Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Policy Board would be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council's internet site.

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

There was submitted a Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring report by the Director of Finance & Resources for the period 1 April to 23 June 2023. 

The report stated that the projected outturn as at 31 March 2024 for all services reporting to this Policy Board was an overspend position of £0.006 million. It was noted that there were no capital budget projects reporting to this Policy Board. Summaries were provided over the relevant services in the tables within the report, together with further analysis. It was noted that the projected outturn was based on current available information and assumptions made by service budget holders. It was also highlighted that budget adjustments totalling £0.006 million had been processed since approval of the budget at the meeting of Council held on 2 March 2023. Full details of these adjustments were outlined within the report. 

DECIDED: That the projected Revenue outturn position, detailed in Table1 of the report, and the budget adjustments, detailed in section 4 of the report, be noted.

Under reference to item 2 of the Minute of the meeting of this Policy Board held on 24 January 2023 there was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the implications of a separate Carbon Neutral Plan for Renfrewshire.

Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero was approved at the meeting of this Policy Board held on 23 August 2022, committing to working towards net zero by 2030 for both the Renfrewshire area as a whole and Renfrewshire Council as an organisation. The target placed Renfrewshire 15 years ahead of the national target, as set out in the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019, which committed Scotland to become net zero by 2045 and 20 years ahead of the UK Government target of net zero by 2050. At the meeting of this Policy Board held on 24 January 2023, it had been agreed that a report be submitted relating to a ‘Carbon Neutral by 2025’ Plan. It was highlighted that the Carbon Neutral Plan would be distinct from the approved Plan for Net Zero, focusing on the applicability of external carbon offsetting and how this could be used to offset the emissions produced by Renfrewshire. The report outlined the implications associated with external carbon offsetting if applied to the Renfrewshire context; and the appropriate steps should an additional Carbon Neutral Plan, with a target date of 2025, be adopted in addition to the existing Plan for Net Zero with a target date of 2030. It was also noted that while there was significant commitment and focus within the Council and across Renfrewshire to tackle the climate emergency, the report indicated that the resource and financial capacity required to deliver two distinct Plans with different target dates and different methodologies was unlikely to be feasible or bring best value. In addition to the potentially significant financial impact for the Council on an ongoing annual basis, there was also a risk around confusion of the messaging, communication and engagement, which had been a key strength of Renfrewshire’s response to date. The report acknowledged that within the Plan for Net Zero offsetting would have a role to play to deal with residual emissions. The detailed phased road map and costed delivery plans which were currently being developed would highlight the levels of offsetting required to reach net zero for both the Council as an organisation and the whole Renfrewshire area. The development of an offsetting strategy, looking at both local offsetting and external offsetting, which aligned to the phased road map would be a valuable tool to support Renfrewshire’s net zero activities. However, based on the information currently available, it was recommended that the Council's focus remained on continuing to work with partners towards the current 2030 targets and actions within the approved Plan for Net Zero. 

DECIDED: 

(a) That the implications, particularly the financial implications, of having a distinct and separate Carbon Neutral Plan which focused on external carbon offsetting in addition to the approved actions and targets within the existing Plan for Net Zero be noted; 

(b) That it be noted that the existing Plan for Net Zero and the approved targets and actions, including those currently relating to carbon offsetting, should remain the focus and continue to be progressed as a priority by all partners in Renfrewshire; and

(c) That, following phase 2 of Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero, the development of an offsetting strategy aligning with the phased road map and costed delivery plans to identify and maximise opportunities associated with offsetting be agreed.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill.

The report stated that the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill had been introduced in 
Parliament on 13 June 2023 with the objective of introducing measures as part of the transition to a circular economy that required primary legislation. The aim of the Bill was to set out how modernising Scotland’s waste and recycling services could help tackle the climate and nature crises and how, by introducing a circular economy strategy and associated targets, progress towards reaching a circular economy would be monitored. Measures included giving Ministers powers to set local recycling rates, setting statutory targets for delivery of a circular economy to measure progress in reducing waste; banning the disposal of unsold consumer goods to prevent good products ending up in landfill; and placing charges on single use items such as coffee cups to encourage the move to reusable alternatives. Key areas within the Bill which would potentially have future impacts for the Council were highlighted within the report.

 

DECIDED: That the high-level information available at this time on the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill be noted; and that it be further noted that updates would be submitted to the relevant Policy Boards on the further development of the Bill as it progressed, along with impacts on local service delivery and statutory obligations.

Under reference to Item 3(b) of the Minute of the meeting of Council held on 22 June 2023 there was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to site allocations within the Dargavel Masterplan (Community Growth Area) site following negotiations between BAE Systems and the Council; the total number of housing units granted planning permission to date; and proposed changes to the Section 75 legal agreement between BAE Systems and the Council.

The report outlined three proposed changes to the currently approved Dargavel Masterplan to allow for additional education capacity to be delivered to serve the residents of Dargavel Village. The sites involved were identified in plans appended to the report, together with a summary of the proposal.  In addition, the report stated that the Council had been working on the premise that the total number of homes with planning permission was approximately 4,300 units and while this broadly concurred with the position being progressed by BAE Systems, Council officers had identified potential uncertainties in relation to the interpretation of the total housing units approved as part of the planning applications determined. BAE’s legal interpretation of the planning permissions granted differed from the Council’s view, stating that they had consent for 4,322 homes in total and their list of relevant planning permissions was set out within Appendix 1 of the report. In terms of working towards an agreement to find a solution to the current education capacity issues at Dargavel, the Council had agreed to work to an explicitly clarified total of 4,322 homes. This figure had been used by the Council in commissioning the Edge Analytics work on school roll forecasting for the catchment area.

As a result of negotiations that had taken place between the Council and BAE Systems in recent months, and in reaching agreement on the land transfers outlined in the report to be considered at the meeting of the Infrastructure, Land & Infrastructure Policy Board to be held on 30 August 2023, there were also several proposed changes to the existing Section 75 Agreement that applied to the Dargavel Masterplan. It was highlighted that the Section 75 Agreement was a legal document that set out the obligations placed upon BAE Systems, as co-signatories with Renfrewshire Council, and subsequent landowners of the Dargavel development. Proposed revisions to the October 2018 Section 75 Agreement, which would be formalised in a Minute of Variation, were detailed within the report.

The report highlighted that the revised site allocations and proposed changes to the Section 75 legal agreement would only be enacted when the Council reached agreement with BAE Systems on the transfer of land within the Dargavel Masterplan for education purposes.

DECIDED: 

(a) That the proposed changes to the Dargavel Masterplan, as currently approved and illustrated in the adopted Local Development Plan, be noted; 

 

(b) That the proposed changes to the existing Dargavel Section 75 Agreement be agreed; 

(c) That the confirmed housing capacity of the Dargavel Masterplan site, given planning permissions granted, be noted; and

(d) That it be noted that the above changes would only be enacted when the Council reached agreement with BAE Systems on the transfer of land for education purposes within the Dargavel Masterplan.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to requests to apply a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) designation to sites across Renfrewshire. 

The report advised that the TPO requests submitted had been considered in terms of the relevant legislation, namely, Section 160 of The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended by the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006, and within the procedures set out in the Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation Order and Trees in Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. The report referred to requests received for the designation of TPOs in respect of sites at (i) Potterhill Avenue, Paisley; (ii) the south of Stanely Reservoir; (iii) St Mark's Church, Paisley; (iv) Station Road, Bridge of Weir; (v) Edzell Drive, Elderslie; and (vi) Barrochan Road, Brookfield, and advised that an assessment had been undertaken in respect of each requested site, details of which were provided within the report,  together with recommendations whether a TPO should be made and considerations. 

DECIDED: 

(a) That the need for a Tree Preservation Order be approved in respect of a site at Potterhill Avenue, Paisley, trees to the south of Stanely Reservoir and trees at St Mark's Church, Paisley and that it be agreed that officers proceed to prepare the Orders, serve them on relevant parties and make the Orders available to the public and seek representations; and

(b) That it be agreed that Tree Preservation Orders not be progressed at Station Road, Bridge of Weir; Edzell Drive, Elderslie; and Barrochan Road, Brookfield. 

There was submitted an annual report by the Chief Executive relative to monies held by the Council which had been received in relation to developer contributions associated with approved planning applications. 

The report detailed the current status, sums of monies involved and purpose of the developer contributions received in terms of various Section 50, Section 69 and Section 75 agreements relating to (i) planning application 90/0661/PP, known as the Station Rise development; (ii) planning application 02/0660/PP at Kings Inch Road/Ferry Road/Meadowside Street/Neil Street, Renfrew; (iii) a number of planning applications for developments at Kings Inch Road and Ferry Village, Renfrew where a financial contribution towards the bus rapid transit system, known as Fastlink, had been agreed; (iv) planning application 16/0878/PP at Abbotsinch Retail Park; (v) the Ferry Village, Renfrew development; and (vi) Dargavel Village.

DECIDED: 

(a) That the Annual Report in respect of developer contributions be noted; and 

(b) That the developer contributions currently held by the Council be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to progress in developing new supplementary planning guidance on developer contributions for education.

The report advised that Renfrewshire Council’s adopted Local Development Plan included policy I8 which made it clear that the local authority would seek proportionate and necessary contributions from new housing development towards shortfalls in education capacity resulting from the impact of the development. This was a standard planning policy approach used by most Scottish local authorities and had been used in Renfrewshire for several years in respect of relevant new housing developments. Education contributions were normally achieved via a planning obligation, namely a Section 75 Agreement, between the local authority and the applicant(s). It was highlighted that such an obligation applied to the land concerned, regardless of subsequent changes in ownership. The report stated that, in Renfrewshire, Section 75 Agreements were identified early during pre-application discussion with applicants and the headlines from any such agreement identified in appropriate Board reports with the detailed wording and signing of the documentation delegated to senior officers within the Council. 

The report indicated that it was the intention, in Renfrewshire, to progress towards preparing draft supplementary planning guidance on developer contributions for education to supplement policy I8 of the adopted Local Development Plan. The rationale for adopting such a policy and the factors to be considered to ensure that the policy achieved its aims were outlined.  The report advised that the aim was to develop and submit a framework for how a revised education contributions policy would be applied in the Renfrewshire area to the next meeting of this Policy Board with a revised draft policy being submitted for consideration to the next meeting of this Policy Board and then be subject to a public consultation exercise prior to being finalised and submitted to the Policy Board for approval.

DECIDED: That the update on progress towards new supplementary planning guidance on developer contributions for education be noted and that it also be noted that the draft guidance would be submitted to a future meeting of this Policy Board for approval in due course.

 

 

 

 

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to Renfrewshire’s Planning Performance Framework 2022/23, a copy of which was appended to the report. 

The report stated that a system of performance management for planning had been established by local authorities and the Scottish Government, which required all planning authorities to produce an annual Planning Performance Framework. The Framework had been developed by the Heads of Planning in Scotland to capture and highlight a balanced measurement of planning performance, showing commitment to speed of decision making; qualitative analysis, delivery and implementation of good quality development and design; project management and communication consultation, and engagement with communities and stakeholders. The Renfrewshire Planning Performance Framework 2022/23 demonstrated that the Council was committed to continuous improvement in the service it provided in its role as a local planning authority. It was noted that the Framework demonstrated how the planning performance feedback received from the Scottish Government in 2022 had been considered, provided case studies and examples of strategies and projects where Planning had led or been a partner in implementing or supporting the delivery of Council priorities and highlighted the ongoing changes and adaptations made to planning processes and procedures over the previous year. The Renfrewshire Planning Performance Framework also included statistical indicators. 

DECIDED: That the Renfrewshire Planning Performance Framework 2022/23 be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the annual Renfrewshire Development Plan Scheme 2023. 

The report indicated that the next Local Development Plan (LDP) for Renfrewshire would be informed by National Planning Framework 4 and any local place plans prepared by local communities across Renfrewshire. The Development Plan Scheme detailed the work required to prepare, engage and consult on the Local Development Plan. A key element of the development plan scheme was the participation statement which outlined when, how and with whom consultation would take place during the plan preparation process. The draft participation statement had been subject to a four-week consultation, commencing on 11 July 2023, to gather the views of local communities and other key stakeholders on how the Council should engage with them during the plan preparation process and had resulted in 81 responses being received from a wide range of participants including local residents, community groups, development trusts, key agencies, local businesses, landowners and developers. It was highlighted within the report that approximately 90% of the respondents supported the draft participation statement and that all comments received had been considered when finalising the Renfrewshire Development Plan Scheme 2023. 

DECIDED: That the Renfrewshire Development Plan Scheme 2023 be approved.