Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Board would be webcast live on the Council's website.

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

There was submitted a joint Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring report by the Directors of Finance & Resources, Environment & Infrastructure and Communities & Housing Services as at 7 January 2022.

The report stated that the projected revenue outturn as at 31 March 2022 for all services reporting to this Policy Board was an overspend position of £3.505 million against the revised budget for the year, with £3.541 million of expenditure directly attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic response. The projected capital outturn as at 31 March 2022 for projects reporting to the Board was a break-even position against the revised budget for the year. Summaries were provided over the relevant services in the tables within the report, together with further analysis. It was noted that for financial year 2021/22 the projected out-turn position was split into core and Covid-19 related variances.

The report highlighted revenue budget adjustments totalling £18,000 since the last report which related to grant income received and the centralisation of the budgets for PVG payments. In addition it was noted that there had been capital budget adjustments of £0.276 million since the last report which had mainly arisen to reflect updated cash flows for the Roads Footways project and Parks Improvement Programme. 

DECIDED:

(a) That the projected Revenue outturn position, as detailed in table 1 of the report, acknowledging that the forecast position was based on best estimates at this point in time, be noted;

(b) That the projected Capital outturn position, as detailed in table 2 of the report, be noted; and

(c) That the budget adjustments, detailed in sections 4 and 6 of the report, be noted.

There was submitted a joint report by the Directors of Environment & Infrastructure
and Communities & Housing Services relative to operational performance.

The report also provided updates since the meeting of this Policy Board held on 28 January 2022 in respect of key areas delivered by services within Environment & Infrastructure, which were within the remit of this Policy Board, including fleets, roads and transportation, parks investment, StreetScene, climate change, Team Up to Clean Up, and waste recycling services.

The report proposed that, in line with the Scottish Government’s guidance on living with Covid-19, the three hours of free parking offered in the eight car parks that had previously been part of the ‘free for three’ pilot be extend until 31 August 2022 in order to assist businesses, retail and communities.

DECIDED: 

(a) That the operational performance update detailed within the report be approved; and

(b) That the extension until the end of August 2022 of the three hours of free parking offered in the eight car parks that had previously been part of the ‘free for three’ pilot as set out in section 4.11 of the report be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Communities & Housing Services relative to the Council's Contaminated Land Strategy as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

The report provided a background to the Contaminated Land Strategy, which Councils were required to produce in order to comply with their statutory duty under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and advised that Renfrewshire's first strategy had been introduced in 2001 and revised in 2010. It was noted that the 2022 revision was not a replacement of the strategy but, rather an update that aimed to complement and strengthen it, whilst also continuing to tie into the broader aims of Renfrewshire Council.

DECIDED: That the revised Contaminated Land Strategy, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

There was submitted a joint report by the Directors of Environment & Infrastructure and Communities & Housing Services relative to the Scottish Government's national consultation on litter and fly-tipping.

The report provided a background to the Scottish Government's National Litter Strategy which was first published in 2014.  A review of the strategy was undertaken in 2019 which highlighted the progress made to date, recognised the significant challenges still posed and identified opportunities for future action.

As a result of the review, the consultation to seek views on the strategy was launched on 13 December 2021 with the final date for submission 31 March 2022.  A draft response prepared on behalf the Council was set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

The report also noted that the first stage of the Fly-Tipping (Scotland) Bill and associated consultation at the Scottish Parliament had been lodged by Murdo Fraser MSP in February 2022 and that there was significant cross-over between this and the Scottish Government's consultation.

DECIDED:

(a) That the national consultation on litter and fly-tipping be noted;

(b) That the challenges currently facing Renfrewshire Council around littering and fly-tipping be noted;

(c) That the Council’s consultation response as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

(d) That it be noted that £450k was allocated in the budget agreed at the Council meeting on 3 March 2022 to pilot an enforcement service to tackle fly tipping across Renfrewshire, which directly addressed some of the issues highlighted within the report; and

(e) That the Fly-tipping (Scotland) Bill and the associated consultation by Murdo Fraser MSP on 28 February 2022 which closely aligned with the Scottish Government's consultation be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Head of Economy and Development relative to the Renfrewshire Allotments Annual Report 2021 as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

The report set out the Council's statutory duty to provide allotments under the provisions of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 (Part 9) along with a number of associated duties, including the requirement for the publication of an annual allotments report.  It was noted that there were a total of 351 individual growing plots and a waiting list of 120 people as of October 2021.  The number of people on a waiting list had risen by 13 since the end of 2020 but the ratio between waiting list and plot numbers remained below the statutory 50 percent. It was also noted that plans were in place to engage with communities in preparation of the new Local Development Plan in 2022 to assess possible sites to meet demand.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Renfrewshire Annual Allotments Report 2021 be approved; and

(b) That it be noted that the Renfrewshire Annual Allotments Report 2021 would be published on the Renfrewshire Council website in accordance with statutory requirements.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the Lease of 7, 9, 11 and 13 Dunlop Crescent, Renfrew.

The report referenced a decision by the Leadership Board at its meeting held on 5 December 2018 to approve the Invest in Renfrewshire initiative, targeting businesses looking to make their first step into commercial premises. Following a successful launch of the initiative with units in George Street, Paisley it was proposed to follow the same model in Dunlop Crescent, Renfrew.  Details were provided around the refurbishment and upgrade works which had been undertaken on four units in Dunlop Crescent along with the proposed terms and conditions for the rental of the units.

DECIDED: That the Head of Economy & Development and the Head of Corporate Governance be granted authority to conclude a lease of 7, 9, 11 and 13 Dunlop Crescent, Renfrew on the terms and conditions detailed in the report.