is being changed to meet the budgets available and rising cost of foods.” 5. Next steps and timescales External consultants have recently completed a review of the larder models, which vary depending on the local aims of the community organisation. This has been taken to the NA Fairer Food Network for discussion and coproduction of a sustainable model which is now being implemented. Balance of Tackling Financial Insecurity £61,499. Officers continue to work on support for community groups to assist with warm banks, food, and energy advice for winter 2022-23. 6. Comments The models have to align with the aspirations of community volunteers and the available budget. There is considerable potential for the larder volunteers to offer advice and refer to other partners, such as Home Energy Scotland (7 of the 14 larders have already completed their referral training and can now signpost via Home Energy Scotland’s online portal) 199
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8 Tenant Grant Fund 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount The Scottish Government provided an allocation of £10m to Scottish local authorities during financial year 2021/22 to provide direct financial support to tenants - via landlords in their area - for the specific purpose of paying rent arrears arising from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was aimed at highly vulnerable tenants who would become homeless or did not have alternative sources of support. Coronavirus (COVID-19) Tenant Grant Fund: North Ayrshire Council received an allocation of £298k. 2. Intended impact The grant is to help prevent homelessness and sustain tenancies by directly reducing, alleviating, or paying off rent arrears altogether, where a tenant is in either the social or private sector, and has faced difficulties due to Coronavirus. The grant covered arrears arising between 23 March 2020 and 9 August 2021. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure The full allocation of funding has been spent; it was closed to new applications on 31 March 2022. Total expenditure was £298,259.65, split across 2021/22 and 2022/23. 4. What difference has the investment made? 555 applications were received, of which 460 were awarded grant. Of the remaining 95 applications, 75 were closed, 18 were assessed as not eligible and 2 were refused by the relevant landlord. Applications Approved No of applications Amount paid Private let 29 £18,665.39 RSL 92 £54,978.63 NAC 341 £224,615.63 5. Next steps and timescales N/A 6. Comments Initial spend within the Fund was low despite a high level of applications being received. Although applications were being made these couldn’t be progressed due to a number of factors, including the requirement for proofs and non-engagement from either the tenant or landlord. In January 2022 officers reviewed processes and engaged with landlords to expedite applications into decision making and awards being made. The process was very labour intensive, and staff had to make several contacts with both tenants and landlords despite best attempts to ensure the information required was fully captured within the application process. The fund is now closed with allocated monies being fully spent. Finance and Benefits 200
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9 Housing Tenant Hardship Fund 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount The Scottish Government provided an allocation of £867,000 to North Ayrshire through the Scottish Government Winter Support Fund – Tackling Financial Insecurities. The supporting guidance detailed flexibility of use across a number of areas to target those most in need e.g., food support, fuel, isolation, welfare fund top ups, housing, homelessness. From this fund the Council’s Housing Service was awarded £195K for help with tenancy hardship, focusing on highly vulnerable tenants affected by fuel poverty. 2. Strategic intent: intended impact The funding assists any North Ayrshire Council tenant who is finding it difficult to manage fuel bills. The Support Worker provides person- centred housing related support including income maximisation, welfare benefit advice and assistance, fuel, and utilities advice, helping them to sustain their tenancy and prevent any potential homelessness issue in the future. The fund helps support winter warm initiatives and interventions for our most vulnerable tenant who are at the greatest risk of fuel poverty. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Funding was carried over into 2022/23 due to the timing of allocation. • 4 temporary posts funded until April 2023, at a cost of £142K: 4 Housing Support Workers posts were created at the end of 2021/22 (2 x Fuel Poverty and 2 x Sheltered Wellbeing). The funding was carried over into 2022/23 due to the time taken to recruit into the posts. • Top up of meters to help resettlement from temporary accommodation into mainstream tenancies. We have set aside £15K and are currently setting processes up with the Scottish Welfare Fund. • Assist to top up gas meters where they require to be uncapped in order to re-start a gas supply and allow for a gas safety check to be completed. To date we have only spent £210 as we have managed to gain access to other funds via energy suppliers/agencies, but expectations is that due to funding from these sources being limited we will achieve full expenditure of £10K by 31 March 2023. • Winter warmth initiatives/interventions - officers are researching what could impact most effectively on making heating and overall energy cheaper in relation to the cost-of-living crisis. We currently anticipate expenditure of £28K by 31 March 2023. 4. What difference has the investment made? Update to 31 January 2023 we have supported 197 tenants with an average age of 39 to tackle fuel poverty. 7 of these tenants had previously been known to Homeless Services. Our engagement rate YTD is 53%. We continue to carry out regular visits to each of the 28 sheltered units and have engaged with 641 residents/tenants to date. 5. Next steps and timescales Fuel Poverty/Sheltered Wellbeing Housing Support Workers Continue to engage with tenants/residents to tackle fuel poverty and maximise income where possible to avert crisis with energy over the winter months – by 31 March 2023. Winter Warmth Initiatives/Interventions Provide our most vulnerable tenants with access to a range of goods that reduce energy costs over the winter months – by 31 March 2023. 201
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10 Sustainability Team • Linking in on any of the Sustainability team’s projects that could support tenants. • Discussions around the new ‘Energy Smart’: Energy Based Community Support Model - by 31 December 2022. (completed). Promote the service when engaging with tenants – 31 March 2023. Social Welfare Fund Ongoing discussions with Social Welfare Fund (SWF) Manager about how we can assist with payments for meters for new tenancies (NAC only, as Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) do this as part of new tenancy set up) and people struggling to meet the cost of energy prices as they start to rise – by 31 October 2022 (completed). This is being done via Housing Support staff due to complexes around how this would work in-line with the Scottish Welfare Fund and the impact this could have on staffing resources. This method of working will remain in place until 31 March 2023 Social Media/Referrals Continue to engage with residents in North Ayrshire via social media and a referral process that will be managed via the Housing Support Service Co-ordinator - by 31 March 2023. Cost-of-living Crisis Working with other Council departments/agencies to address Cost-of-living crisis being faced by people at risk of homelessness and also tenants. Signposting to other agencies and collecting data on resources available within communities for support through the winter months – by 31 March 2023. 6. Comments As funding was not made available until around February 2022, recruitment timescales meant staff were unable to take these posts up until May 2022. Within a short space of time the team have achieved great success in engaging with tenants who are in fuel poverty (53%). The team have also successfully engaged with tenants and helped to arrange gas safety checks, with gas restored to 370 properties. This intervention potentially avoided 370 forced entries into these properties and avoided a cost of approx. £59k to the Council. 202
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11 Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount Total £1,153,000 recurring funding from Scottish Government. Additional top up of £88,070 received Feb 23 and underspend of £157,477 carried over from last year added to the recurring funding to give a total figure of £1,398,547.00. • £272,357 allocated to Crisis Grants • £1,126,190 allocated to Community Care Grants 2. Intended impact The aim of the funding is to provide financial help by way of a Crisis Grant to those in immediate crisis or a Community Care Grant to those in need of essential household items. The funding is intended to provide a Crisis Grant of a cash award to people who are in financial crisis because of either a disaster like a fire or flood or are in an emergency situation such as having lost all their money, had their money stolen, or are in need of food. It is also used to provide energy vouchers for their home. The award is made using a text message or email to their phone with a code which can be redeemed at any Pay Point vendor ensuring they can access the cash or energy top up for their pre-payment meter quickly. Community Care grants aim to help people who are leaving any form of care such as hospital or prison or who have been homeless and require help to set up their own home by providing them with essential household items and furniture. It can also be used to help households facing exceptional pressure with on-off items such as a washing machine or cooker. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Crisis Grants - £232,016 Community Care Grants - £1,011,541 Total spend - £ 1,243,557 4. What difference has the investment made? This financial year to date, the Scottish Welfare Fund has helped 3,237 people in financial crisis with a Crisis Grant. 1,445people have received fuel vouchers, and 781 people have received a Community Care grant to help with essential household items and furniture. 5. Next steps and timescales Continue to accept and process applications as quickly as possible throughout the year. 6. Comments The SWF is delivered using a “One Team” approach ensuring that when someone calls to apply for a Crisis Grant that a decision to award is made whilst the customer is on the phone and the payment can be made quickly to enable them access to much needed cash or fuel vouchers. 203
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12 Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTR) 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount £12,930,000 recurring funding by North Ayrshire Council. 2. Intended impact To help those on lower incomes by lowering the amount of Council Tax that they are liable to pay. This is based on age, household structure and income and is charged on a per dwelling basis rather than to individuals. To fund CTR awards to all eligible households on a low income across North Ayrshire. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Year to date £12,962,094 has been awarded in total. 4. What difference has the investment made? CTR has enabled Council Tax bills to be more affordable for lower income families. Current caseload is 16,328. 5. Next steps and timescales Continue to ensure that there is high uptake of CTR and that it is awarded quickly for those eligible. 6. Concluding comments Automation of CTR has been introduced to ensure that any notifications received from The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirming eligibility or changes are automatically applied to the relevant Council Tax account. 204
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13 Housing Benefit (HB) 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount £34,400,000 recurring funding from DWP. 2. Intended impact To help people who are on unemployed, on a low income or claiming benefits towards paying their rent costs. Housing Benefit is aimed at pensioners and people of working age who are unemployed, on a low income or claiming benefits and have not yet been moved across to Universal Credit to help them towards paying their rent costs. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Year to date £32,297,924 has been awarded in total. 4. What difference has the investment made? This has helped people to afford to keep their tenancy and helped prevent them from falling into arrears with their rent. Current caseload is 7,553 5. Next steps and timescales Continue to ensure that Housing Benefit claims and changes of circumstances are processed quickly and accurately. 6. Comments N/A 205
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14 Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount £2,498,947 recurring funding agreed by North Ayrshire Council. 2. Intended impact The aim is to provide financial help to people claiming Housing Benefit or who receive housing cost payments through Universal Credit but their benefit is less than the full amount of their rent. DHP is used to help cover the shortfall. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Year to date £2,401,108has been awarded in total. 4. What difference has the investment made? This has helped people to afford to keep their tenancy and helped prevent them from falling into arrears with their rent. Current caseload is 4,683 5. Next steps and timescales Continue to ensure that DHP claims are processed fairly and quickly within the budget. 6. Concluding comments DHP requests are managed annually within the budget. 206
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15 Financial Inclusion 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount Recovery and Renewal Investment Fund Financial Inclusion: Progressive Finance Access to Finance (1st Alliance): £0.150m 2. Intended impact North Ayrshire Council approved funding for the 1st Alliance Credit Union to deliver a progressive finance scheme, to lend to individuals, who are considered as a higher credit risk due to history, but who can however afford repayments. Small loans would be available to low-income residents who would not normally qualify through typical lending rules i.e., due to the higher risk factor, the credit union would not be able to lend from members’ funds. The agreed period for this investment is 1st October 2021 to 1st October 2023 (or whenever the capital investment is exhausted if prior to this date) and the total grant funding will be paid in three instalments. North Ayrshire residents who borrow from 1st Alliance must save a minimum of £3/week to access a loan (this saving and borrowing model is standard for Credit Unions), therefore borrowers will at the same time become savers. In the longer term this will provide a safety net for both planned and unplanned expenses and reduce the need to borrow from other sources, including high- cost lenders, or to fall into debt, including arrears with bills. The fund is recycled as each loan is cleared off and the member moves onto a members based loan. This will therefore provide a legacy fund which will enable 1st Alliance to continue providing low-cost loans to “high risk” customers in the future. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure To the end of January 2023, 165 individuals accessed loans through this investment, the total value of loans to date is £123,135 and the loans agreed range from £250-£2000 with the majority agreed at £500. 63 loans were agreed from August to December 2021. 36 from January to June 2022. 29 from July to September 2022 32 from October to December 2022 5 in January 2023. Borrowers are from across North Ayrshire with the majority being from Irvine, Kilwinning or the Three Towns. Ten were from Garnock Valley, 3 from the North Coast and 3 from Arran. A total of 75 loan requests were declined mostly due to lack of affordability or defaults on credit files. 19 loans are currently in arrears, a total of £5,492.87, which represents 4.5% of total loans. A standard assumption of 5% bad debt provision had been assumed. This higher rate of bad debt applies to all 1st Alliance loan portfolios and they believe it to be linked to a number of factors including the increase in cost-of-living. £150,000 has been paid to 1st Alliance to support the delivery of the Progressive Finance Initiative. The full allocation of £0.150m has now been paid to 1st Alliance Credit Union for the purposes of the Progressive Finance Initiative. 4. What difference has the Borrowing through 1st Alliance costs less on interest rates than most other lenders. For example: 1st Alliance: £400 loan = 10 per week for 11 months = £72 interest. Scotcash: £400 loan = £12.21 per week for 12 months= £234.78 interest & £24 fee. 207
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16 investment made? This investment has therefore provided access to low-cost affordable loans for residents who would otherwise either have gone to higher cost lenders or have fallen into debt due to not being able to access a loan from anywhere. 55 loans were to buy out high-cost debts which have higher interest rates. The other loans were for a range of purposes including purchase of household items, clothes, events, holidays and for Christmas, which accounts largely for the higher number of loans agreed 158 borrowers are regularly saving. A total of £23,532 has been saved over the first 12 months, an average of £142 per saver, with some saving 76 borrowers have now accessed top-up loans which means that the interest rate is reduced, as they have evidenced that they are responsible borrowers. When setting the 23/24 Budget, Council last week approved a further £100,000 to be invested in Financial inclusion support, mainly debt advice services. 5. Next steps and timescales Progress will continue to be monitored. The final payment of £50,000 has been transferred and discussions will take place to ensure this progressive finance model is embedded within the new Financial Inclusion Strategy and service for North Ayrshire 6. Comments The investment is proving to be beneficial to North Ayrshire residents who may otherwise have been unable to access low-cost affordable loans, meaning that they have been able to cover additional unexpected and expected costs, purchase essential household items, and reduce higher costs loan payments. Many have improved credit ratings and/or moved on to top up loans with a lower interest rate and most have built up some savings, many of whom may not have managed to save before. 1st Alliance is now building that ‘legacy fund’ which will benefit residents beyond the scope of this investment period. 208
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17 Financial Inclusion Capacity Building 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount £258k for Financial Inclusion, agreed at August 2022 Cabinet. £100k agreed at Council budget on 1/3/23. 2. Intended impact The funding allocation was made to support the increasing demand for financial inclusion supports which is currently being experienced through the Money Matters and Welfare Reform Advice Teams. Plans to utilise available non-recurring funding: • Commissioning of an independent debt advice service for North Ayrshire for 2 years to address an identified gap in debt advice provision. • Extension of the Better Off pilot as required to ensure smooth transition and continuity of service – currently agreed until end June 2023 • Development of case management system and IT infrastructure • Salary plus costs for the Senior Manager post for 24 months • Marketing materials associated with a Communications Plan This will address the increasing demand for both welfare rights and debt advice across North Ayrshire. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure The review of financial inclusion services across the Council has now been concluded and it has been agreed that the Money Matters Team (Health & Social Care Partnership) and Welfare Reform Advice Team (Housing) will come together under a single lead for Financial Inclusion. The new team aims to build on the work of the existing services and create additional capacity to support local citizens through reducing cross-referrals and streamlining referral pathways. The additional funding will provide additional staffing capacity to support local people. As the project to review financial inclusion services has just concluded, no expenditure has yet taken place, and decisions around the use of the funding will now be made in the context of the new team. A particular need for ongoing debt advice has been identified through the project and this will be explored. At its budget on 1/3/23 the Council allocated up to a further £0.100m to build on the previous investment of £0.258m to implement the review of financial inclusion services across the Council and to secure a level of support which is more commensurate with current need. A five-year Financial Inclusion Strategy for North Ayrshire has been finalised and was approved by Cabinet on 21 March 2023. The merger of the Money Matters (HSCP) and Welfare Reform and Advice (Housing) teams will start on 1 April 2023 when the Team Managers will start reporting to the new Senior Manager (Financial Inclusion) 4. What difference has the Future report. 209
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18 investment made? 5. Next steps and timescales See 3 above. 6. Comments N/A Parental Employment Support Fund (PESF) 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount Parental Employment Support Fund (PESF): support for unemployed and employed parents within the key priority groups: • Parents who are <25 years of age • Parents with a child under 1 year old • Parents with 3 or more children • Parents who have a disability or disabled children • Ethnic minority parents • Single parents 1st April 2022 – 31st March 2023 £282,132 2. Intended impact The expected outcomes and objectives for PESF are as set out below: • Person-centred support for parents to address barriers to work including skills development, work experience, health support, money advice, motivational support • Support for parents already in work through the provision of training and employability support to sustain employment and progress within the workplace by gaining improved employment • Maximise opportunities to reduce child poverty by enhancing income through employment 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure This funding supports the continuation of We Work for Families, contracted for delivery by The Lennox Partnerships, with keyworkers delivering tailored employability support to families across North Ayrshire. During 2022/23 167 new parents were registered for support and 67 progressed into employment. Referrals are received from health visitors and funding through PESF has also supported a pilot programme with a focus parents accessing 1140 hours of childcare, the pilot has focussed on supporting parents and working with Hayocks Primary, Hayocks Early Years, Springvale Early Years and Auchenharvie Academy - 4 new Keyworkers have been recruited for the pilot with 12 registrations completed. Other highlights include: Step into Business Admin Pilot – 11 Parents commenced a pre–employment programme for 5 weeks (3 days per week) at Ayrshire College, completing the PC Passport qualification before progressing to a 26 week paid work experience 210
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19 placement with an anchor organisation, where they will work towards achieving an SVQ level II in Business Administration by demonstrating competence in the workplace. This builds on the Skills for Life Programme delivered across various council services. Hillhouse / WWFF Christmas appeal - WWFF delivered gifts to 63 families/114 children at a challenging time for families struggling with the cost of living. Quotes have been provided by all in receipt and all highlight the worth of this support. Fuel Poverty Blanket Appeal – WWFF sourced £900 funding to purchase 150 blankets to give to children and families experiencing fuel poverty, 120 blankets were issued to Hayocks Early Years and Primary School and the additional blankets will support parents and children in the wider community. Public Transport Scheme – 99 parents received a travel pass to access 3 months free public transport which supported enhanced engagement with employability services as well as increased wellbeing and family leisure time. 4. What difference has the investment made? The investment has improved engagement, delivered a pilot to develop new referral pathways which will increase volumes of parents supported in the future and supported unemployed parents to progress into employment. 5. Next steps and timescales Child poverty investment as part of Best Start Bright Futures is anticipated from the Scottish Government to support parental employment from 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024, the allocation and Grant Offer Letter with the terms and conditions of this funding is expected once ministerial approval and Cosla approval can be obtained. 6. Comments Income from employment is a key driver to take children out of poverty and there is an established model which can be scaled to deliver the impact required when funding is confirmed. 211
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20 Free School Meals 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount. 1) Scottish Government revenue funding for 2022/23 (£712k). 2) Scottish Government revenue funding for 2022/23 (900k). 3) Scottish Government revenue funding for 2023/24 (£2.272m) 2. Intended impact The funding supports the continued roll out of Universal Free School Meals (UFSMs). This funding is the revenue funding to cover costs for Primary 4 & Primary 5 children in the financial year 2022/23. The Scottish Government also provides funding to enable a continued provision of food-based support during the school holiday periods to those children with an assessed eligibility for free school meals. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure • The holiday programme ran over the Easter & summer breaks with support from community partners. Vouchers were also issued during the summer, autumn, and winter and February breaks. • Roll out of Universal Free School Meals (UFSMs) to Primary 4 & Primary 5 children is complete. We continue to monitor and encourage uptake of meals to ensure we maximise the benefits of this entitlement. • The Scottish Government have provided revenue funding of £570,000 in 2023/24 to start the roll out of free school meals to all P6 and P7 pupils whose families are in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment. They also committed to continuing funding to support free holiday meals during 2023/24. 4. What difference has the investment made? (Stats and qualitative information) Easter meals provided – 4,622 Summer meals provided – 16,213 Vouchers issued for circa 5,000 children Uptake of school meals has increased for primary 4 & primary 5 children following the UFSM provision roll out however, overall uptake for UFSMs is lower than anticipated. This is the general trend across other authorities. Quarter 3 figures 2022/23 P1-P5 UFSMs – 80.4%. P6 & 7 assessed need FSM uptake – 57.1%. 5. Next steps and timescales Planning has been undertaken in Facilities Management (FM) to facilitate a further roll out of UFSMs when it is announced by the Scottish Government as well as the planned expansion of eligibility for free school meals to those in receipt of the Scottish child payment. Cabinet approved future provision of free school meals on 21st March 2023. Children and Families 212
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21 Bridging Payment Direct payments will be made for future holiday periods which are aligned to the cost of a school meal. Cash payments allow more flexibility on the use of the funding and a more dignified provision for eligible families. 6. Concluding comments Holiday meal provision (food or vouchers) ensures continuity of food for all children assessed as eligible for FSMs. This supports access to food and removes a financial burden from families. The expansion of UFSMs continues to support all families in this difficult economic climate. Many families who are not eligible for assessed-need FSM, are also struggling with the cost-of-living increases therefore free provision of a hot meal will ease the financial burden of having to pay or provide an alternative lunch option. Child Bridging Payment 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount. The scheduled summer Child Bridging Payment of £130 was increased to £230 (additional £100 payment by North Ayrshire Council) and eligibility for the £100 payment was extended to low-income families of children of pre-school age. (Funding source: North Ayrshire COVID Economic Recovery Fund SG Funding): £0.570m June 2022. The scheduled autumn and winter Child Bridging Payment of £130 was increased to £230 (additional £100 payment) and eligibility for the £100 payment was extended to low-income families of children of pre-school age. Funding source: The Council’s uncommitted Investment funds and earmarked funds following approval from the 2022/23 Budget process: £1.140m August 2022. 2. Intended impact The Scottish Government provides Child Bridging Payment funding to local authorities for each child in receipt of Free School Meals on the basis of low income. These payments are provided for all eligible children and young people of school age. The payments total £520 per annum and they are currently paid in spring, summer, autumn, and winter at £130 for each eligible child. The funding from Scottish Government has been increased to £260. The funding was increased to help address the current cost-of-living pressures and to also recognise the needs of families of children at pre-school age. It is estimated that the £100 payments directly to families benefit around 5,700 children (over 3,300 families) with payments made from late June 2022. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Summer, autumn and winter payments have been made. The expenditure was completed in December 2022. 4. What difference has the investment made? Feedback indicates that the timing and value of the payments has made a real difference to families, especially as school holidays and colder weather impact on household bills. 213
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22 Cost of the School Day and Early Intervention Fund – Child Poverty and Cost of Living 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount. Cost of the School Day Fund – Council budget 04/03/2021 and Cost of the School Day Cabinet Report 23/03/2021 Date allocated - 2021/22 budget Amount - £0.500m pa (recurring) At the Council budget of 1/3/23, this fund was replaced by the Early Intervention Fund – Child Poverty and Cost of Living – one off investment over 3 years. The allocation of this fund will take into account existing commitments and will be directed by the Child Poverty and Cost of Living Board) and will be the subject of future reports. 2. Intended impact The aim of the Cost of the School Day (COSD) is to drive forward a whole systems approach to reducing the cost of the school day in order to deliver a fairer and more equal North Ayrshire. It delivers the NA Children’s Services Plan 2020-23 vision which is “for all our children and young people to have the best start in life and for North Ayrshire to be the best place in Scotland to grow up”. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure There are three key elements: 1000 new digital devices each session for those in greatest need £100k for school uniform, winter clothing, outdoor learning, sports – participatory approach with schools £150k for food in partnership with community organisations. Expenditure 2021/22 –£500k 2022/23 - £500k committed. 4. What difference has the investment made? (Stats and qualitative information) Cost of the school day funding has provided schools with enhanced flexibility to meet the needs of learners and their families throughout the ongoing cost of living crisis. Schools have utilised this funding in a variety of ways, which have been designed to meet needs within their local context. While it is challenging to quantify the difference made, qualitative evidence is gathered at school level. Loudon-Montgomery Primary School, as a school located in one of North Ayrshire’s areas of highest deprivation, provides a good example of the difference this funding has made. The school has used this funding to put in place a breakfast club and morning snack; opportunities for families to access free school uniform; and participate in home learning through provision of IT devices and other learning materials that promote family learning. Another key use of this funding has been enabling all pupils to participate in school trips and other extra-curricular activities. Loudoun-Montgomery’s Head Teacher believes: “our child centred focus on reducing the cost of the school day enhances our ability to broaden our learners’ experiences, deliver a wider curriculum and extend learning beyond the 5. Next steps and timescales The recent increase in the Scottish Child Payment has been implemented and therefore the purpose of the bridging payment has ended. 6. Concluding comments The payments have bridged the period of the roll out of the Scottish Child Payment and the local additional top-up was welcomed by families. 214
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23 school day. Our focus on ensuring that pupils look and feel their best and the provision of a healthy breakfast, snack and lunch all play a significant part in setting up our children to embrace the learning ahead of them each day.” 5. Next steps and timescales Due to a small amount of carried forward cost of the school day funding from 2021-22, as well as additional community funding made available this year, head teachers have been allocated £198k in the 2022-23 school year. Plans are progressing at school level to spend this funding in the remainder of the school year in areas where this can make the biggest difference to support learners and their families. This includes bulk purchasing of school uniforms. 6. Comments The funding has been welcomed by schools as an enabler in reducing the poverty-related attainment gap. Investment Fund 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount. Children and Families Investment Fund Fund: Recovery and Renewal Investment Fund - £0.075m Digital Access Fund Fund - Recovery and Renewal Investment Fund - £0.255m Support for the North Ayrshire Child Poverty Strategy and Action Plan Fund: North Ayrshire COVID Economic Recovery Fund - SG Funding - £0.076m Date Allocated – 15/06/21 2. Background: rationale for the funding allocation A Cabinet Report on 15/6/21 set out the rationale, including: • Prioritise the health and wellbeing of our residents by protecting the most vulnerable in our society against the immediate threat of coronavirus and the consequences of changes to the way we live. • Work with our communities in the renewal of services to ensure they meet their needs and priorities. • Build community capacity and resilience. • Ensure our children and young people get the best start in life by creating opportunities for education and employment, including through Community Wealth Building and Renewal. Prioritise and help tackle poverty, including child poverty. 3. Intended impact The aim of the funding was to promote recovery and support the most vulnerable children and families. Funding also supported the further reduction in the Cost of the School Day, to contribute towards Scottish Government’s aim of eradicating digital exclusion by improving digital access and skills, and the ongoing work to reduce Child Poverty and mitigate against its impact. 4. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Digital Participation Officer in post Review of access to wifi and IT resources in community venues complete (18 centres plus 15 libraries ) and action plan to developed – currently implementing the actions Wifi access map created – available on NAC library app and NAC web page. Supporting the development of Digital Volunteers and Volunteering opportunities. Established North Ayrshire Digital Access Forum with agreed Terms of Reference in place. Events and sessions delivered across North Ayrshire with specific focus in school communities. Strong partnerships are being developed with Family Learning Teams and school staff. 215
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24 Supporting Ukranian Hub with essential access to IT resources. In partnership with the Digital Officer in TACT, created short films to assist in promoting the support available online and tutorials on how to access help and complete forms etc. Digital Participation Officer sits on the Digital Strategy and Accessing our Council Workstreams 5. What difference has the investment made? Available community-based resources are known and gaps identified. Positive feedback from participants attending sessions. Action plan being implemented: future report. 6. Next steps and timescales The following current actions are: • Establish and potentially widen the Forum membership. • Link with Education on supply of the digital devices and deliver support to assist with the use of the resources. • Work with feedback from Chit Chats to deliver bespoke help based on community feedback. • Integrate with Community Learning and Development Strategic Plan and support where relevant. • Support community associations with IT / internet related safeguarding. 7. Comments Future reporting will include impact data as the work progresses. 216
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25 School Clothing Grants 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount £816,500 recurring funding agreed by NAC. Additional funding is provided from the council to match demand. 2. Intended impact The aim of the funding is to provide financial help with children’s school clothing and shoes. An annual payment of £120 is given to primary school children and £150 to secondary school children before the start of the new school year then to new applicants throughout the year. The intended impact is that all school children have adequate school clothes and shoes. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Total children – 6,499 from 4,045 families Total spend - £861,090 3,792 Primary children – spend £455,040 2,707 Secondary children – spend £406,050 4. What difference has the investment made? Provided financial support to 4,045 families and a total of 6,499children to enable them to afford school clothes and shoes. 5. Next steps and timescales Continue to accept and process applications as quickly as possible throughout the year. 6. Comments A promotional campaign takes place each year at the start of school summer holiday period to confirm that applications are open. Text messages and emails are sent out to previous recipients with a link to the online application form and encouraging people to apply. This is also promoted via the Council’s Twitter and Facebook pages. 217
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26 Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount. £580,000 recurring funding agreed by North Ayrshire Council. 2. Intended impact To provide financial support to young people from low-income families to allow them to be able to afford to stay in post-16 education either in school or college who might otherwise have left education. The aim of the funding is to provide financial support of £30 a week (paid fortnightly in arrears) to 16 to19 year-olds in education who come from low income families subject to attendance and agreement of a learning plan. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Total expenditure this financial year to date is £482,460. 667 young people have received at least one payment for this school year. 4. What difference has the investment made? As payments are made directly into the young person’s bank account, this ensures that they can access the funds easily and use them for whatever they need to help them maintain attendance in school. 5. Next steps and timescales Continue to accept and process applications as quickly as possible throughout the year. 6. Concluding comments A promotional campaign takes place each year after the start of the school year in August to confirm that applications are open and encourage uptake. This is also promoted via the Council’s Twitter and Facebook pages. 218
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27 Contribution to Mental Health and Wellbeing 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount. Contribution to Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund - Tackling Financial Insecurity Winter Funding 2021/22: £0.307m Date Allocated - 29/11/21 Fund – Children and Young People’s Community MHWB Supports and Services Framework Grant Funding (CYP CMHWB) 2021 - 2022 £370,000, 2022-23 £360,000 (total funding allocations) a portion of which contributes to this theme. Community Support for Mental Health Fund - Recovery and Renewal Investment Fund: £0.075m Date Allocated – 15/06/21 Fund – Children and Young People’s Community MHWB Supports and Services Framework Grant Funding (CYP CMHWB) 2021 - 2022 £370,000, 2022-23 £360,000 (total funding allocations) a portion of which contributes to this theme. Costs for Island Self-Isolation Fund – Tackling Financial Insecurity Fund Date Allocated 29/11/21 2. Intended impact Empowering local communities to deliver a wide range of events, activities and interventions that support positive mental health and wellbeing across North Ayrshire. Enabling children, young people and families to access MHWB support at the time of need, within their local communities and to contribute to promoting positive mental health and wellbeing and address emotional distress. The support should be provided by an appropriately trained workforce. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Contribution to Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Scottish Government gave Arran Community & Voluntary Service (CVS) responsibility for the distribution of the National Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.(CVS) developed a robust application and assessment process involving staff from across the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) and individuals with lived experience. The fund was heavily oversubscribed and the £307k was allocated in partnership with Arran CVS to allow more applications to be funded. In financial year 2021-22 the CYP CMHWB contributed an additional £55,000 to the adult CMHWB Fund detailed above to deliver projects which targeted support for children, young people and families. In financial year 2022-23 a further £30,000 was allocated. Of note the employment of a Welfare Rights Officer (£40,000) to work across the 9 secondary schools engaging in outreach support has resulted in around £350,000 additional income in families’ pockets. The impact of reducing financial insecurity on mental health and wellbeing is well documented. Community Support for Mental Health Health and Wellbeing 219
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28 As above. Costs for Island Self-Isolation During lockdown periods, protocols were developed for dealing with visitors to the island who tested positive whilst on Arran and were in need of assistance to self-isolate or travel home. 4. What difference has the investment made? Contribution to Community Mental Health and Wellbeing The £307k formed part of a combined budget of £813,346k was allocated to a total of 55 groups over 61 projects. The investment from CYP CMHWB has allowed 4740 children and young people and 742 family members to access early intervention programmes in their community for positive mental health and wellbeing or emotional distress. Community Support for Mental Health The £75k formed part of a combined budget of £813,346k was allocated to a total of 55 groups over 61 projects. Costs for Island Self-Isolation The availability of the fund allowed a robust and practical protocol to be in place if needed. 5. Next steps and timescales Contribution to Community Mental Health and Wellbeing As we approach the one-year milestone since allocations were made Arran CVS are carrying out the evaluations of the projects. The next round of the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund has just launched and again CPP partners are involved in the process to maximise impact and share local knowledge and experience. Evaluations of the impact of the CYP CMHWB funding are ongoing- with the Scottish Government receiving 6 monthly reports on impact. Community Support for Mental Health Funding fully utilised as above, non-recurring. CYP CMHWB receives annual funding. The steering group have, following positive evaluations, agreed to continue to continue to fund a number of projects across the authority for financial year 2023-24. 6. Comments Contribution to Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Using the established process made the spend quick and effective with money getting to the local groups quickly and via a single application process. It allowed the available money to be combined for maximum impact. Community Support for Mental Health As above. Further planning for the CYP CMHWB Grant funding for next financial year is underway and an analysis of both referral reasons and onward referrals will allow us to target funding, however we are also keen to continue to deliver messages around positive mental wellbeing and how to keep well. It is pleasing to note onward referrals to CAMHS remain low and we hope this indicates the positive impact the CYP CMHWB supports, and services provide. We are however aware that locally CAMHS referrals are in fact increasing and are hoping to work with CAMHS colleagues to identify themes and localities and help us develop and target interventions. Costs for Island Self-Isolation The fund allowed North Ayrshire Council to proactively contribute to the CPP approach to situation and emergent protocols. 220
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29 Supporting the Resilience of Local Businesses 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount Although not specifically allocated as part of cost-of-living, funds associated with supporting business have been redirected to focus on sustainability, capacity building and resilience. Key funding that has been redirected: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) £300k. 2. Intended impact Agreement with Scottish Government to waive restrictions on European Regional Development Fund from Growth. This initially was in response to pandemic however given cost-of-living crisis flexibility remains to support resilience of business base. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) form the cornerstone of NA economy and given make up recruit locally. Support to keep business sustainable and competitive allows for continued employment and helps alleviate potential increases in redundancy/poverty. It is also noted that cost-of-living has significantly increased cost impacts for most businesses including utilities, supply chains etc. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Since start of year over 500 businesses have been supported and a further 140 new businesses have received support to start up. 4. What difference has the investment made? 927 jobs have been safeguarded and a further 39 new jobs have been filled with support from Business Development (BD). Building capacity and sustainability has focused on new ways of working, cost control, implementation of digital technologies. Outputs: 135 businesses have been supported to reduce carbon impact. 140 businesses have been supported to enhance digital capability. 116 instances of specialist consultancy provided to business. Helped secure over £600,000 from external providers for businesses. 5. Next steps and timescales Continue with support for business. ERDF funding will continue to March 23. 6. Comments N/A Business and community including transport to work 221
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30 Review and Improve Support for Childminders and Out of School Clubs (OOSC) Providers 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount Review and improve support for childminders and OOSC providers Fund - North Ayrshire COVID Economic Recovery Fund - SG Funding: £0.126m. Targeted employability opportunities for key families during Summer 2022 Fund - North Ayrshire COVID Economic Recovery Fund - SG Funding: £0.050m. Date awarded – June 2022 2. Intended impact Review and improve support for childminders and OOSC providers By the end of this parliament Scottish Government has committed to ensure provision of wrap around childcare for families who need it. Use of childcare has changed significantly because of COVID-19. OOSC providers face a particularly unstable business environment. Reduced use of OOSC services during lockdown and changed working patterns provide an opportunity to assess future demand and support the sector to ensure the local availability of services in line with Scottish Government’s expectations. The specific needs of the vulnerable children, kinship care and our island communities will also be considered a spart of this work. Targeted employability opportunities for key families during Summer 2022 Parents and carers with school age children will be encouraged to undertake a variety of short courses that upskill or lead to a route into employment. Build relationships between the Employability Team and participants, whilst building up confidence in the use of childcare services. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Review and improve support for childminders and OOSC providers Initial discussions have been had with relevant officers and a draft Terms of Reference developed for a short life working group to feed into and guide this work Previous work relating to childminding on Arran has been requested via Scottish Childminding Association The role profile for the post is with Job Evaluation Targeted employability opportunities for key families during Summer 2022 This work still progressing with a group of 10 parents in the Auchenharvie Cluster. A strong partnership is in place between Employability, Information and Culture, Ayrshire College and the local childcare providers. 4. What difference has the investment made? Review and improve support for childminders and OOSC providers Too early to assess Targeted employability opportunities for key families during Summer 2022 Ongoing – full assessment / evaluation will be carried out with participants and partners at the end of the course 5. Next steps and timescales Review and improve support for childminders and OOSC providers Appoint officer into post. Targeted employability opportunities for key families during Summer 2022 Finish delivery as planned. Carry out full assessment / evaluation with participants and partners. 222
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31 6. Concluding comments Review and improve support for childminders and OOSC providers The fluctuating childcare services across North Ayrshire will benefit from the additional support and the local families will have access to quality services. Targeted employability opportunities for key families during Summer 2022 Partners are keen to support this style of delivery. 223
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32 Public Transport Travel Scheme 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount Public Transport Travel Scheme NAC Economic Covid Recovery Funding Approved by Cabinet 7 June 2022 and subsequent Audit and Scrutiny Committee on 20 June 2022: £20,000 2. Intended impact The scheme contributes to the principles of the Recovery Fund and Child Poverty Action Plan. This scheme provides support low- income households and individuals returning to work with free access to public transport for a fixed three-month period. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure The scheme provides three months of free access to bus or rail travel. Beneficiaries were also supported with a free personalised travel plan to identify the best travel option for them. This supports low-income households, access to employment, address transport poverty and build confidence in public transport post COVID-19. Due to the nature of the travel cards this also benefitted beneficiaries for both work and their personal life as they could be used at evenings/weekends. They could also be used alongside other concessionary travel schemes including the: • Young Person’s Free Bus Travel Scheme which allows children and young people under 22 free bus travel; • Kids for a Quid rail scheme allows children to travel for £1 alongside an adult traveller, for up to four children; and • Concessionary travel scheme for disabled people and those over 60 years of age. The Active Travel and Transport Team worked with the Council’s Employability team and the Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEIS) to identify beneficiaries. CEIS is a social enterprise agency who deliver a range of services including employability, employer engagement, recruitment, and retention services. This includes workforce development services, community engagement and capacity building, skills and training services and community regeneration services. Once beneficiaries were identified, the team prepared a personalised travel plan for each individual to work out the best public transport ticket solution for them. Thereafter the individual was provided with the most appropriate ticket for the three- month period. Pre and post intervention surveys were undertaken with beneficiaries. As part of the £1.400m investment to support the work of the Child Poverty and Cost-of-Living Board, it is proposed that £0.100m of this fund is earmarked for a community transport pilot. The funds will be used to scope and develop a community transport service with a view to introducing a proof-of-concept pilot during the year. 4. What difference has the investment made? 79 individuals will benefit from the £20,000 investment. This was comprised of 40 Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) ZoneCards and 39 Stagecoach bus travel passes. 105 individuals will benefit from the additional SCSP funding. This was comprised of 105 Stagecoach bus travel passes.Pre and post intervention surveys were undertaken with beneficiaries to assess the impact of the scheme. The information obtained from these is currently being analysed. 5. Next steps and timescales Identification of opportunities to replicate the scheme in 2023/24 are currently being investigated. 224
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33 6. Comments The scheme directly benefitted low-income households by reducing the impact of travel costs on household budgets and helping to address transport poverty. This improved access to employment opportunities and sustain employment. It also build confidence in the public transport network post-pandemic and support sustainable travel for everyday journeys. The mode of transport was tailored to individual beneficiaries’ needs and both bus and rail travel solutions will be facilitated across North Ayrshire. Free travel and transport advice is available to all North Ayrshire residents under the Travel Smart and Trinity Active Travel Hub activities. This includes personalised travel plans. Community Transport Initiative 7. Description of funding stream, date and amount Community transport initiative At the Council budget of 1/3/23, the Early Intervention Fund – Child Poverty and Cost of Living, a one off investment of £1.4m over 3 years, included provision of £100k for a exploration of a community transport initiative. 8. Intended impact The initiative aims to explore the use of Council vehicles to support the needs of communities where access to transport at certain times of day is a barrier to accessing services and opportunities. 9. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure A report will be brought to Cabinet to explore options 10. What difference has the investment made? Future report 11. Next steps and timescales Future report 12. Comments 225
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34 Support for communities 1) Description of funding stream, date and amount. Additional core hours to support opening of Community centres to accommodate activities associated with isolation and financial insecurity Fund: Tackling Financial Insecurities Funding 2021/22: £0.005m. Date allocated- 29/11/21 Community Books Fund: Tackling Financial Insecurity Funding 2021/22: £0.022m. Date allocated - 29/11/21 Third sector support for programmes to support low-income families and individuals by building on current programmes Fund: North Ayrshire COVID Economic Recovery Fund – Scottish Government: £0.114m. Date allocated – 7/6/22 2) Intended impact Additional core hours to support opening of Community centres to accommodate activities associated with isolation/financial insecurity This funding allows local community centres to be open longer in order to accommodate/offer a wider range of activities aimed at alleviating the effects of social isolation and delivering activities to contribute to positive mental health. Community Books Funding to establish the base/platform on which the local Community Books will be hosted. This resource will allow staff and community leaders access to a wide range of information relating to resources available in the local area. This will in turn assist with enquiries from citizens seeking help and advice. Third sector support for programmes to support low-income families and individuals by building on current programmes Support for Communities 226
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35 Work with the third sector support for programmes to support low-income families and individuals by building on current programmes such as Out and About, working with families and key groups to improve access to food and environmental opportunities locally, including through the Fairer Food network and Eglinton Garden Project, to develop skills to grow and cook food and, through family sessions and activities, build ongoing individual and community capacity. These sessions will encourage people to engage with the local environment to support mental health and wellbeing and to develop parenting skills, family bonding, relationships, volunteering, and employability in a supportive environment. 3) Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure Additional core hours to support opening of Community centres to accommodate activities associated with isolation/financial insecurity The funding is fully committed for spend via third sector partners with service level agreements. Community Books Work continues to find the most effective solution however a temporary fix is in place on the CPP web site. Third sector support for programmes to support low-income families and individuals by building on current programmes There will be a ‘test and learn’ trial in one locality over a year, which will establish impact and provide data and evidence for future service design and external funding bids. The initiative will link to the Love Local voucher scheme which will support local businesses. A pilot is planned for Ardrossan with the aspiration to widen to the Three Towns in 2023. 4) What difference has the investment made? Additional core hours to support opening of Community centres to accommodate activities associated with isolation/financial insecurity Longer opening hours are available in some community centres. Community Books 6 community books and 6 thematic Cost-of-living Crisis community books are live on the Community Planning Partnership webpages - http://northayrshire.community/communitysupport/ Third sector support for programmes to support low -income families and individuals by building on current programmes A pilot is being designed. 5) Next steps and timescales Additional core hours to support opening of Community centres to accommodate activities associated with isolation /financial insecurity Funding fully allocated – non-recurring. Community Books Staff continue to work with partners and providers to select the most appropriate platform to host the resource. The aim is to have it in a pilot form by the end of the calendar year for testing however, a temporary fix is in place on the CPP web site. Third sector support for programmes to support low-income families and individuals by building on current programmes Staff continue to work with partners to develop an inclusive model that fulfils the outcomes. This will be set for delivery across Three Towns from Easter 2023 for 12 months with focussed pieces of work during school holidays. 6) Comments Support is also provided for communities through the Fairer Food network and community grants, including Community Investment Fund (CIF). 227
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37 Islands emergency 1) Description of funding stream, date and amount. Whilst island communities can access a wide range of existing funding from the Scottish Government, the Island Cost Crisis Emergency Fund represents an additional £1.4 million investment. • £1.1 million resource • £300k capital This fund is being directly allocated to Local Authorities, through a 100% population formula as approved by the COSLA Settlement Distribution Group and COSLA Leaders. Allocations for are as North Ayrshire Council follows: Local Authority Resource (£000) Capital (£000) North Ayrshire Council 63 17 2) Intended impact This has been developed to specifically recognise and tackle the challenges faced by island communities. Local Authorities responsible for islands should: ● Use this funding to target island areas only; ● Use the funding to target immediate need and help those who are struggling due to the cost crisis; and ● Use the funding for existing schemes and/or other new support where they feel the need is greatest. 3) Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure There are already arrangements in place for energy efficiency, energy crisis support and welfare rights advice for residents and it is proposed to use existing mechanisms to provide targeted support for islands communities. Schools have quickly identified potential areas of spend which will mitigate cost of living challenges which particularly affect island communities. Mini-enquiries on child poverty and the cost of living have recently been held on Arran and Cumbrae and key themes and potential mitigations have been identified. It is proposed that local third and voluntary sector organisations will be funded to address locally identified challenges. Therefore, the following arrangements are proposed: Purpose Funding allocation EnergySmart (existing service which supports energy efficiency measures in homes and crisis grants). In addition, £5,000 will also be contributed from Covid Recovery funding for this service. £10,000 Money Matters (existing service which supports Welfare Rights assistance/representation to North Ayrshire residents to ensure they receive their legal £10,000 229
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38 entitlement to state benefits). In addition, £5,000 will also be contributed from Covid Recovery funding for this service. Schools (Arran High, Arran primary schools, Largs Academy and Cumbrae Primary School). Proposed purposes include: • Remote, online after school study support for islands pupils who are unable to attend in person due to costs and availability of transport; • The introduction of laundry and other family support initiatives in schools; and • The introduction of visiting specialists to broaden the experience of children due the unavailability or unaffordability of transport for visits to mainland facilities and experiences. £15,000 (total) Third and voluntary sector groups on Arran and Cumbrae Two mini-enquiries have been held on Arran and Cumbrae to identify key island challenges in relation to the cost of living crisis. Key themes have been identified, with potential mitigations which can be delivered locally, over and above the proposed support (above) for energy and welfare rights advice. Connected Communities will contribute £2,000 to the fund to provide a total allocation of £30,000 across the two islands. £28,000 4) What difference has the investment made? Future report 5) Next steps and timescales Work with Arran CVS and Locality partnership chairs to allocate funding to voluntary and community groups to support local communities. 6) Comments 230
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39 LiveWell Healthy Working Lives Programme 1. Description of funding stream, date and amount LiveWell Healthy Working Lives Programme: £20k for 2022/23/24 (non-recurring funding) 2. Intended impact £20k of funding supports employee health and wellbeing through a programme of activities/events including a small grant fund. The Executive Leadership Team (ELT) allocates the funding which emphasises the importance of employee health and wellbeing within the workplace. The LiveWell Programme aims to breakdown some of the barriers that employees face when trying to improve their health and wellbeing. The LiveWell Programme aims to increase awareness of support and information, while wellbeing related activities are made more accessible through reducing or negating the costs associated with participation. This in turn improves employee morale, wellbeing, engagement, and performance. 3. Progress to date against milestones, including expenditure The LiveWell Programme has always taken an organic approach, with a framework of planned activities scheduled alongside ad hoc opportunities. This enables LiveWell to adapt quickly to new suggestions and ideas. The Programme also provides small grants to teams for health and wellbeing activities via our LiveWell Grant Scheme. In 2022/23, £811 have been issued to various teams to carry out wellbeing activities of their choice. Provision of funding from the ELT has allowed the LiveWell group to explore a wider range of activities than otherwise possible. During Quarter 3, £3,865 was spent on Wellbeing activities, with a total of £7,236 since the start of the financial year. 4. What difference has the investment made? Information gathered from evaluations highlights the positive difference that the wellbeing activities are having, participant comments include - “it was great to find strategies to unwind and switch off. Additional links to follow up on session were really helpful and I will continue to use these”. (Everyday Mindfulness Course) “It has been a skill that has changed my life. I am so appreciative of the opportunity to attend. Thank You”. (Trauma Release Exercise programme). “More information on the different types of HRT available and what they target. I had no idea there were different types to tackle different hormones. Having the opportunity to discuss my own situation and worries was invaluable”. (Menopause Awareness session). “I feel more confident in my new skill, I really enjoyed being out on the water and enjoyed meeting new people and having fun. The exercise, the good company and being out in nature helped me destress a bit too”. (Stand Up Paddleboard session) Employee Wellbeing 231
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40 Short evaluations are produced on activities by topic and evaluate positively, sample evaluations are highlighted below for activities delivered in Q3 (participant ratings out of 5 in brackets) - • Menopause Awareness Workshop (5 out of 5) • Everyday Mindfulness Scotland course (4.8 out of 5) • Trauma Release Exercise (TRE) course (5 out of 5) • 2 x Stand-Up Paddleboarding sessions (5 out of 5) • NHS Oral Health Team visit to Council facilities. (no ratings available but 120 employees engaged with the service). • Bereavement Awareness Session (4.7 out of 5) The activities listed are those paid for from the ELT budget; other activities are also promoted that do not have a direct cost. In addition to activities a wide range of health promotion topics are promoted via the LiveWell SharePoint page, News in Brief and LiveWell Facebook page. These have included – Breast Cancer Awareness (66 views*), World Mental Health Day (51 views), Menopause Awareness (95 views), Mouth Cancer Action Month (63 views), World Cup Survival Guide, including information on sensible alcohol consumption (123 views). *views on the LiveWell Sharepoint page. The Energy Savings Advice page of the SaveWell site was updated with additional information provided by the Energy and Sustainability Team within the Council. In addition to the LiveWell Programme of activities, the following support is being provided to employees. • Living Wage implemented from date of announcement rather than official implementation date. • Promotion of tax relief opportunities such as income tax marriage allowance, aligned to issue of P60 issue. Laundry allowance and professional membership fees. • Promotion of government childcare support scheme. • Pay advances for those transitioning into employment with us. • Promotion of credit unions particularly Scotwest Credit Union and all their promotions through webinars. • Employee discounts including supermarkets. 5. Next steps and timescales A calendar of wellbeing themes was created to highlight activities to the end of December 2023. Activities being planned in for Quarter 3 include – Mental Health Awareness session, Building Personal Resilience session, Everyday Mindfulness Scotland course, Sleep Awareness, Unconscious Bias session, Menopause Awareness session; TRE (Trauma release) course, cooking videos. 6. Comments A range of wellbeing activities will continue to be planned and promoted throughout 2023/24, these will be free at point of access for Council employees (or heavily subsidised). The qualitative comments provided in the evaluation of activities highlight both the 232
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41 appreciation of and the benefits obtained from participating in wellbeing activities. Many employees would not access activities if they were not promoted through the workplace. 233
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: Regeneration Delivery Plan Action Programme and Funding Proposals Purpose: To seek approval for the proposed Regeneration Delivery Plan action programme and funding proposals Recommendation: That Cabinet: (a) Notes the progress made on the implementation of the Regeneration Delivery Plan; (b) Approves the draft Action Programme as detailed at Appendix One; (c) Approves the Regeneration Delivery Plan funding proposals as detailed at Appendix Two; and (d) Provides delegated authority to the Executive Director (Place) to agree changes to the funding allocations in consultation with the Portfolio Lead as required. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The Regeneration Delivery Plan was agreed by Cabinet in March 2021. This sets out our priorities for delivering on the regeneration ambitions of the Council Plan and Community Wealth Building strategy, working in partnership with communities. 1.2 The Plan focusses on the delivery of physical regeneration across North Ayrshire through an ambitious project based rolling action programme. It informs our priorities for securing and delivering against external funding sources including Scottish and UK Government funds. This report provides an update on progress to date and seeks approval for the action programme for 2023/24 and 2024/25. 2. Background 2.1 The Council has placed the regeneration of communities at the heart of its agenda. This focus is reflected within the priorities of the Council Plan and Community Wealth Building Strategy. The Regeneration Delivery Plan sets out Agenda Item 11 235
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our priorities for delivering on these ambitions and was approved by Cabinet on 23 March 2021. 2.2 The Plan focuses on the delivery of physical regeneration in the period 2021 to 2026. Informed by stakeholder consultation, reviewing existing community priorities and the output of previous consultations, it aims to address local priorities, support changes within communities and deliver a well-being economy. 2.3 Action in 2021/22 and 2022/23 substantially focussed on maximising the impact and leverage of investment including securing sources of external funding to support and accelerate delivery. The following table outlines the progress and key successes achieved to date. This includes the completion and launch of Lochshore Park Hub, securing an award from the Levelling Up Fund for the B714 Upgrade and the completion and occupation of a new industrial unit at Kyle Road, Irvine. Strengthening Communities ‒ Approval of the local delivery plans for the £1.32m annual allocation for 21/22 and 22/23 from the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Fund (VDLF). This includes the review of the Vacant and Derelict Land Strategy and further delivery on key regeneration sites. ‒ Completion of the new car park, path works and environmental improvements at the former Gas Works, Dalry funded by the VDLF. ‒ Launch of new Repurposing Property Grant Fund to support landowners and communities to bring vacant and derelict land and properties into positive management including two rounds of awards. This is funded by the Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP), VDLF and North Ayrshire Ventures Trust. ‒ Securing £0.4m from the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) 2022/23 to support the construction of an additional Office pavilion at Annickbank, Irvine ‒ Securing £0.6m from the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) 2023/24 to support the regeneration of the King’s Arms, Irvine ‒ Continued development of a town centre living pilot project at 36 Bank Street, Irvine and Howgate, Kilwinning under the PBIP. ‒ Conclusion of the sale of Sites A and B at Montgomerie Park, Irvine to enable the delivery of the Simplified Planning Zone and commencement of construction. Commencement of next phases including proposals for neighbourhood retail site development. Placemaking ‒ Approval of the delivery plan for the 2021/22 £1.26m allocation from the PBIP. This included the development of a Communities Project Fund, development of a Place Framework for Kilwinning and delivery of Phase 2 of the West Kilbride Shopfronts Scheme. 236
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‒ Approval of the delivery plan for the 2022/23 £1.096 allocation from the PBIP including implementation of the Place Framework pilots in Kilwinning, Largs and Saltcoats and Lochshore Park play. ‒ Approval of the Communities and Place investment priority proposals under the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund ‒ Securing £0.199m from the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund (CRF) for the development of a Place Framework Pilot in Largs and Saltcoats informed by extensive community and stakeholder consultation. ‒ Working in partnership with Millport Town Hall Trust on Phases One and Two of the regeneration of Millport Town Hall including securing funding from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) and Islands Programme. ‒ Working in partnership with Ardrossan Community Development Trust to successfully secure £0.749m from the RCGF for Ardrossan Promenade. ‒ Completion of the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Fund (TCF) public realm works at: Garnock Street; Kilbirnie; Main Street, Beith; and Mill Dam and New Street, Stevenston. ‒ Completion of Phase 1 of the West Kilbride Shopfronts Scheme funded through the TCF. ‒ Commencement of Phase 2 of the West Kilbride Shopfronts Scheme funded through the Place Based Investment Programme. ‒ Refurbishment of the Dalry Public Park Pavilion funded through the TCF. ‒ Working in partnership with Raise Your Voice With Ardeer to deliver the Stevenston Beach Hub project. ‒ Completion of key Phase 1 projects for the Lochshore Park Masterplan including the Hub building and active travel route. ‒ Launch of the Lochshore Park Hub including a Family Fun Day ‒ Commenced construction on remaining Phase 1 projects of the 5km loop and play at the Hub. ‒ Secured £0.1m funding from Forestry and Land Scotland for the delivery of new woodland at Lochshore Park. ‒ Commenced developing a Supplementary Street Development Guide for North Ayrshire as a supplement to the National Roads Development Guide created by SCOTS. Inclusive and Green Economy ‒ Completion and occupation by a local business of a new industrial unit at Kyle Road, Irvine funded by the VDLF. ‒ Design development and tender of Phase 3 of Pavilion development at Annickbank Irvine including securing £0.25m from North Ayrshire Ventures Trust towards the construction. ‒ Design development for the next phase of industrial unit development at Kyle Road, Irvine. ‒ Contributed to the development of 10-year Island Plans for Arran and Cumbrae. 237
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‒ Securing £0.456m from the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund for the Green Islands Programme incorporating the Islands Connectivity Study. ‒ Securing £0.509m from the Scottish Government Islands Programme for Phase Two of Millport Town Hall and £0.540m for the Islands Pit Stop project. ‒ Supporting the development of Stevenston Climate Action Town programme with Architecture and Design Scotland. Enabling Infrastructure ‒ Submission of a successful application to the LUF securing £23.7m towards the B714 Upgrade project between Saltcoats and Dalry. Progression of the project including: the formation of a Project Board, development of the Business Case and works to secure the necessary consents and approvals and undertaking public and stakeholder consultation to inform the development of the business case and design. ‒ Securing £1.31m in 2021/22 and £1.385m in 2022/23 from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s (SPT) Capital Programme for the delivery of a range of active travel and transport projects across North Ayrshire. ‒ Securing £0.18m from Transport Scotland’s Bus Partnership Fund for the extension of the Bus Routes Congestion Measures project to the Three Towns and to investigate the potential to extend the Stevenston Bus Lane at Pennyburn Roundabout. ‒ Construction of active travel routes including the Bay Street to Ferry Row section of the Fairlie Coastal Path, i3 Active Travel link in Irvine, Kilwinning Short Links and Circuit active travel links in Irvine. ‒ Securing £0.427m from the Scottish Timber Transport Fund for upgrades to the Ross Road on the Isle of Arran across 21/22 and 22/23 and £0.199m for the U88 at North Sannox. ‒ Securing £0.248m across 2021/22 and 2022/23 from the Smarter Choices Smarter Places for the continued delivery of the Trinity Active Travel Hub and Travel Smart programme. ‒ Development of a delivery programme for the £0.259m allocation under the Scottish Government’s Islands Infrastructure Fund to upgrade the car parking and Electric Vehicle infrastructure on Arran and Cumbrae. ‒ Development and delivery of a £1.45m programme of active travel design and works under the Scottish Government’s Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes programme across 2021/22 and 2022/23. ‒ Continued delivery of the £1.96m Ardrossan Low Carbon Hub under the European Regional Development Fund Low Carbon Travel and Transport Challenge Fund. ‒ Commencement of the review of the Local Transport Strategy incorporating the Active Travel Strategy informed by extensive community and stakeholder consultation. ‒ Hosting the Pedal Irvine event as part of Pedal for Scotland in partnership with Cycling Scotland. 238
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‒ Processed 12 Road Construction Consents in 2021 and 10 in 2022 to enable developments to progress. Adopted roads, footways and footpaths within 8 developments in 2021 to 2022. 2.4 The Regeneration Delivery Plan is delivered through an ambitious rolling action focused programme. This approach seeks to ensure that the list of projects never exceeds a realistic assessment of capacity, with projects being prioritised annually. It informs our priorities for securing and delivering against a range of external funding sources. 2.5 The draft action programme for 2023/24 and 2024/2025 provided at Appendix One has been prepared to align priorities with resource. This has been informed by an assessment of progress to date, local priorities, project deliverability and funding. The implementation of action programme projects aligned to competitive funding sources will however be dependent on the success of the funding applications. 2.6 Significant levels of funding have been secured to support delivery in 2023/24. The details of the funds and the proposed approach to their expenditure are provided at Appendix Two. These include the: ‒ Scottish Government’s Place Based Investment Programme ‒ Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Fund ‒ Scottish Government’s Cycling Walking and Safer Routes ‒ Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s Capital Programme ‒ UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund 2.7 Funding applications are also proposed to a range of competitive funding sources to support the delivery of the Plan. The details of the funds, applications submitted to date and proposed submissions are provided at Appendix Two. These include: ‒ Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund ‒ Scottish Government’s Islands Programme ‒ Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme ‒ UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund Round Three (if appropriate) 2.8 Further consultation and engagement will be undertaken with local communities, stakeholders and Elected Members through the detailed development of any successful projects. 3. Proposals 3.1 That Cabinet: (a) Notes the progress made on the implementation of the Regeneration Delivery Plan; (b) Approves the draft Action Programme as detailed at Appendix One; (c) Approves the Regeneration Delivery Plan funding proposals as detailed at Appendix Two; and 239
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(d) Provides delegated authority to the Executive Director (Place) to agree changes to the funding allocations in consultation with the Portfolio Lead as required. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 The Regeneration Delivery Plan aims to build on and maximise the impact of the investment being made through a variety of sources including the Ayrshire Growth Deal, Council’s Capital Programme and the Strategic Housing Investment Programme (SHIP). It also seeks to lever private funding and investment into North Ayrshire. It informs our priorities for securing and delivering against external funding sources. The implementation of action programme projects aligned to competitive funding sources will be dependent on the success of the funding applications. Human Resources 4.2 The Regeneration Delivery Plan projects will be delivered through the existing Regeneration Team resource. Opportunities to secure funding for additional staff resource to support delivery will be investigated on a project by project basis as required. Legal 4.3 The legal implications of all Regeneration Delivery Plan projects will be considered through their development. Legal agreements will be developed on a project by project basis as required with support from Legal Services. Negotiation will be required in relation to land and building acquisitions with support from the Council’s Legal Services and Property Management and Investment Service. Mechanisms such as Compulsory Purchase Orders will be considered on a case by case basis, where considered appropriate. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 The Regeneration Delivery Plan assists in meeting our socio-economic duty as set out in the Fairer Scotland Duty. It seeks to reverse economic, social and physical decline and reduce socio-economic disadvantage. It will tackle long- term vacant and derelict land and buildings thereby reducing their levels and impact on communities. It aims to build community wealth and tackle local deprivation through the regeneration of our communities by maximising the potential of our land and assets and those of anchor institutions. The Plan also contributes to the delivery of the Isle of Cumbrae and Isle of Arran Local Island Plans, their key themes and priorities. The funding proposals will directly contribute to several of the actions identified within the annual action plans. The proposals for the Scottish Government’s Islands Programme 240
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have been informed by the Islands Plans and identified from the Action Programmes. An initial screening will be undertaken to establish if an Equality and Children’s Rights Impact Assessment is required for projects on a case by case basis. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 The Regeneration Delivery Plan aligns with the Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy workstreams of: Green Economy; Transport and Travel; Natural Environment; Sustainable Operations; and Carbon Absorption. Furthermore, it aligns with the commitment to reduce carbon emissions through declaration of a Climate Emergency and will contribute to the ambition to achieve net zero by 2030. Key Priorities 4.6 The Regeneration Delivery Plan has been informed by the priorities identified within the Local Outcomes Improvements Plan and Locality Partnership priorities. The implementation of the Plan will contribute to achieving the Council Plan priority outcomes and will contribute to the ambitions for: an inclusive, growing and enterprising economy; North Ayrshire to be well- connected with effective infrastructure; and for a sustainable, vibrant, welcoming and attractive environment. Community Wealth Building 4.7 The Regeneration Delivery Plan sets out our priorities for delivering on the ambitions on the Community Wealth Building Strategy. Its delivery will have a significant positive impact on the Council’s ambitions across the pillars of: - Land and Assets: by supporting equitable land development and the development of underutilised assets for community use. - Procurement: by contributing to the development of the procurement wave plan; through the inclusion of appropriate community benefit of local supplier clauses within projects; and by considering phasing and programming of projects to create local supply chain opportunities and support delivery by smaller scale and local contractors where appropriate. - Fair Employment: by supporting the creation of employment opportunities particularly within the construction sector. Where North Ayrshire is procuring services, through our enhanced Community Benefits approach we will seek to ensure the creation of local training and work experience opportunities. Consideration will also be given to delivery through employability programmes where appropriate. - Financial Power: by investing in localities and leveraging external national investment into North Ayrshire. 241
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5. Consultation 5.1 The Regeneration Delivery Plan was the subject of extensive consultation including workshops with Council Officers; workshops with Elected Members; reports to and feedback from North Ayrshire Ventures Trust and the Community Wealth Building Expert Panel; and public engagement via Consul. It was also informed by the Locality Partnerships’ priorities and previous public consultation exercises including Charettes. 5.2 The action programme outlined at Appendix One and the funding proposals outlined at Appendix Two have been informed by this consultation. Further consultation and engagement will be undertaken with local communities, stakeholders and Elected Members through the detailed development of the identified projects. RUSSELL McCUTCHEON Executive Director (Place) For further information please contact Claire Fitzsimmons, Interim Senior Manager Regeneration, on 01294 324766. Background Papers Cabinet Report – Regeneration Delivery Plan, 23 March 2021 Cabinet Report – Levelling Up Fund, 15 June 2021 Cabinet Report – Levelling Up Fund – Round 2, 2 November 2021 Cabinet Report – Regeneration Delivery Plan Update, 22 February 2022 Cabinet Report – Regeneration Delivery Plan Funding Proposals. 07 June 2022 242
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Appendix One: Draft Action Programme The following summarises the draft action programme for 2023/24 and 2024/25 under each Regeneration Delivery Plan theme: Strengthening Communities Maximising Land and Assets 2023-25 Action Updated 2026 Outcome Lead Service Review of land and assets Public consultation, finalisation and adoption of Vacant and Derelict Land Strategy for 2023-28 Confirmation of vacant and derelict land priorities and actions and implementation of Years 1 and 2 Economic Development, Growth & Regeneration (EDG&R) Review of land and assets Prepare annual local delivery plans for SG approval under the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund (VDLF), and projects for submission to the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) Implementation of vacant and derelict land priorities on an annual basis under the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund and Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) EDG&R Development potential of land and assets Review the development potential of Council landholdings to inform the Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3) Clarity on the priority sites for intervention and/or investment Housing and Public Protection (H&PP) / EDG&R Investment in land and assets Implement the Repurposing Property Grant Fund (RPGF) including development of further phases, subject to external funding Landowners and communities are supported to bring vacant and derelict land and properties back into positive use EDG&R Investment in land and assets Identify opportunities and priorities for future investment A social housing and commercial portfolio that supports the needs of communities and the growth of local businesses and entrepreneurial activity EDG&R / H&PP Levelling Up Fund Identify priorities for consideration of potential submission to Round 3 of the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund Levelling Up funding is secured to support capital investment in identified priorities EDG&R 243
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Housing and Town Centre Living Strategic Housing Investment Programme (SHIP) Construct new social housing sites including Corsehillhead, Kilwinning; Bourtreehill, Irvine; Ayrshire Central, Irvine; Fullarton Street, Irvine; and West Byrehill, Kilwinning Delivery of 1,900 unit SHIP programme to 2026 H&PP SHIP Review of SHIP contribution to community regeneration Identification of priority sites and process for selection of opportunities H&PP / EDG&R Housing Delivery Preparation of Supplementary Guidance for Development Frameworks Approval by Planning Committee; Implementation of Guidance H&PP Housing Delivery Preparation and approval of development frameworks for strategic sites Approval by Planning Committee; Implementation of development frameworks; Completion of developments EDG&R Housing Delivery Analysis of the most suitable delivery mechanism for housing on strategic sites Delivery of appropriate development on NAC owned strategic sites in line with CWB strategy and LHS EDG&R / H&PP Housing Delivery Next phase of Montgomerie Park delivery including marketing of further phase(s) and site start(s) Completion of Sites A-B housing development; retail site sale and development; and marketing land, sale and site start for remaining phases EDG&R Town Centre Living Review of potential sites for increased town centre living given decline in retail activity and complete town centre living pilot project New residential development in town centres EDG&R / H&PP Town Centre Living Redevelopment of Kings Arms, Irvine to deliver amenity flats Completion of development H&PP Community Investment and Enterprise Community Project Development Support new community project development, physical regeneration projects, funding applications and asset transfer processes and delivery including Ardrossan Promenade Identification and delivery of community development and community led regeneration projects Connected Communities (CC) / EDG&R 244
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Community Project Development Develop a grant funding CRM to manage Council grant processes including the creation of an expression of interest process to identify a pipeline of projects for submission to external funding sources Identification and delivery of community development and community led regeneration projects EDG&R / CC Shared Prosperity Fund Implement the approved Shared Prosperity Fund Investment Plan including facilitating governance arrangements Implement and administer the North Ayrshire award under the Shared Prosperity Fund EDG&R / CC Shared Prosperity Fund Implement Council priority projects under the Communities and Place Investment Priority informed by Place Frameworks Delivery of Council led projects under the Shared Prosperity Fund Communities and Place Investment Priority EDG&R / CC Shared Prosperity Fund Develop and implement a Shared Prosperity Fund Communities and Place Fund Identification and delivery of community development projects under the Shared Prosperity Fund Communities and Place Investment Priority EDG&R / CC Locality Partnerships Coordinate the identification and delivery of community development projects through the operation of Locality Partnerships Identification and delivery of community development projects CC Participatory approaches Extend and mainstream a participatory approach to offer communities, including young people, more opportunities to lead in local decision-making Increased community involvement decision- making CC Community Asset Transfer Support Community Asset Transfer and Participation Requests Increased community ownership of land and property and redevelopment of underutilised assets CC Community Investment Fund Co-design, co-production and co-delivery of projects Identification and delivery of community development projects Locality Partnerships / CC 245
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Delivery Models Third Party Assets Review Review the identified sites including the case for the purchase of third-party land to address a recognised problem or facilitate positive development – including sites identified through the RDP A property portfolio that supports communities, improved public amenity and the growth of local businesses and entrepreneurial activity EDG&R Land Development Model Develop a model for the development and sale of vacant land/property and reinvestment in further programme Confirmation and implementation of model EDG&R Commercial Estate Develop proposals for Commercial Estates, Infrastructure and Town Centre allocation under the Recovery and Renewal Investment Fund and external funding sources Identification and implementation of priority projects EDG&R Placemaking Town and Local Centres Updated 2023-25 Action Updated 2026 Outcome Lead Service Place Framework Development Roll out of programme of Place Frameworks to direct future investment through the Investment Fund, Place Based Investment Programme and external funding Use of Place Framework to facilitate community consultation and to direct and implement projects contributing to a wellbeing economy EDG&R / CC Place Framework Development Implementation phase of pilot place frameworks for Kilwinning, Saltcoats and Largs. Use of Place Framework to facilitate community consultation and to direct and implement projects contributing to a wellbeing economy EDG&R / CC Place Plan Development Support local communities to develop Local Place Plans under the Planning Act Community development of Local Place Plans H&PP / CC / EDG&R Town Centre Improvements Completion of SG funded Town Centre Fund projects Implementation of projects EDG&R 246
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Town Centre Improvements Investigate potential to upgrade grass pitch provision and implementation of any recommendations Completion of Quarry Road project EDG&R/ CC / KA Leisure Town Centre Improvements Identify and adopt a new approach to town centre footfall monitoring Effective monitoring of town centre activity EDG&R Town Centre Improvements Prepare an investment plan for Years 3 to 5 of the Place Based Investment Programme allocation working collaboratively with local communities, business, third and public sectors Implementation of projects identified in Investment Plan EDG&R Town Centre Improvements Develop and implement proposals for CWB - Town Centres and Communities allocation under the Recovery and Renewal Investment Fund Identification and implementation of town centre priority projects EDG&R Conservation Projects Completion of Millport Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme Completion of project EDG&R Conservation Projects Identification of potential conservation projects through the development of Place Frameworks and Local Place Plans Development and implementation of conservation projects EDG&R Strategic Sites Ardrossan North Shore & Marina Deliver the next phases of civil infrastructure to support the Ardrossan Campus including delivery of a programme to facilitate the delivery of the Campus Supporting the completion of the Ardrossan Campus EDG&R Ardrossan North Shore & Marina Develop a major Branding exercise to reflect the national scale regeneration opportunity including North Shore, Harbour and town centre Secure appropriate press coverage and community understanding of investment in town, changing perceptions at key points in the programme’s delivery Communications 247
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i3 Enterprise Area Operation of Phase 1 of the Digital Processing Manufacturing Centre (DPMC) digital hub. Delivery and occupation of Phase 1 of the flexible space programme and development of Phase 2 project Delivery of AGD investment and leverage of private investment EDG&R Irvine Harbourside, ‘Great Harbour’ Development and implementation of the Great Harbour Masterplan informed by community and stakeholder consultation Delivery of AGD investment and leverage of private investment EDG&R Lochshore Completion of £8m Phase One of the Lochshore Park Masterplan including: 5km circular loop; Play at the Hub; woodland creation and community play links Completion of Phase One of the Lochshore Park Masterplan EDG&R Lochshore Identify funding opportunities, submit applications and secure funding for Phase Two delivery Completion of Phase Two of the Lochshore Park Masterplan (subject to funding) EDG&R Lochshore Identify opportunities to fund and deliver Lochshore Masterplan Phase 2 including: appointing project team, formalising governance arrangements, and commencing delivery (subject to funding) Completion of Phase Two of the Lochshore Park Masterplan (subject to funding) EDG&R Lochshore Delivery of Play at the Hub Completion of Phase One of the Lochshore Park Masterplan EDG&R Hunterston Development of options for site with partners Peel Ports Group and SE Hunterston is recognised as a strategically significant national asset contributing to local, regional and national blue and green economy aspirations. EDG&R Growth Deal Plans 248
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Growth Deal Delivery Delivery of North Ayrshire’s share of the £251m Growth Deal programme including: manufacturing space and a digital hub at i3 in Irvine, International Marine Science & Environmental Centre at Ardrossan; Centre for Research into Low Carbon Energy & Circular Economy at Hunterston; the development of island marina projects and the Great Harbour project in Irvine Delivery of Growth Deal investment and leverage of partnership and private sector funding EDG&R Leverage of AGD funding Securing additional leverage including private sector investment and external funding Additional funding and profile to enhance the outcomes achieved through the AGD EDG&R Destinations / Visitor Hubs Commercial/leisure investment in Ardrossan Review of market potential for commercial opportunities within Ardrossan Delivery of new commercial uses alongside public investment EDG&R Inclusive and Green Economy Inward Investment Updated 2023-25 Action Updated 2026 Outcomes Lead Service Supporting inward investment Engage with existing and new businesses to support inward investment including the co-ordination and review of enquiries and assessment of contribution to net zero, CWB and socio-economic impact Inward investment is secured across North Ayrshire EDG&R Supporting inward investment Review NAC land and assets’ potential to deliver on inward investment enquiries Inward investment is secured across North Ayrshire EDG&R Development of Commercial Estate 249
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Commercial estate improvements Review of commercial estate to identify opportunities to improve or redevelop council assets to encourage local business growth utilising Investment Fund Improvement of commercial estate to allow business growth EDG&R Commercial estate development Completion of technical design, funding secured and contractor appointed for additional office pavilion at Annickbank for construction in 23/24 Completion and long-term lease of space, securing local employment EDG&R Commercial estate development Identify opportunities and apply for funding to support the delivery of new commercial estate development New commercial estate development to support business growth (subject to funding) EDG&R Commercial estate development Implement next phase of commercial estate development at Kyle Road, Irvine including: securing funding package and necessary permissions and consents Completion and long-term lease of space, securing local employment EDG&R Commercial estate development Review of third-party assets for acquisition to support commercial estate delivery Improvement of commercial estate to support business growth EDG&R Harbourmasters House, Irvine Improvement of derelict Council property and development of proposals for market opportunity Delivery of new commercial uses alongside public investment at Great Harbour EDG&R Partnership Activity Islands Recovery and Renewal Pilot Implement ten year Island Plans for Arran and Cumbrae working in partnership with local island communities and stakeholders, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Government Development of strategic Island Plan projects and leverage of external funding EDG&R Islands Recovery and Renewal Pilot Develop and facilitate Island Plan Delivery Groups Long term strategic direction and community and stakeholder engagement in the implementation of Island Plans EDG&R 250
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Partnership Opportunities Identify partnership opportunities for regeneration delivery with private sector and third sector Partnership opportunities for delivery and maximisation of funding and resources EDG&R Ardeer Continue to engage with NPL to identify any opportunities at Ardeer that complement the AGD Great Harbour masterplan investment at Irvine Harbour and Beach Park. Delivery of AGD investment and leverage of private investment EDG&R Enabling Infrastructure Transport Infrastructure Updated 2023-25 Action Updated 2026 Outcome Lead Service Ardrossan Harbour Finalise funding package and partner agreements; and Publication of tender package and award of contract for marine and landside works to enable construction Completion of harbour regeneration programme with partners EDG&R Transport Policy Public consultation, finalisation and adoption of Local Transport Strategy for 2023-28 Confirmation of local transport priorities and actions for implementation EDG&R Transport Policy Promotion of North Ayrshire transport priorities for inclusion within national and regional transport policy including the Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) and Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP) Funding and delivery of local and regional transport priorities EDG&R Transport Policy Support the completion of the B714 Upgrade Full Business Case and design processes including submission to UK Government to facilitate construction Completion of B714 Upgrade EDG&R and Neighbourhood Services (NS) Active Travel Identify priorities for and implement new and improved active travel route infrastructure across North Ayrshire informed by the revised LTATS Securing external funding and implementation of projects EDG&R 251
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Active Travel Implement the recommendations of the Community Renewal Fund Islands Connectivity Study with partner organisations Delivery of a network of infrastructure to support active and sustainable travel and a Mobility as a Service pilot project on Arran and Cumbrae. EDG&R Active Travel Complete the Ardrossan Connections Street Design Project focused on Glasgow Street, Princes Street and Montgomerie Street with Sustrans Implementation of improvements to encourage active travel, improve residential environment and link major development projects EDG&R Public Transport Investment in public transport infrastructure improvements informed by the revised LTATS Improvement of the public transport network for everyday journeys EDG&R External Grant Support External Funding Work with partners to identify funding opportunities and submit funding applications to maximise the potential of regeneration resources and funding Submission of successful funding applications on an annual basis to enable project implementation EDG&R Community Funding Support communities to identify funding opportunities and submit funding applications to implement community regeneration priorities Submission of successful funding applications on an annual basis to enable project implementation CC / EDG&R Digital Infrastructure Broadband Support the roll out of R100 Broadband programme and raise awareness of the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS) and the UK Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme Improved broadband coverage across area and increased vouchers uptake EDG&R Connectivity Develop the Digital Renewal route map and approach to support Digital Economic Transformation, focusing on four pillars: Connectivity (including infrastructure), Digital Skills, Innovation, and Digital Inclusion Improved digital connectivity growing a strong and resilient digital economy delivering digital economic transformation EDG&R 252
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Strategic Connectivity Review the digital investment through AGD to maximise the benefits to gain a competitive business advantage and support the development of a Digital Masterplan for Ayrshire Delivery of digital investment to secure competitive advantage for North Ayrshire and support business growth and encouraging private sector investment EDG&R Low Carbon Economy Review of land and assets for low carbon delivery Review of potential for land assets to support low carbon project delivery and contribute to net zero targets including: new tree planting; renewable energy; food growing; and electric vehicle projects Maximisation of land and assets to deliver low carbon projects and Contribution to net zero ambitions EDG&R / NS / Sustainability, Corporate Property & Transport (SCP&T) Delivery of low carbon projects Identify opportunities for innovative delivery of low carbon projects including tree planting; renewable energy; food growing; and electric vehicle projects Delivery of low carbon projects and contribution to net zero ambitions Physical Environment / NS / EDG&R / Flood Protection Schemes Implementation of the Millport Coastal Flood Protection Scheme and development of the River Irvine Scheme Implementation of flood protection schemes NS Active Travel Hub Deliver the Trinity Active Travel Hub and Travel Smart programme to support active and sustainable travel Modal shift to active and sustainable travel / contribution to net zero ambitions EDG&R Low Carbon Hub Complete the £1.96m ERDF Low Carbon Travel and Transport funded Ardrossan Low Carbon Hub including path works, e- bike and EV infrastructure implementation. Delivery and implementation of the project EDG&R Solar Photovoltaic Farm development Detailed development of Solar PV Farm at Nethermains and Shewalton, Irvine including: procurement, planning, grid connections and design. Investigation of renewables opportunities at i3 Completion of Solar PV farms by end of 2024; regeneration of the former Nethermains and Shewalton Landfill Sites; and contribution towards net zero ambitions SCP&T 253
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Appendix Two – Regeneration Delivery Plan Funding Proposals The following provides a summary of each of the funds and the proposed approach for 2023/24. Funding awards are generally received on an annual basis therefore a further report will be provided for 2024/25 awards. The proposals have been identified from the Regeneration Delivery Plan action programme and an assessment of the: - Projects’ stage of development; - Fit with the fund objectives and priorities; - Potential benefits; - Budget available; - Ability to secure match funding; and - Deliverability of the project(s) within funders’ timescales. This approach aims to implement a range of projects that deliver impactful improvements in line with the Regeneration Delivery Plan and the various funding streams’ ambitions. Where there is an underspend within one of the allocations in 2023/24, it is proposed that the Executive Director (Place) will reallocate any underspend across the other identified actions following engagement with the Portfolio Lead. Place Based Investment Programme The Scottish Government established the five year £325m Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP) in 2021/22. Underpinned by the Place Principle, this aims to support community-led regeneration, town centres and the 20-minute neighbourhood ambitions. The main objectives of the Programme are to: - Link and align place based initiatives and establish a coherent local framework to implement the Place Principle; - Support place policy ambitions such as town centre revitalisation, community led regeneration, 20 minute neighbourhoods and Community Wealth Building; - Ensure that all place based investments are shaped by the needs and aspirations - of local communities; and - Accelerate the ambitions for tackling inequality and disadvantage, wellbeing and inclusive economic development, net zero, community involvement and ownership Local Government is a key partner in delivering the Programme and will receive a share of the funding over the five years to support and advance local priorities. A £0.761m allocation has been received for the current financial year. This requires to be fully expended or at a minimum financially committed by 31 March 2024. Any unused grant will require to be repaid to the Scottish Government unless otherwise agreed by Scottish Ministers. The table below outlines the proposal for the expenditure of the allocation. The proposals aim to support the delivery of the Place Frameworks prepared through the previous allocations and the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund. Furthermore, they aim to continue the development of Place Frameworks across North Ayrshire. 254
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Project Allocation Lochshore Park Hub Play To construct play facilities at the Hub. £50,000 Kilwinning Abbey Tower Repair To support repairs to Kilwinning Abbey informed by the Kilwinning Place Framework. £100,000 Stevenston Climate Action Town: Projects Fund To support the delivery of the recommendations of the Climate Action Town Report. £35,000 Town Centre Living Pilot: 36 Bank Street, Irvine To support the completion of the design and tender process. £25,000 Future Year Project Development To support the preparation of proposals for implementation in future years and support funding applications. £40,000 Repurposing Property Grant Fund To support the continued provision of the Fund. £60,000 Kyle Rd Phase 2 To support the delivery of 1200m² new Class 4/5/6 business space capable of sub-division. £400,000 PBIP Regeneration Officer This will meet the costs associated with the dedicated Regeneration Officer to support the delivery of the Programme. £51,000 Total £761,000 Vacant and Derelict Land Fund The Scottish Government's Vacant and Derelict Land Fund (VDLF) aims to tackle the presence of long-term vacant, for 15 years or longer, and derelict land in Scotland. In doing so, it aims so stimulate economic growth, job creation, an improved environment and quality of life. From its inception in 2007, access to the Fund was restricted to 5 local authorities to focus the available financial resource and prioritise authorities most impacted by both the extent of vacant and derelict land and levels of deprivation. A review in 2015, resulted in North Ayrshire Council benefitting from access to the Fund from the financial year 2016/17. The other four authorities which currently benefit are South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire, Fife and Glasgow City Councils. Funding is limited to sites that have been vacant for at least 15 years and are between 0.1ha and 99ha in size, with a preference of Council ownership or a landowner agreement in place. It cannot be used on housing or infrastructure projects such as transport or flooding. A Local Delivery Plan requires to be submitted to the Scottish Government to allow Ministerial approval of the expenditure of the funding in 2023/24. In developing the proposals for this, several factors have been considered, including the: - Scottish Government funding criteria; - Economic development focus of the funding; - The priority sites identified of Irvine Enterprise Area, Ardrossan Campus Site, Lochshore and Irvine Harbourside and their stage of development; 255
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- Alignment with the North Ayrshire Regeneration Delivery Plan (2021) and Vacant and Derelict Land Strategy (2014) and the current draft Vacant and Derelict Land Strategy; - Deliverability of projects within the funding timescales; - Need to balance feasibility and site preparation work, with interventions that see physical space and employment created; - Need to secure a spread of interventions in terms of type and geography; and - Scottish Government’s aspiration for circa 25% to be spent on greening projects. An allocation of £1.507m has been confirmed for 2023/24. The following projects are proposed for inclusion in the local delivery plan. This has been submitted to the Scottish Government, subject to Cabinet approval: Project Allocation Kyle Rd Phase 2 To support the delivery of 1200m² new Class 4/5/6 business space capable of sub-division. £1,132,000 Montgomerie Park Neighbourhood Centre To support environmental improvements and ground works adjacent to the new Montgomerie Park Primary £175,000 Stalled Spaces Fund To support the visual improvement or naturalisation of sites, including grant funding to community groups for temporary repurposing of sites. £125,000 Development Work To support surveys and investigations to inform proposals for implementation in future years. This will include grant funding to support landowners and community groups to bring back vacant land and properties to positive use by funding feasibility studies, investigation work and statutory approvals £75,000 Total £1,507,000 Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes The Scottish Government’s Cycling Walking and Safer Routes programme provides direct allocations to Local Authorities. This can only be used for cycling, walking, safer routes and active travel related projects. It is proposed that the £857,000 award received for 2023/24 be allocated as follows. This approach aims to support a range of eligible projects across North Ayrshire and secure additional funding to maximise and accelerate delivery. Project Allocation Local Transport and Active Travel Strategy To support Year 1 delivery and implementation of the active travel strategy action plan, which will be considered by Cabinet after the Recess. £250,000 Active Travel Route Construction To provide match funding to support applications to Sustrans Places for Everyone and other active travel funding programmes. £200,000 Future Years Feasibility Studies and Design Development To support the preparation of feasibility and studies for active travel projects. £100,000 256
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Ardrossan Low Carbon Hub To provide an additional match funding contribution towards the path creation element of the ERDF Low Carbon Travel and Transport Challenge Fund Project. £150,000 Route Monitoring To support the network of pedestrian and cycle counters across North Ayrshire including the installation of new infrastructure. £35,000 Staff costs and resourcing To support the existing externally funded posts within the Active Travel and Transport Team and provide match funding toward the Travel Smart project funded by Smarter Choices Smarter Places. £122,000 Total £857,000 Strathclyde Partnership for Transport Capital Programme Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s (SPT) Capital Plan sets out the funding programme for projects to be delivered by SPT and partners on an annual basis. Applications are invited from Local Authorities in the Autumn of the preceding year. Priorities for funding are informed by the National, Regional and Local Transport Strategies. The following projects have been allocated funding through the overall £1.03m award from 2023/24 Capital Programme: Project Award Ardrossan Harbour Interchange To support the tender process for the public transport interchange at the Harbour. £50,000 B714 Active Travel Links To tender and construct the first phase of active travel links in Dalry and Saltcoats designed in 2022/23 to improve local path networks. £400,000 Brodick to Corrie Cycle Path To deliver the next phase of the off-road National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 73 at Brodick Castle and Country Park. £80,000 Bus Corridor Improvements To deliver a programme of bus stop infrastructure improvements across North Ayrshire. £100,000 Cumbrae Ferry Bus Stop and Queuing Facilities To deliver the next phase of recommendations of the feasibility study developed in 2021/22 including detailed designs and construction £350,000 Irvine Cycle Friendly Town To deliver the next phase of the Irvine Cycle Friendly Town Study recommendations including new path construction and signage. £50,000 Total £1,030,000 257
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Shared Prosperity Fund The Communities and Place investment priority of the Shared Prosperity Fund aims to enable places to invest to restore their community spaces and relationships and create the foundations for economic development at the neighbourhood-level. Its objectives are to strengthen the social fabric and foster a sense of local pride and belonging and build resilient, healthy and safe neighbourhoods. The investment priority requires Councils to be mindful of how interventions under this priority align with the existing funding streams received from the Scottish Government including the Place Based Investment Programme. The alignment with Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) also requires to be considered to ensure that they contribute to a fairer and more equal society, new market opportunities and productive businesses and regions. Thirteen interventions are identified under the investment priority. The approved North Ayrshire Investment Plan supports delivery of projects across the range of interventions. The approved Investment Plan outlined that the Communities and Place investment priority would be comprised of a: Participatory Budgeting programme; Competitive grant scheme for communities; and Funding allocation for Council projects. £349,208 capital and £107,106 revenue funding has been allocated to support smaller scale Council led projects that meet the aims and objectives of SPF and allow the Council to meet strategic goals. These projects will be aligned to the Regeneration Delivery Plan. Wherever possible match funding will be sought to support the delivery of these projects. Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund The Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) is delivered annually in partnership with COSLA and local government. It supports locally developed place-based regeneration projects that involve local communities, help to tackle inequalities and deliver inclusive growth in deprived, disadvantaged and fragile remote communities across Scotland. The Fund is subject to a two-stage assessment process. Applicants are required submit a summary of their project on the form provided at Stage 1 by 21 June 2023. Successful projects at this stage will be invited by the panel to then complete a full Stage 2 application in October 2023. An independent investment panel will agree the recommendations to Scottish Ministers and COSLA on projects to be offered grant support. The Fund is primarily aimed at providing new and/or improved infrastructure to improve the economic, social, and physical environment of communities. Projects are expected to detail how they are considering and contributing towards the target of net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Projects should also: - Primarily focus on areas that suffer from high levels of deprivation and disadvantage; - Demonstrate clear community involvement; - Deliver large scale transformational change with strong regeneration outcomes; and - Encourage additional investment and address market failure. Officers from Connected Communities and Economic Development and Regeneration have supported with local groups and organisations to identify potential projects for submission to the Fund. This process has been informed by the funding criteria, key 258
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considerations and the level of community involvement based on the experience from previous successful applications. On this basis is it recommended that applications be submitted for the following 4 projects, listed in order of priority: i) Geilsland Courtyard Hall, Beith ii) Harbour Arts Centre, Irvine iii) Great Harbour Phase 1, Irvine iv) Eglinton Park Visitor Centre, Kilwinning v) Kilwinning Abbey Tower, Kilwinning Scottish Government’s Islands Programme The Islands Programme represents a £30million capital investment over five years to support the delivery of the National Islands Plan. It aims to support projects which encourage population growth and stem population decline and deliver on net zero ambitions in a way that no-one is left behind. This will support a green economic recovery from the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Programme is being delivered on a competitive bid basis across all six local authorities with islands with a budget of £4m in 2023/24. It is open to applications from the six island Local Authorities including North Ayrshire Council. The Councils are required to act as the lead applicant. Project proposals are however expected to have been developed with the involvement and support of relevant communities, as well as third sector and private sector partners as appropriate. For 2023/24 there will only be a one stage application process. Project proposals require to use clear Place based, Community Wealth Building principles to support inclusive island growth while working to achieve Scottish Government’s net zero ambitions and to support recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. They should: - Meet the overall objectives of the Islands Programme. - Link directly to at least one of the National Islands Plan Strategic Objectives. - Ensure transformational impact against place-based priorities to accelerate local growth and resilience. - Align with local critical infrastructure priorities and have the potential to collaborate with other place-based investment opportunities to maximise benefits. - Demonstrate project readiness, collaborative and partnership models, project viability and long-term sustainability. - Demonstrate clear Community Wealth Building principles and community involvement and engagement. - Support Scottish Government Net Zero Ambitions and a Just Transition. Officers from Connected Communities and Economic Development and Regeneration supported local groups and organisations to identify potential projects for submission to the Fund. This process was informed by the funding criteria, key considerations and the level of community involvement. Informed by this assessment two applications were submitted for the following two projects and have subsequently received awards from the Programme: i. Garrison House Regeneration Scheme (Project Value £950,934): £730,998 grant sought to restore, re-purpose and enhance the Garrison House complex in Millport, Isle of Cumbrae. This will secure the building fabric for future generations, improve 259
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accessibility, improve the availability of and access to services, and increase its energy efficiency and resilience to climate change. ii. Dyemill Park (Project Value £570,000): £220,625 grant sought to build, manage and maintain an accessible, inclusive and safe, all-weather environment to grow and develop the island’s cycling community, inspiring Arran to cycle. Priorities for the 2024/25 round of the programme will be identified through engagement with the Island Plan Delivery Groups. It is intended that project progress reports will be provided to the Island Delivery Groups’ meetings to provide an opportunity to engage in and contribute to the projects’ delivery, where appropriate. Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme The Scottish Government announced a 5 year £50M competitive Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) in 2021/22. This aims to tackle persistent vacant and derelict land and support place based approaches to delivering regeneration and sustainable inclusive growth, as part of a ‘just transition’ to net-zero by 2045. The fund complements the Place Based Investment Programme and is open for all local authorities in Scotland to apply. Potential projects were identified for the 2023/24 round based on the funding criteria, level of project development and delivery timescales with Council Services. The following applications are proposed for submission in order of priority: i) Kyle Road Phase 2 ii) 36 Bank Street Town Centre Living Pilot UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund The Levelling Up Fund (LUF) is a £4.8 billion capital investment fund that will support town centre and high street regeneration, local transport projects, and cultural and heritage assets. North Ayrshire has been allocated as a ‘priority one’ category authority given our socio-economic and connectivity challenges. This is a competitive bidding process against other local areas and the Council requires to put forward high-quality, detailed and compelling business cases which meet the LUF criteria. There are 4 assessment criteria for the fund: place (priority area categories), strategic fit, value for money and deliverability. Two applications were submitted to Round 2 of the Fund: • Lochshore Park – This aimed to accelerate the delivery of Phase 2 of the Lochshore Park project through the transformation of the former steelworks site, including 64.73ha of Vacant and Derelict land, into an attractive area of parkland with a focus on outdoor play and active lifestyles. • Levelling Up for Ayrshire: Commercial and Low Carbon Infrastructure – This partnership project with South Ayrshire Council aimed to deliver new commercial estate development to increase capacity in Irvine and Prestwick. This focused on three long term vacant and derelict land sites at Annickbank, Kyle Road and i3 Enterprise area. It also included low carbon infrastructure to improve active and sustainable travel links. 260
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Both applications were confirmed as being unsuccessful in January 2023. An explanatory note was issued on 19 January 2023 regarding the decision making process. This advised that Ministers took account of which local authorities had received funding in the first round, noting that this would help maximise the geographical spread of investment across rounds one and two. This information was not previously available to Officers. Detailed feedback has now been received on both applications from UK Government. This included highly positive feedback on the quality of the Lochshore Park project submission. Several of the constituent elements of the partnership bid with South Ayrshire Council have now been progressed through alternative funding sources. Informed by this, it is proposed that further consideration be given to the resubmission of the Lochshore Park project Round 3. This would be subject to confirmation that Authorities with previously successful projects will be considered for funding and a detailed assessment of the Fund’s criteria. Priorities for a partnership bid with South Ayrshire Council will be considered when further information is available on Round 3. 261
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: North Ayrshire Community Transport Pathfinder Purpose: To set out initial proposals for a Community Transport Pathfinder project in North Ayrshire. Recommendation: That Cabinet approves the next steps for the Community Transport Pathfinder set out at paragraphs 2.11 to 2.14. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The Community Transport Association defines community transport as “providing flexible and accessible community-led solutions in response to unmet local transport needs.” There is no fixed model or vehicle used for community transport, however it can serve a vital role in addressing loneliness and social isolation, and in providing access to services, training and employment opportunities. 2.2 The cost and availability of transport within North Ayrshire has been confirmed as a concern for local communities through recent engagement activity. An allocation of £0.100m for a community transport pathfinder project was therefore agreed as part of the Council’s budget setting approach in March 2023. 1.3 Officers have undertaken initial discussions with Coalfield Community Transport (CCT), a registered, Ayrshire based community transport charity. CCT are interested in exploring a potential partnership with North Ayrshire Council to provide community transport services in our area. As such, the initial proposals are to test demand for CCT’s community transport services in North Ayrshire. 1.4 It is recommended that further survey work be undertaken during summer 2023 to assess travel needs and identify priorities and locations for the community transport pilot. This will be informed by consultation with communities and stakeholders and take account of existing public transport opportunities to identify gaps in provision. This will ensure that the pilot project meets identified needs within communities. 1.5 This survey work will be undertaken in parallel with a proposed soft-launch of CCT’s Dayhopper service in North Ayrshire over the summer period, which would involve CCT recruiting and registering members in North Ayrshire and provide a series of scenic tours and shopping excursions. 1.6 The feedback from the survey work and Dayhopper launch, along with ongoing engagement through Locality Partnerships, will then inform a set of recommendations for the wider community transport pilot for Cabinet consideration later this year. Agenda Item 12 263
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2. Background 2.1 The Community Transport Association defines community transport as “providing flexible and accessible community-led solutions in response to unmet local transport needs.” There is no fixed model or vehicle used for community transport, however it can serve a vital role in addressing loneliness and social isolation, and in providing access to vital services, training and employment opportunities. Often those who utilise community transport opportunities are those who are vulnerable or isolated in some way and it can help them to maintain or develop independence. Community transport schemes are usually supported by volunteers within communities and they may provide services such as hospital transport, vehicles available for lease by local groups, or community bus schemes. 2.2 Following budget engagement activity undertaken earlier this year, coupled with mini- enquiries which took place around various themes associated with the cost of living and child poverty, transport was again confirmed as an issue for many North Ayrshire communities. The cost and availability of both public transport and vehicles for hire meant that vulnerable and more rural residents in particular were limited in their abilities to get from place to place, and it was reported that this in turn limited their ability to be involved in community life, get to vital appointments or take up learning and employment opportunities. 2.3 The provision of transport at the right time and right cost can provide benefits to communities by reducing social isolation, enhancing wellbeing, and providing access to learning and employment opportunities, as well as reducing carbon emissions. 2.4 Community Transport is an enabler and has an impact across a number of policy areas including access to health, preventative measures in relation to health and social care and social isolation and loneliness. Users of community transport can include older people, people with mental, physical or learning disabilities, people travelling to and from health services and people living in rural areas. 2.5 The community transport sector could play a key role in the provision of transport services in North Ayrshire. Community transport can be used as an alternative to public services to reach those most isolated in rural locations, or as a partner alongside it. 2.6 In terms of demand for community transport, within the Garnock Valley locality, the Locality Partnership worked with Planning Aid Scotland and the Sustaining Places project to carry out engagement with communities that helped to develop a body of evidence that demonstrates the changes they would like to see in their area regarding walking, wheeling, cycling, and public transport. This took place in the second half of 2022 and the report was published in January 2023. Feedback provided noted gaps in transport provision including lack of affordable, reliable and frequent bus services, and timetabling gaps between different transport modes. The wider mini-enquiries undertaken in other localities noted similar feedback. 2.7 In response to this feedback from communities, and in recognition of the importance of transport links in helping achieve the aspirations of communities and the Council, North Ayrshire Council in their 2023/24 budget agreed to an allocation of £0.100m being earmarked for a community transport pilot. 264
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2.8 The pilot will, as far as possible, operate on a cost-recovery basis, in order to provide access to transport at reasonable cost, while providing opportunities for scalable and sustainable models for longer-term delivery to be identified. It is envisaged that the pilot will run for an initial duration of twelve months. 2.9 Officers have undertaken exploratory discussions with Coalfield Community Transport (CCT), a registered Ayrshire based community transport charity, operating since 2002. CCT provide a range of community transport services from their fleet of vehicles and drivers, including for shopping and excursions. These discussions have led to a set of recommended next steps for a community transport pilot in North Ayrshire. 2.10 One of the most important requirements is to better understand the demand for community transport services. 2.11 The next steps therefore include the facilitation of surveys in the locality areas to gauge potential demand, focusing on current gaps in provision. An in-depth Travel Needs Analysis is being commissioned by the working group for the Garnock Valley Locality Partnership, funded by the Community Investment Fund. This will provide an evidence base to currently anecdotal transport challenges experienced throughout the Garnock Valley. The engagement will identify barriers to accessing local transport, identify patterns and make recommendations to overcome these barriers including, it is expected, the potential for community transport provision. 2.12 In addition, a community engagement exercise will be conducted in parallel with the above study across North Ayrshire. This will identify local transport needs alongside the barriers to and gaps in local provision which could be met through community transport. This will establish the demand for a community transport service and what form this could take to meet the needs of local communities. External funding opportunities will also be considered as part of this process to maximise the reach of the funding and scope of the pilot project. 2.13 In light of existing community engagement feedback to date, there is a desire to undertake an early provision exercise. This would involve Coalfield Community Transport advertising and recruiting members in North Ayrshire and offering their ‘Dayhopper’ services through a series of excursions over the summer period. This could include scenic tours or day trips, for example to our tourism destinations including Largs, Arran and Cumbrae, helping to support our local economy and reflecting a Community Wealth Building approach. A support model would be agreed with Coalfield Community Transport to help deliver this expanded offer. 2.14 The survey work and feedback from the Dayhopper soft launch over the summer will then inform the scoping of wider potential provision, alongside ongoing engagement with local people through Local Partnerships. Future pilot provision could include, for example: • Door to door minibus transport for home-to-town trips for people who find public transport difficult to use and for outings to help people stay socially active and independent. • Group minibus transport for local charities, community groups and clubs. 265
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2.15 Any future pilot community transport provision would seek to align with Council priorities alongside affordability within the wider £0.100m funding envelope allocated. Opportunities to complement that budget with external funding are also being investigated. 3. Proposals 3.1 That Cabinet approves the recommended next steps for the Community Transport Pathfinder set out at paragraphs 2.11 to 2.14. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 A total of £0.100m was allocated for the community transport pathfinder project as part of Council budget setting in March 2023. Officers will seek to augment this through investigation of other external funding opportunities. Human Resources 4.2 None. Legal 4.3 Legal Services have been consulted on the proposals and will continue to advise as required. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 The proposal is designed to provide socio-economic benefits through the provision of low-cost transport particularly to vulnerable people on low incomes and/or who are experiencing the effects of social isolation. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 The provision of community transport can help reduce carbon emissions by reducing reliance on private transport. Key Priorities 4.6 The proposals contribute to the Council’s key priority that North Ayrshire has ‘active and strong communities’ and is ‘well connected with effective infrastructure’. Community Wealth Building 4.7 The proposal reflects community wealth building principles, for example through a potential partnership approach with an existing Ayrshire based community transport provider, and scope to offer excursions to our own tourism destinations to help support the local economy. 266
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5. Consultation 5.1 Consultation feedback from budget engagement sessions and cost of living mini- enquiries held earlier in 2023 was used to inform the proposals within this report. It is proposed that priorities for the pilot project will be identified through community and stakeholder consultation through the survey work detailed in the report. RUSSELL McCUTCHEON Executive Director (Place) For further information please contact insert officers name, Insert officer’s designation, on Insert author’s phone number. Background Papers 0 267
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: Decarbonisation of the Council’s Fleet Purpose: To provide an update on the journey to date and further proposals to decarbonise the Council’s vehicle fleet. Recommendation: That Cabinet: i. notes the decarbonisation routemap work summarised within this report; and ii. agrees the proposals and recommendations set out at paragraph 2.31 of the report 1. Executive Summary 1.1 North Ayrshire Council has declared a climate emergency, and, through its Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy, has set an ambitious target to become net-zero by 2030. The Strategy details multiple work streams to help achieve these targets, with a key one being Transport & Travel, given that this represents a significant proportion of area wide emissions. The Council also published an Electric Vehicle Strategy in 2021 which aims to increase the number of Electric Vehicles (EVs) used within North Ayrshire. 1.2 National commitments for reduction of transport emissions have been made, with the 2019-2020 Programme for Government committing to phase out the need for any new petrol and diesel light commercial vehicles by 2025 and to create the conditions to phase out the need for all new petrol and diesel vehicles in Scotland’s public sector fleet by 2030. 1.3 The Council therefore needs to take action to ensure our fleet meets both national and local targets. 1.4 As part of our ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, progress has already been made in terms of investment in both EVs and charging infrastructure. However, to assist in the acceleration of more electric and alternative fuelled vehicles along with the relevant charging infrastructure, external support was commissioned to review our assets and prepare a detailed implementation plan or ‘routemap’ for decarbonisation. 1.5 A summary of the findings is set out within this report, along with recommended proposals for next steps for Cabinet approval at paragraph 2.33. Agenda Item 13 269
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2. Background 2.1 The Council’s fleet currently consists of 566 road registered vehicles and plant. The vehicles are primarily maintained at our in-house workshops at Kilwinning and Lamlash. All vehicles and plant are operated in accordance with our Fleet Asset Management Plan. The current fleet includes a range of vehicles intended to serve varying purposes, with some more suited to switching from conventional fuels to alternative sources than others. 2.2 A total of 397 vehicles have been identified as being immediately suitable to be replaced by EV alternatives. This excludes 169 vehicles (heavy fleet and plant) which do not currently have a cost-effective solution however options for this category of vehicles have still been considered within the study. 2.3 Progress has already been made in relation to acquisition of electric vehicles and we currently operate 31 EVs, which equates to almost 10% of the 397 vehicles noted above. 2.4 Much of the Council's fleet is stored overnight on Council-owned premises and therefore any attempts to electrify these vehicles will require appropriate charging infrastructure. As of May 2023, the Council has installed 29 workplace chargers (65 sockets) to support the decarbonisation of our fleet vehicles. 2.5 A key part of our decarbonisation journey is to follow a hierarchy approach as follows: Avoid the need to travel 2.6 The Council’s fleet is generally engaged in essential service delivery with a need to travel. However, there are opportunities to reduce travel demand, including through digital service delivery options and improved journey planning for essential travel. 2.7 Our decarbonisation routemap therefore includes a recommendation to consider the opportunities available from the Council’s Digital Strategy, and also to work with high mileage services to review telematics data and understand if there is any potential to further review the journey planning approach to reduce mileage requirements and associated fuel, maintenance and repair costs. 2.8 In terms of staff business travel, we continue to promote sustainable travel and employees are reminded to select the best option to meet their business travel needs. The sustainable travel hierarchy encourages staff to choose the most appropriate solution with the lowest CO2 impact. 3. Switch to Low Carbon Alternative 2. Rationalise use of current fleet (increase utilisation/re- allocation/downsize) 1. Avoid the need to travel 270
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Rationalise the current fleet 2.9 Fleet rationalisation is the process of reducing the size of the fleet to ensure that each vehicle is used as efficiently as possible. This involves examining the usage of each vehicle and removing any vehicles that are excess to requirements, reallocating vehicles within the fleet, and/or downsizing vehicles. This can provide cost (both revenue and capital) and carbon savings as vehicles are optimised and less vehicles overall need to be leased/purchased and maintained. 2.10 The Council’s staff pool car scheme was successfully re-launched during 2022/23 with an aim to reduce carbon emissions and expenditure associated with staff business travel. Over 1,500 members of staff have signed up to the scheme, with access to 11 low emission vehicles and four EVs across seven Council office locations. We will switch over the 11 low emission vehicles to EVs on a phased basis, following further analysis of utilisation patterns and investment in charging infrastructure. Switch to low carbon alternatives 2.11 Creating a 100% zero-emission fleet will likely require the replacement of our current vehicles with a mixture of different technologies. Currently most zero emission vehicles are battery electric vehicles but there are also hydrogen options available which could have particular applicability to our heavier fleet. 2.12 Of our 566 fleet vehicles, 397 vehicles have realistic EV replacements options currently available (passenger cars, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and buses). A breakdown of the fleet (as of May 2023) is as follows: Table 1: Fleet Baseline *Categories that total the 397 vehicles noted earlier in the report are highlighted in bold. 2.13 The fleet currently operates 31 leased EVs with a further 25 vehicles purchased and due for delivery imminently. 2.14 The majority of the current EV fleet are leased; this was primarily due to these being funded through the national Switched on Fleet programme. However, where capital finance is available to support outright purchase, this is the preference, balanced against the benefits of evolving technology, for the following reasons: • Flexibility in respect of use and length of ownership • Avoidance of end of lease costs, particularly in respect of annual mileage and return condition • Avoidance of early termination penalties should service reviews identify the requirement for a different type of vehicle. Vehicle Type* Volume % of Fleet LCV 291 52.8% Passenger Car 80 14.0% HGV 74 13.0% Minibus 18 3.1% Compact Sweeper 12 2.1% Bus 8 1.4% Road Registered Plant 83 14.6% Total 566 100% 271
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• Negates premium lease payments to compensate for low residual values associated with specialist vehicles with limited second-hand opportunities • Reduces pressure on revenue budgets 2.15 It is estimated that the total capital funding required to replace all 397 vehicles currently suitable for low emissions alternatives is £15.85m (which includes both vehicle replacement and charging infrastructure), based on today’s prices. This investment figure excludes the 169 vehicles which do not currently have a cost-effective solution; however, these units will still require to be replaced with traditional units over the next eight years. They have been included within the replacement table below at a cost £12.13m however this is only based on their current combustion replacement costs. 2.16 Our forecast costs for vehicle replacements based on 2030 target date to decarbonise the 397-vehicle fleet currently suitable for switchover are as follows: Year 23/24 £m 24/25 £m 25/26 £m 26/27 £m 27/28 £m 28/29 £m 29/30 £m 30/31 £m Total £m Vehicle Replacement Capital £3.360 £1.020 £2.000 £2.980 £2.000 £2.000 £2.000 £2.000 £17.360 Estimated Budget Required £3.260 £2.840 £3.660 £4.930 £3.620 £3.440 £3.350 £2.880 £27.980 2.17 The profiling of the above illustration is based on a decarbonisation model undertaken which considered remaining lifespan of current combustion vehicles, the need for a managed approach, and the lead-in time for vehicle charging investment (both work based and home charging). 2.18 As the table demonstrates, the current capital programme budget to the target date of 2030 is significantly less than the budget available due to the costs of EV vehicles (often double the cost of combustion counterparts) and the need for charging infrastructure. 2.19 It is therefore recognised that the ability of the Council to decarbonise the fleet in the short to medium term will be very challenging due to affordability constraints and other delivery challenges. Options to address the current £10.620m gap will need to be considered as part of the next refresh of the capital programme. However, the estimated figures may reduce, including in response to ongoing transformation projects, service reviews and a reduction in the cost of EVs themselves. Research suggests that electric cars and vans should be cheaper to make than petrol or diesel vehicles by 2027, with some segments achieving price parity from 2026. 2.20 It should also be noted that previously allocated additional capital of £2.500m in support of decarbonising the fleet will aid the introduction of around 65 EVs and supporting charging infrastructure by end of March 2024. Charging Infrastructure 2.21 In parallel with zero emission vehicles adoption, the Council must plan for, and install, suitable charging infrastructure to support our expanding electrified fleet. This will require a mixture of workplace and home-based charging, as some vehicles are stored on Council premises overnight, and others are taken home. 2.22 As of May 2023, the Council have installed 29 dedicated workplace chargers (65 sockets) to support the decarbonisation of our fleet vehicles. These have been funded through the Switched on Fleets programme which is solely used in support of charge point infrastructure for fleet vehicles. 272
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2.23 The EV Working Group continues to review the Council’s non-domestic buildings and fleet mileage data to identify further opportunities to install workplace charge points, with cognisance taken of site constraints (e.g. parking, grid capacity) and vehicle requirements (travel patterns, daily mileage, time available to charge). Heavy Duty Vehicles 2.24 The UK Government Decarbonising Transport plan for Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV) details that all sales of new medium sized trucks (up to and including 26 tonnes) to be zero emissions from 2035. with the heaviest (above 26 tonnes) zero emissions by 2040. 2.25 There is a growing number of viable zero emission alternatives, particularly for Refuse Collection Vehicles (RCVs), however at present they do have high upfront costs (up to three times the cost of a diesel equivalent and with limited range) and it is likely that costs will reduce and more viable zero emission replacements options will emerge. 2.26 Hydrogen is likely to be a key fuel source in a net zero future. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) use hydrogen to produce electricity, these offer efficient and quiet transport with no exhaust emissions other than water. If fuelled by hydrogen produced from renewable sources, they are a true zero emission solution. 2.27 It is important that, given climate change targets and aspirations, that we investigate options for our heavier fleet at an early stage to best position ourselves to capitalise on early adoption of alternative fuels. 2.28 In support of decarbonising the existing heavy duty vehicle (HDV) fleet, an interim approach could be the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). This can offer a potential short to medium term option for our HDV fleet where ready electric replacements are not available or would be cost prohibitive. HVO can deliver up to a 90% reduction in carbon emissions. The following table details the potential impact on our RCV fleet from introducing HVO fuel: Table 2: Impact on RCV Fleet from using HVO 2.29 However, the latest HVO pricing has shown that the cost per litre is currently around 40% more expensive than diesel. 2.30 From 2030 onwards, the Council will need to consider the procurement of zero emission HDVs. These vehicles typically have the longest life cycles and have the highest potential for CO2 savings. Were we have HDVs that must be replaced in the short term but have no zero emission replacement options, we will continue to specify that these are equipped with the latest Euro 6 diesel engines with the option for HVO conversion. Vehicle Approx. Annual fuel usage Approx. annual CO2 (conversion - 2.60240) Potential annual CO2 emissions using HVO (90%) Potential annual CO2 reduction (90%) 1 x RCV 9,600ltrs 25 tonnes 2.5 tonnes 22.5 tonnes 36 x RCV’s 345,600ltrs 900 tonnes 90 tonnes 810 tonnes 273
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2.31 In summary, the routemap study undertaken has identified the following recommendations in support of decarbonising the fleet by 2030: (i) The purchase of new passenger and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) will be zero emission vehicles only, two years ahead of the 2025 target to phase out acquisition of petrol and diesel versions of such vehicles by public bodies. (ii) Utilise existing budget provision to acquire c.65 EV passenger and LCV vehicles by March 2024 (including 25 already on order) (iii) Progress with preparatory work for implementation of further passenger and LCV EV vehicles, including a wide communications programme with employees who use Council vehicles. (iv) Lobby Scottish Government through existing networks (including COSLA, SOLACE and the Sustainable Scotland Network) to outline the financial requirements associated with decarbonisation requirements and additional financial support required. (v) Agree to review the capital programme provision for financial year 2024/25 onwards to consider the current £10.620m gap (which excludes heavier fleet decarbonisation costs) to further support decarbonisation requirements. (vi) To undertake further research, including with the Hydrogen Accelerator Project, to identify solutions for the Council’s heavier fleet, incorporating potential consideration of a hydrogen fuel pilot to understand potential and inform future deployment strategy for heavier vehicles and plant, consideration of HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) as a potential short to medium term option for existing heavy fleet combustion vehicles, as well as future electricity generation proposals at Shewalton and potential links with charging requirements at that depot location for EV related heavy fleet solutions. Opportunities for external grant funding will also be investigated. (vii) Review the potential emerging from our Digital Strategy and work with services including Waste, Care at Home and Building Services, to understand any opportunities for fleet reduction and/or route mapping through use of our telematics data. (viii) Develop the existing EV working group into a fleet decarbonisation group, which will report to our already established Climate Change Steering Group. (ix) Share the findings of our decarbonisation routemap with CPP partners to identify any potential synergies including in relation to vehicle charging infrastructure. (x) Review the forthcoming Ayrshire EVCI pathfinder project, which is anticipated to deliver over 300 new EV charging points across Ayrshire, for any synergies with the charging requirements of our further electrified fleet. (xi) Explore the potential for an EV salary sacrifice scheme with the Head of People and develop a supporting communication strategy for staff to aid the wider uptake of EVs. (xii) Continue in the development of the Council’s mechanics by supporting attendance of training on electric/hybrid vehicle systems repair and replacement, which is accredited at IMI level 3. (xiii) Create a programme management role, which is essential to help manage the ongoing implementation and development of the decarbonisation project. The activities for this role will include monitoring and implementation of the decarbonisation plan, co-ordination of activity across the relevant departments within the Council and reporting on progress. (xiv) Reflect the above commitments in the forthcoming update to the Council’s Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy. 274
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3. Proposals 3.1 It is proposed that Cabinet (i) notes the decarbonisation routemap work summarised within this report; and (ii) agrees to the recommendations and proposals set out at paragraph 2.31 above. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 The Council is already investing significantly in its journey to net zero, taking action on climate change and addressing the Climate Emergency. An initial £2.500 million has been allocated in support of our current fleet decarbonisation programme. The ability of the Council to fully decarbonise the fleet in the short to medium term, however, will be very challenging due to affordability constraints. Options to address the current £10.620m gap will need to be considered as part of the next refresh of the capital programme. Human Resources 4.2 The creation of a programme management role is essential to help manage the ongoing implementation and development of the decarbonisation project. Funding for this resource (c.£175k total over three years) will be provided from the Council’s Change and Service Redesign Fund. Legal 4.3 There are no implications arising from the report. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 There are no implications arising from the report. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 The proposals within the report aim to: • make a positive contribution to national carbon reduction targets • contribute to the Council’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030 • contribute to the delivery of the EV Strategy 2021-2025 and the development of a network of strategically located EV charge points across North Ayrshire • contribute to the delivery of the North Ayrshire Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy (ESCCS) Transport and Travel workstream. Key Priorities 4.6 The proposals contained within the report support the North Ayrshire Council Plan priorities: • A sustainable environment; and • People enjoy good life-long health and wellbeing 275
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Community Wealth Building 4.7 Community wealth building benefits will be considered through the procurement of replacement EVs as part of the decarbonisation programme. 5. Consultation 5.1 Consultation and stakeholder engagement with frontline services has taken place throughout the review, including by engagement with the Council’s EV Working Group along with service specific surveys and questionnaires. The development of the existing EV working group into a fleet decarbonisation group will help support the transition to alternative fuelled vehicles. RUSSELL McCUTCHEON Executive Director (Place) For further information please contact David Hammond, Head of Sustainability, Corporate Property & Transport, on 01294 324514. Background Papers 0 276
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: Ardrossan Harbour Redevelopment Procurement Agreement Purpose: To seek Cabinet’s agreement to enter a procurement agreement with Ardrossan Harbour Company Limited to allow the Ardrossan Harbour Redevelopment tender process to proceed. Recommendation: That Cabinet agrees to enter into a procurement co-operation agreement with the Ardrossan Harbour Company Limited [AHCL] to enable Peel Ports Group to lead a procurement process to secure contractors to undertake the proposed redevelopment works at Ardrossan Harbour. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The Council together with the Ardrossan community successfully campaigned to retain Ardrossan as the mainland port for the Arran and Kintyre ferry services through the Save our Ferry Campaign in late 2016/early 2017. Ministers confirmed that the services would continue to operate from Ardrossan in April 2017. Since this time, and under the direction of the Ministerial Taskforce established to oversee the project; partners have worked to develop design proposals for all aspects of the project to their current state, which allows project partners to proceed with procurement activity for the project. 1.2 In terms of advancing the programme of works, partners have agreed in principle that Ardrossan Harbour Company Limited as a subsidiary of Peel Ports Group, in their role as Project Managers, will commence the procurement process to obtain tenders for the project and ultimately enable partners to agree a funding package for the project and thereafter enter into a contract to execute a design and build contract for marine and landside works, as a single works package. This report seeks approval to enable the Council to enter a procurement agreement with AHCL/PPG to provide a framework for protecting the Council’s interest through the procurement process for the project and allowing partners to proceed to obtain market cost for the project. 2. Background 2.1 The Council meeting of November 2016 agreed to take all necessary steps to retain the lifeline service at Ardrossan. This led to the submission of a technical case to justify the advantages of retaining Ardrossan as the mainland port for the services in December 2016, and the submission of a financial case setting out proposals for Agenda Item 14 277
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investment in the harbour infrastructure by the Council and the ports owners, Peel Ports Group (PPG) in January 2017 and proposals for a lease agreement between the Council and AHCL (PPG) over land at Ardrossan Harbour. At that time the package of works involved only a limited upgrade to the existing marine infrastructure specification. 2.2 Following confirmation by Scottish Government of Ardrossan being the mainland port for the Brodick and Campbeltown ferry services in April 2017, further modelling and simulations of the ferry utilising the harbour led to the conclusion that additional works to the marine infrastructure at the harbour would require to be undertaken to deliver a more resilient harbour service in the long term and accordingly designs have been co- developed and agreed by partners for a new terminal building, marshalling areas, access / public transport; and active travel / car parking. 2.3 All parties have agreed current project designs through the Ardrossan Taskforce, as a basis for proceeding to procurement to obtain tenders for a design and build contractor to complete technical design for the marine and landside components of the project and to lead construction activity at an agreed price. A Procurement Co-operation Agreement has been developed to outline all procurement arrangements for the appointment of a design and build contractor to allow AHCL (PPG) to act on the Council’s behalf and lead procurement activity to secure a market price and contractor for the works. Subject to approval of this paper, the agreement will confirm governance and general arrangements for the procurement process from invitation to tender, to bid selection, development of lease terms up to award of contract. This will be set out in a gateway model, whereby agreement of all parties is required to proceed through each stage of the process. As such, it should be noted that entering the Procurement Co- operation Agreement and proceeding with procurement activity does not commit the Council to proceeding to contract award. 2.4 The Procurement Co-operation Agreement will reflect the current project plan and reflects the Ministerial Taskforce objectives of seeking to commence the procurement process through an Invitation to Tender being issued to market in June 2023, with bids for the contract being submitted by December 2023 for consideration of partners to agree the preferred bidder, the funding package for the works and to set contract terms for appointment. Construction completion is anticipated in late 2025, based on the current project plan. 2.5 It is considered that proceeding to procurement is a necessary critical path step in the project because it will allow the project development process to proceed, thereby offsetting potentially substantial service delivery and cost risks associated with delay, by allowing project partners to understand the true project cost, to be able to agree a funding package for the project, appoint a contractor team and commence technical design and construction works. 2.6 Given that the marine works will involve significant disruption to the harbour infrastructure, the closure of the Arran berth for a 24-month period during the construction phase will be required. To allow the works to proceed effectively, the service is to be relocated temporarily to Troon, until the Ardrossan works are complete. The proposed approach set out in this report seeks to minimise service disruption by limiting delay to the project development process and thereby minimising the period during which the ferry service will be temporarily relocated to Troon as well as limit impact of construction cost inflation. 278
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3. Proposals 3.1 That Cabinet agrees to enter into a procurement co-operation agreement with the Ardrossan Harbour Company Limited [AHCL] to enable Peel Ports Group to lead a procurement process to secure contractors to undertake the proposed redevelopment works at Ardrossan Harbour. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 This report recommends expediting the project development process towards procurement in order that a fixed cost for the project is understood and that will enable project partners to agree a financial package to fund the project cost. Delay to this process will potentially increase the length of time to completion of works and therefore, that the ferry service operates from Troon and may also increase project cost arising from future construction cost inflation. 4.2 The investment proposed by the Council to support landside investment components of the contract will be facilitated by a lease agreement with the owner of the landside infrastructure, Peel Ports Group. Detailed lease terms are in development. This agreement will be mirrored by a lease agreement to CMAL at an annual commercial rate decided by our Estates team in consultation with and external surveyor. In addition to this NAC will seek to raise revenue from the operation of the car park facility to be constructed as part of the landside works. 4.3 In summary, it is important to note that the level of NAC contribution to this project will only be known when the tender process is complete and when the project partners agree the financial package. Due to the ongoing impact of construction inflation, there is a risk that the required NAC contribution will exceed current available resources. Approval for any additional financial contribution will therefore have to be considered within the context of affordability within the overall capital programme. Human Resources 4.4 There are no Human Resource implications arising from the report. Legal 4.5 The proposed works to the harbour will be facilitated by the Council entering into a “pepper corn” lease agreement for the land with the Ardrossan Harbour Company Limited [AHCL] to enable Peel Ports Group, the owners. A sub lease will also be entered into between the Council and CMAL (or their successors) for the proposed new terminal building at a commercial rate to help finance the investment in the build over the expected lifespan of the building (25 years). 4.6 Legal advice has been taken on the subsidy control implications of public investment in the harbour area. It is considered that subsidy control issues do not arise given that the Council is investing on commercial terms, meaning that no undertaking benefits from the measure. Peel does not benefit from granting the pepper corn lease. CMAL does not benefit as it will be paying a market rent. Business users of the terminal and car park will similarly paying market terms of the use of the those facilities. 279
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Equality/Socio-economic 4.7 The proposals will form part of a major capital investment programme in Ardrossan, with positive socio-economic impacts for the town, and deliver the benefits articulated in the case for retaining the service at Ardrossan. Climate Change and Carbon 4.8 The procurement process will ensure that bidders set out the impact of their bids from a climate change perspective and this will inform bid selection. Key Priorities 4.9 The proposed investment will support the Council Plan themes of: • Growing our economy, increasing employment, and regenerating towns • Working together to develop stronger communities. • Protecting and enhancing the environment for future generations Community Wealth Building 4.10 Local benefits in terms of employment and skills will be sought through the procurement process for what are major capital works. In addition, the proposed lease agreements illustrate how the use of land and commercial income can be used to secure investment for community benefit. 5. Consultation 5.1 The project is being led by the Ardrossan Harbour Taskforce, co-ordinated by Transport Scotland and with membership including North Ayrshire Council, Peel Ports Group, Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), Cal Mac Ferries Ltd (CalMac), and the Arran Ferry Committee. 5.2 Public Consultation has been undertaken during the design process for the landside infrastructure with the local community in both Arran and Ardrossan. This consultation has also involved Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, CalMac Ferries Ltd, Peel Ports Group, Scotrail, local landowners, harbour tenants and other relevant partners/interested bodies. 5.3 A consultation is ongoing in relation to the service providers/users given the impact of the works on service reliability and the temporary use of an alternative port at Troon and being carried out by partners TS, CMAL and CalMac. Proceeding to tender stage will inform future planning for the impact of the construction works on the local community as the full impact of the works will be determined by the design and build process. 280
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5.4 Project updates will be provided through project specific pages on the Council and Transport Scotland websites. RUSSELL McCUTCHEON Executive Director (Place) For further information please contact Bruce McClure, Senior Manager (Growth & Investment), 01294 324176 or brucemcclure@north-ayrshire.gov.uk and Neale McIlvanney (Interim Head of Service – Growth, Investment and Employability) nealemcilvanney@north-ayrshire.gov.uk Background Papers None. 281
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2023 Cabinet Title: UK Shared Prosperity Fund – Communities and Place Fund Purpose: To update Cabinet on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) and seek approval of the proposed approach to the Communities and Place Grant Fund. Recommendation: That Cabinet: a) Notes the update on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund; and b) Approves the proposed approach to the Communities & Place Grant fund provided at Appendix 1. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is part of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Agenda. This will provide £2.6bn of funding across the UK between April 2022 and March 2025. This replaces European Union funding that has historically supported employability and skills projects and local business activity in North Ayrshire. The overarching objective of the Fund is to build pride in place and increase life chances, underpinned by four levelling up objectives and three investment priorities. 1.2 North Ayrshire Council’s Investment Plan for the £6.2m allocation was approved by Cabinet in August 2022 and subsequently by the UK Government in December 2022. This included the development of a competitive grant scheme and participatory budgeting programme for communities under the Communities and Place investment priority. 1.3 The proposed approach to the Communities and Place Fund has been developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders and community representatives. It seeks to leverage community capacity to meet local needs in line with the Shared Prosperity Fund objectives. This report provides an update on activity to date and seeks approval for the proposed approach to the Communities and Place Fund provided at Appendix 1. 2. Background 2.1 The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) is part of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Agenda. The Fund is delivered centrally by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) with awards made directly to local authorities. It is a replacement for the European Social Fund (ESF) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding. In North Ayrshire this has funded employability Agenda Item 15 283
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and skills and business support services, alongside regeneration project delivery. 2.2 The overarching objective of the SPF is to build pride in place and increase life chances. The fund has three investment priorities in addition to an earmarked amount set aside to deliver adult numeracy activities entitled Multiply: • Communities and Place; • Supporting Local Business; and • People and Skills. 2.3 The SPF allocation for North Ayrshire over the three-year programme is £6,200,649. This comprises a £5,129,864 core SPF allocation and a £1,070,795 Multiply Fund allocation. The annual allocations are detailed in the table below: Allocation 2022/23 (£) 2023/24 (£) 2024/25 (£) Total (£) Core SPF 622,555 1,245,110 3,262,189 5,129,854 Multiply 323,729 373,533 373,533 1,070,795 Total Allocation (£) 946,284 1,618,643 3,635,722 6,200,649 2.4 Cabinet approved the North Ayrshire SPF Investment Plan, setting out how we intend to utilise and deploy the fund, in August 2022. This was subsequently agreed by the DLUHC in December 2022. A minimum amount of approximately 15% of the allocation must be allocated to capital expenditure and a total of 4% is available towards the administrative costs of running the programme. 2.5 The supporting Local Business and People and Skills priorities are being managed as follow-on programmes to the current EU supported Business Support, including Business Gateway, and Employability services offered by the Council. The Multiply adult numeracy service is being delivered in partnership with Community Housing Advocacy Project (CHAP) and Ayrshire College to support the development of adult numeracy across North Ayrshire. 2.6 The Communities and Place investment priority aims to enable places to invest to restore their community spaces and relationships and create the foundations for economic development at the neighbourhood level. Its objectives are to: • Strengthen the social fabric and foster a sense of local pride and belonging, through investment in activities that enhance physical, cultural and social ties and access to amenities. • Build resilient, healthy and safe neighbourhoods, through investment in quality places that people want to live, work, play and learn in, through targeted improvements to the built and natural environment and innovative approaches to crime prevention. 2.7 This investment priority received a £1.52m allocation, which equates to approximately 21% of the overall allocation. The capital and revenue breakdowns for this are detailed in the table below. This includes the administration and management costs for the overall SPF Programme over the three years: 284
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Funding Period Communities and Place allocation (£) Capital (£) Revenue (£) Admin (£) 2022/23 221,995 98,414 96,033 27,548 2023/24 341,026 202,330 31,003 107,693 2024/25 961,794 650,794 200,076 110,924 Total (£) 1,524,815 951,538 327,737 245,540 2.8 The approach to the Communities and Place investment priority outlined in the Investment Plan aims to support the delivery of community projects through a competitive grant fund and participatory budgeting programme. It also aims to support smaller scale strategic Council projects that meet the aims and objectives of SPF through a capital and revenue allocation. The latter will support Council-led projects that meet the aims and objectives of SPF and contribute to the delivery of strategic goals. It is intended that this approach will be referred to as the Communities and Place Fund going forward. 2.9 Due to the delayed start to the overall SPF programme, UK Government has confirmed that Year 1 funds can be carried over into Year 2. The Cabinet approval provided delegated authority to the Executive Director (Place) to agree changes to the funding allocations in consultation with the Portfolio Lead as required. This is, however, subject to the approval of credible plans indicating how carry forward will be utilised. Credible plans for carry forward have been submitted as part of the 2022/23 UKSPF End Of Year Report, which was submitted on 2 May 2023. There will be no further carry forward permitted of Year 1 funding, which must be disbursed fully and promptly. 2.10 Appendix 1 outlines the proposed approach to the competitive grant fund, participatory budgeting and Council led projects programme under the investment priority. This includes the approach to redistribute the balance of Year 1 funding which has informed the credible plan submitted to UK Government. This has been informed by consultation with Elected Members, Connected Communities, community organisations and community stakeholders. 2.11 The approach aims to provide a flexible and inclusive source of funding for communities to meet local need and achieve local outcomes across a broad range of activities. This seeks to complement the range of external funding opportunities currently available and to support community-led projects. The proposed approach to engagement with Locality Partnerships, Elected Members and community organisations on the Fund is also detailed in Appendix 1. 3. Proposals 3.1 That Cabinet: a) Notes the update on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund; and b) Approves the proposed approach to the Communities and Place Fund provided at Appendix 1. 285
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4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 The cost of delivering the Investment Plan and overall SPF Programme including the Programme Manager and Monitoring and Compliance roles will be funded by the SPF allocation. These are set out at Section 2.3 and 2.7 above. Human Resources 4.2 The SPF Programme will be managed by the Programme Manager, with monitoring and compliance undertaken by the Claims and Compliance Officer. Both roles will be funded by the SPF allocation. Legal 4.3 The approved Investment Plan was informed by advice from Legal Services and has informed the development of the Communities and Place Fund guidance and application documentation. The final documentation will be reviewed by Legal Services prior to launch to ensure compliance. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 The approved Investment Plan aims to deliver on social and economic outcomes and was subject to the following impact assessments: Equality and Children’s Rights; Islands and Fairer Scotland Duty. The Communities and Place Grant Fund aims to provide a flexible and inclusive source of funding for communities to meet local need and achieve local outcomes across a broad range of activities. The application and assessment process ensures alignment with the Fairer Scotland Duty and Council priorities, to address socio-economic inequality and embed a Community Wealth Building approach. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 The approved Investment Plan aims to improve the North Ayrshire and Ayrshire economies in accordance with net zero ambitions. This links with the ambitions of the Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy (ESCCS) and the ambition for a fairer, greener and more inclusive economy as set out in the Council’s Economic Recovery and Renewal Approach. A key aspiration of the Communities and Place theme is to deliver measures to support net zero and energy efficiency and enhance the natural environment. Several interventions specified by the Fund can deliver on these aims. Key Priorities 4.6 The implementation of the SPF Investment Plan and Communities and Place Fund will contribute to achieving the Council Plan priority outcomes and will contribute to the ambitions for active and strong communities, and a sustainable, vibrant, welcoming and attractive environment. 286
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Community Wealth Building 4.7 The approved Investment Plan was informed by the Community Wealth Building strategy with the SPF themes cross referenced with the five pillars and respective related Regeneration Delivery Plan, Economic Recovery and Renewal Plan and Island Plans. The Investment Plan approach was considered by the CWB Expert Panel and advice provided on embedding CWB into the proposals. 4.8 The approach proposed for the Communities and Place Fund ensures investment is targeted locally to add value to and enhance existing activities across the funding landscape. It empowers local communities to deliver on their own priorities and encourages added capacity through partnership working, creating a resilient and robust local delivery ecosystem. 5. Consultation 5.1 The approved Investment Plan was developed by a cross-service team of officers through a short life steering group with representation from Economic Policy, Business Support, Employability, Regeneration, Connected Communities, Health & Social Care Partnership, Procurement, Finance, Legal Services and HR. 5.2 The Communities and Place Fund proposal has been developed in consultation with Elected Members (at the Policy Advisory Panel), Connected Communities, community organisations and community stakeholder representatives as outlined in Appendix One. This has been further tested through consultation with The Ayrshire Community Trust and Arran Council for Voluntary Services. RUSSELL McCUTCHEON Executive Director (Place) For further information please contact Shona McAllister, Programme Manager – Shared Prosperity Fund, on 07773963545. Background Papers Cabinet Report, UK Shared Prosperity Fund, 23 August 2022 Policy Advisory Panel, UK Shared Prosperity Fund – Communities and Place, 18 April 2023 287
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Appendix One Communities and Place Fund The UKSPF Communities and Place investment priority aims to enable places to invest in restoring their community spaces and relationships and create the foundations for economic development at the neighbourhood level. Its objectives are to: • Strengthen the social fabric and foster a sense of local pride and belonging, through investment in activities that enhance physical, cultural and social ties and access to amenities. • Build resilient, healthy and safe neighbourhoods, through investment in quality places that people want to live, work, play and learn in, through targeted improvements to the built and natural environment, and innovative approaches to crime prevention. The investment priority requires Councils to be mindful of how interventions under this priority align with the existing funding streams received from the Scottish Government including the Place Based Investment Programme. The alignment with Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) also requires to be considered to ensure that they contribute to a fairer and more equal society, new market opportunities and productive businesses and regions. Thirteen interventions are identified under the investment priority. The approved North Ayrshire Investment Plan supports delivery of projects across the range of interventions. A series of outcomes and outputs are identified under each intervention and require to be reported on annually: S1 Place based investments for regeneration and town centre improvements S2 Support and improvement of community assets and infrastructure projects S3 Improvements to the natural environment and green and open space S4 Design and management of the built and landscaped environment. S5 Support for sport, arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities, projects and facilities and institutions. S6 Funding for active travel enhancements and other small scale strategic transport projects. S7 Funding for the development and promotion of wider campaigns which encourage people to visit and explore the local area. S8 Funding for impactful volunteering and/or social action projects to develop social and human capital in local places. S9 Investment in capacity building, resilience and infrastructure support for local civil society and community groups. S10 Community measures to reduce the cost of living, including through measures to improve energy efficiency, and combat fuel poverty and climate change S11 Funding to support relevant feasibility studies. S12 Investment and support for digital infrastructure for local community facilities S13 Support for linking communities together and with employment opportunities with a focus on decarbonisation. The approved Investment Plan outlined that the Communities and Place investment priority would be comprised of a: • Participatory Budgeting programme; • Competitive grant scheme for communities; and 288
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• Funding allocation for Council projects. The initial breakdown of the allocation was as follows. This includes the administration and management costs for the overall SPF Programme over the three years: Activity Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Total Participatory Budgeting 0 31,003 31,003 62,006 Competitive Grants - revenue 0 0 100,000 100,000 Competitive Grants - capital 0 102,330 500,000 602,330 Council Projects - revenue 96,658 0 69,073 165,731 Council Projects - capital 98,414 100,000 150,794 349,208 Administration 26,923 107,693 110,924 245,540 Total 1,524,815 Due to the delayed start to the overall programme, UK Government has confirmed that Year 1 funds can be carried over into Year 2. Thereafter there will be no further carry forward permitted of Year 1 funding, which must be disbursed fully and promptly. The Cabinet approval provided delegated authority to the Executive Director (Place) to agree changes to the funding allocations in consultation with the Portfolio Lead as required. This is however subject to UK Government approval of credible plans indicating how carry forward will be utilised. The table below outlines the proposed approach to the reallocation of the funds. It should be noted that administration costs were slightly higher than anticipated but remain within the 4% limit. Activity Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Total Participatory Budgeting 0 31,003 31,003 62,006 Competitive Grants - revenue 0 58,000 100,000 158,000 Competitive Grants - capital 0 102,330 500,000 602,330 Council projects - revenue Carry forward 38,033 69,073 107,106 Council projects - capital Carry forward 198,414 150,794 349,208 Administration 27,548 107,693 110,924 246,165 Total 1,524,815 The following summarises the proposed approach to each of these allocations under the Communities and Place Fund. Participatory Budgeting In line with the Council’s commitment to Participatory Budgeting (PB), 1% of the total SPF award, amounting to £62,006, has been allocated for PB across years 2 and 3 of the programme. Projects will require to be aligned to the Communities and Place the thirteen interventions and contribute to the delivery of the associated outcomes and outputs. This element of the fund will be managed by Connected Communities in accordance with their ongoing community empowerment ambition to provide local ownership of the fund and give people a say on how the fund is spent in their localities. This will also be undertaken in accordance with good practice guidelines outlined in the Participatory Budgeting Toolkit produced by North, South and East Ayrshire and the Convention of Scottish Local 289
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Authorities (COSLA) PB Team. Competitive Grants The approved Investment Plan identified that a significant proportion of the Communities and Place allocation would be utilised to develop a competitive grant scheme. This will offer capital and revenue grants to local community organisations in response to demand evidenced in part through community consultation during the development stage. All applications to this will be subject to the assessment and approval process outlined in this report. The Investment Plan originally proposed that grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 be made available, with a smaller amount available in Year 2 and a larger pot available in Year 3. This was due to the increasing allocation of annual funding by UK Government, with most of the funding being made available in Year 3. Given the smaller size of the grant fund available in Year 2, it has been agreed through engagement with third sector representatives and Connected Communities that this fund can best service local communities in grants up to a maximum of £25,000. This will be reviewed in advance of Year 3 when substantially increased funding is available. £58,000 of the fund for Council revenue projects from Year 1 has been reallocated to the Communities in year 2. Initial expressions of interest from communities have identified need for both capital and revenue support, and this will further ensure carry forward amounts from year 1 will be appropriately and efficiently disbursed. Significant ongoing engagement with the third sector and communities will continue to characterise the management of this fund in the remaining years of the SPF programme. This will include identifying eligible activity, reviewing the assessment process, and overall programme evaluation. This will empower local communities and ensure the Fund delivers what is needed in the most appropriate way. The Shared Prosperity Fund is intended to be flexible, agile, and responsive to local needs. It is therefore intended applications to the Communities and Place Fund are considered in the same spirit. Proposals have been informed by: • Existing good practice. • Participatory Budgeting principles. • Initial expressions of interest from the community which shaped the Investment Plan. • Engagement with Council Services and community stakeholder representatives including The Ayrshire Community Trust (TACT) and Arran Community & Voluntary Service (ACVS). • Additional engagement with third sector organisations. The process seeks to position the Fund appropriately within the wider funding landscape, avoiding duplication and adding value. It ensures projects are assessed against a range of factors, including the aims and objectives of SPF and local priorities identified in the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan, and the Local Island Plans. Elected Member and Community engagement UKSPF is expected to support appropriate activity across North Ayrshire. When the Community and Place Grant fund is launched, we will undertake North Ayrshire-wide 290
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community engagement to ensure information is disseminated and communities are engaged. This will utilise existing links via Locality Partnerships alongside an online event and social media campaign. This will include: • An Elected Members briefing session in advance of the launch of the Fund to familiarise Members with the Fund and enable awareness raising within constituencies. • Briefings to the Locality Partnerships outlining the approach to the Fund, assessment process and timescales to raise awareness and support applications. • E-mail information to Elected Members, Locality Partnerships and Community Planning Partnership members to allow sharing of information through networks to raise awareness of the Fund and support applications. • Awareness raising and funding surgery sessions in each locality. Elected Members will be engaged as part of this process to raise awareness and encourage participation within communities. These will be promoted widely with support from Connected Communities. • Updates at key points to Elected Members and Locality Partnerships on the Fund and the outcome of round(s) of funding. This would include briefings in advance of future rounds as detailed above. The events in each locality will be open to all and not restricted to communities and residents within that locality. This approach will ensure communities are fully informed as to the scope, aims and requirements of the fund, can ask questions and seek clarifications, and are equipped to submit complete and detailed applications. The combination of in- person and online events will ensure maximum opportunity for engagement with communities and equity of access to information regardless of location, digital skills or digital access. Overview of application, assessment and approval process The application, assessment and approval process aims to ensure equity, transparency and maximum complementarity in how the Fund is managed. It is also intended to be proportionate to the level of funding available. The following flowchart provides an overview of the proposed process including engagement sessions: 291
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Application, assessment and approval process An initial sift of applications will assess on a pass/fail basis to ensure appropriateness of the projects and organisations. Projects that do not pass the initial sift cannot proceed to full assessment. For this reason, applications will be sifted on receipt meaning, where possible, applicants can address any issues and reapply within the funding round. All applications proceeding to full assessment will be subject to the same assessment process. They will be required to demonstrate three areas of competence: 1. Intended outputs and outcomes in line with those identified for the SPF Communities and Place interventions. These are as follows: Capital Interventions • S1 Place based investments, regeneration and town centre improvements, which could include better accessibility for disabled people, including capital spend and running costs. • S3 Improvements to the natural environment and green and open space which could include community gardens, watercourses and embankments, along with incorporating natural features into wider public spaces. • S4 Design and management of the built and landscaped environment • S11 Funding to support relevant feasibility studies. • S12 Investment and support for digital infrastructure for local community facilities • S13 Support for linking communities together and with employment opportunities with a focus on decarbonisation. Revenue Interventions • S1 Place based investments, regeneration and town centre improvements, which could include better accessibility for disabled people, including capital spend and running costs. • S2 Support and improvement of community assets and infrastructure projects. This could include support for decarbonisation of facilities, energy efficiency audits, and installation of energy efficiency and renewable measures in community buildings (including capital spend and running costs). • S5 Support for sport, arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities, projects and facilities and institutions • S6 Funding for active travel enhancements and other small scale strategic transport projects. • S7 Funding for the development and promotion of wider campaigns which encourage people to visit and explore the local area. • S8 Funding for impactful volunteering and/or social action projects to develop social and human capital in local places. • S9 Investment in capacity building, resilience (including climate change resilience) and infrastructure support for local civil society. • S10 Community measures to reduce the cost of living, including through measures to improve energy efficiency, and combat fuel poverty and climate change. 2. Alignment with North Ayrshire Council and Community Planning Partnership strategy. It should be noted that whilst we expect to see alignment with locality priorities in applications, this does not inform the structure of the overall fund. 293
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3. Project deliverability, including organisational capacity and contingency planning. This will assess considerations such as risk management, community and stakeholder support, land or asset ownership and further external approvals needed, for example Planning consent. UK Government has not mandated any match funding requirement. This is, however, encouraged and appropriate projects which have secured match funding, or state an intention to do so, for example, by using SPF as leverage, will score more highly. Similarly, there is no mandatory requirement for partnership working to deliver, however, this again is encouraged where appropriate. Final award decisions will be taken by an assessment panel. Individual membership is to be confirmed; however it is the intention that this panel includes representation from: • North Ayrshire Council Regeneration and Connected Communities; • The Ayrshire Community Trust; • Arran Community and Voluntary Service; • North Ayrshire Youth Forum; and • North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership. A draft application and assessment process, scorecard and assessment matrix have been developed informed by this proposal and will be reviewed by Legal Services. Applications will be assessed by each member of the panel individually and an overall score agreed by consensus at a panel meeting. Unsuccessful projects will be given feedback on their application and can choose to reapply to the Fund in a later round. Application and award timescale Subject to Cabinet approval, the proposed timescales for applications to the Fund in 2023/24 are as follows: Week Commencing Activity TBC June 2023 Elected Member briefing session 5 June 2023 General fund information published 12 June 2023 Detailed fund information and application guidance published 19 June 2023 Year 1 applications open 1 June - 6 July 2023 Locality Partnership and Community sessions 21 July 2023 Year 1 applications close 24 - 28 July 2023 Individual Panel scoring 2 August 2023 Assessment panel, decisions and feedback notified The application and assessment process will be reviewed when the awards and feedback have been notified. It will be amended as required to ensure it meets the needs of communities and achieves the aims of the fund. An iterative approach to improvements will be taken. It is expected learning from the year 1 application process will inform subsequent rounds. 294
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Council Projects £349,208 capital and £107,106 revenue funding has been allocated to support smaller scale Council led projects that meet the aims and objectives of SPF and allow the Council to meet strategic goals. These projects will be aligned to the Regeneration Delivery Plan. Wherever possible match funding will be sought to support the delivery of these projects. 295
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