There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the Sports Coach Academy which was managed and coordinated by Renfrewshire Leisure and funded through the tackling poverty programme. The report intimated that the Academy offered a 10-month, full-time leadership, training and employability placement to 16-21 year olds with priority given to looked-after and accommodated young people. Involvement in the Academy provided these young people, who were not in education, training or employment, the opportunity to become professional sports coaches and motivators for other young people within communities throughout Renfrewshire. The trainees undertook a variety of training that would assist them in gaining full employment within the leisure and sport industry or securing a further education placement.

The Board viewed a short film which highlighted the positive impact that involvement in the Academy had on the lives of the participating young people.

DECIDED: That the report and short film be noted.

Under reference to item 10 of the Minute of the Meeting of this Board held on 17 February 2016, there was submitted a joint report by the Directors of Community Resources and Finance & Resources providing an update on progress with the action plan following the release of the determination of the Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into the death of six people on 22 December 2014. At that meeting it had been agreed that a report be submitted to this meeting, detailing the Council’s referenced action plan, including any financial implications known at this stage. The report detailed progress with the action plan and the specific areas where actions had been undertaken and concluded as a priority, other actions which were underway and further actions being considered by the Council which were not specifically noted in the Sheriff’s determination.

DECIDED:

(a) That the progress of the action plan and the measures which were immediately put in place concerning driver recruitment be noted; and

(b) That it be noted that the task team would continue to progress the implementation of the FAI findings and would actively research and develop areas that were continuing to evolve, in particular vehicle specification and advancing safety features.

There was submitted an update report by the Chief Executive relative to the position of projects within the Better Council Change Programme, particularly the Phase 2 projects to implement a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, the new Customer Portal and the Council’s new website.


The report intimated that the revised business case for the ERP system suggested that a prudent cost estimate would be £5 million as opposed to £4 million detailed previously. However, it had also been confirmed that the on-going annual costs of providing and maintaining the system would be materially lower than that assumed in the outline business case.

DECIDED:

(a) That the progress with regard to the Customer Portal and Council website implementation as outlined in the report be noted;

(b) That the progress with regard to the implementation of the ERP system be noted; and

(c) That it be agreed, within the parameters of the financial resources that had been approved by the Council, to the re-shaping of the funding available to support the delivery of the ERP project as outlined in the report.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the requirement, in terms of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, to prepare a joint workforce plan to ensure that staff involved in health and social care service delivery had the necessary training, skills, knowledge and learning to provide the highest quality services and to maintain positive relationships with the recognised trades unions and professional organisations. The joint workforce plan which was appended to the report, set out how the Council and the Health Board would work together to take forward plans consistent with their wider workforce plans for workforce planning and development; organisational development; learning and development of staff; and engagement of staff in developing a health organisational culture.

DECIDED: That the joint workforce plan, as appended to the report, for staff working in the Health and Social Care Partnership, be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Development & Housing Services relative to recommendations by the Paisley 2021 Partnership Board for the award of grants from applications to the first round of the Culture, Heritage and Events Fund. The report intimated that 72 applications had been received by the deadline the total value of which was £994,829. Funding recommendations were based on criteria approved by the Economy and Jobs Policy Board at its meeting held on 18 November, 2015. It was noted that three grant application rounds would be held in 2016 and a further three in 2017.

DECIDED:

(a) That the high level of interest generated by this first round of the Culture, Heritage and Events Fund be noted;

(b) That the grant awards as recommended by the Paisley 2021 Partnership Board, as detailed in section 3.7 of the report to a total value of £62,634 be approved; and

(c) That authority be delegated to the Director of Development & Housing Services to further approve grant awards detailed in section 3.8 of the report, up to a total value of £65,000 subject to completion of the assessment process.

The Board resolved to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following item as it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that if members of the press and public were present, there could be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 6 and 8 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.