The report stated that the projected revenue outturn as at 31 March 2024 for all services reporting to this Policy Board was an overspend position of £3.160 million against the revised budget for the year. The projected capital outturn as at 31 March 2024 for projects reporting to this Policy Board was a breakeven position against the revised budget for the year. Summaries were provided around the relevant services in the tables within the report, together with further analysis.

It was noted that there had been revenue budget adjustments to the value of £0.195 million and capital budget adjustments to the value of £0.684 million since the last report, with summaries of these provided in sections 4 and 6 of the report.

Councillor Gilmour, seconded by Councillor Campbell, moved:

(a) That the Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure be instructed to refer the relevant overspend service areas within the ILE Board to the Audit Risk and Scrutiny Board for investigation;

(b) That the projected revenue outturn position, as detailed in Table 1 in the report, be noted;

(c) That the projected capital outturn position, as detailed in Table 2 in the report, be noted; and

(d) That the revenue and capital budget adjustments, as detailed in sections 4 and 6 of the report, be noted.

This was agreed unanimously.

Councillor Nicolson proposed that a report be submitted to this Policy Board in the first instance to provide members with a detailed analysis of the financial position of the services under the remit of the Board. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure be instructed to refer the relevant overspend service areas within the ILE Board to the Audit Risk and Scrutiny Board for investigation;

(b) That a report be submitted to this Policy Board in the first instance to provide members with a detailed analysis of the financial position of the services under the remit of the Board;

(c) That the projected revenue outturn position, as detailed in Table 1 in the report, be noted;

(d) That the projected capital outturn position, as detailed in Table 2 in the report, be noted; and

(e) That the revenue and capital budget adjustments, as detailed in sections 4 and 6 of the report, be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to key service activities.

The report provided updates since the previous meeting of this Policy Board held on 8 November 2023 in respect of key areas delivered by services within Environment, Housing & Infrastructure, which were within the remit of this Policy Board, including climate change; Team Up to Clean Up; operation and infrastructure service arrangements; fleets, roads and transportation; neighbourhood services; waste and recycling services; and #YouDecide.

DECIDED: That the content of the report, including the charges and arrangements set out in sections 7.5 and 9.5 of the report, be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to proposed changes to charges for Roads & Waste Services.

The report set out a number of proposed changes to charges as part of the Council's financial sustainability strategy including the introduction of a bin exchange and contaminated bin uplift charges together with revised bulk waste collection charges and roads construction consent fees.  It was proposed that these charges would become effective from 1 April 2024.

Councillor Campbell, seconded by Councillor Burns, moved:

(a) That the waste charges, as set out in section 3 of the report, be approved; and 

(b) That the roads charges, as set out in section 4 of the report, be approved.

Councillor Gilmour, seconded by Councillor Smith, moved as an amendment:

(a) That the waste charges, as set out in sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the report, be approved with the status quo to remain in relation to bulk waste collection charges; and 

(b) That the roads charges, as set out in section 4 of the report, be approved.

On the roll being called the following members voted for the amendment: Councillors Davidson, Devine, Gilmour, Gray, J MacLaren, McDonald, McMillan and Smith.

The following members voted for the motion: Councillor Adam, Burns, J Cameron, Campbell, Audrey Doig, McNaughtan, Mylet, Nicolson and Steel.

9 members having voted for the motion and 8 members having voted for the amendment the motion was declared carried.

DECIDED:

(a) That the waste charges, as set out in section 3 of the report, be approved; and

(b) That the roads charges, as set out in section 4 of the report, be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to changes to the way in which the Council was required to collect, store and handle furniture that was classified as “Waste Upholstered Domestic Seating” (WUDS) to comply with legislation.

The report set out that new guidance was due to come into force which would ban WUDS containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from being sent to landfill. As a result, on becoming waste, these items of upholstered domestic seating would be covered by existing legislative requirements specific to wastes containing POPs, which meant they must be incinerated. Producers and holders of waste would also be required to undertake all reasonable efforts to avoid, where feasible, contamination of non-POPs waste with POPs waste. The implications to the Council arising from the new legislation were set out in section 4 of the report.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be noted that the introduction of new guidance would change how the Council would be required to collect, store and dispose of waste furniture classified as WUDS;

(b) That the arrangements, set out in section 4.4 of the report, in relation to accepting WUDS furnishings at Household Waste Recycling Centres be approved;

(c) That the introduction of a bulky waste collection charge for WUDS materials, as set out in section 4.5 of the report, be approved; and

(d) That it be noted that a report detailing the operational and financial implications of the required changes would be submitted to a future meeting of this Policy Board.

Under reference to item 14 of the Minute of the Council meeting held on 28 September 2023, there was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the current priorities and challenges faced by the streetlighting service.

The report made reference to a decision taken at the meeting Council held on 28 September 2023 that an update report on the operation of the street lighting service be submitted to this Policy Board and that a Renfrewshire-wide street lighting survey to assess areas and levels of risk be carried out.  Information was provided on the Streetlighting Service Review, phase one of which had been completed and resulted in the integration of the service under the Roads Service, and the short, medium and long-term improvements which had been identified.

DECIDED:

(a) That the progress with regard to the streetlighting review and quick wins already achieved be noted; and

(b) That it be noted that future updates would be brought to this Policy Board through the Service Update Reports to provide details of progress with identified improvements.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to Renfrewshire's Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) which was set out in full at Appendix 1 to the report.

The report outlined the Local Heat and Energy Efficiencies (Scotland) Order 2022 which placed a statutory duty on Local Authorities to publish a LHEES and Delivery Plan, and required these to be updated at intervals of no more than five years. The Renfrewshire LHEES desired outcomes were detailed in section 4 of the report and the next steps were set out in section 5.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy, set out at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

(b) That the high-level information available at this time on Renfrewshire’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy be noted; and

(c) That it be noted that updates would be provided to the relevant Policy Boards on the further development of the Delivery Plans, outlining potential opportunities and proposed projects, activities, and interventions.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the disposal of property, required for the creation of an electricity substation within the land acquired for the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside (CWRR) project. The site was identified in a plan attached as an appendix to the report.

The report provided background to the CWRR project which included the construction of an opening bridge which crossed the River Clyde which would require power supplies for smaller parts of infrastructure on both sides of the river to operate each swinging section.  A suitable location on Meadowside Street, Renfrew had been identified to house the required substation and it was noted that the location was within land acquired by the Council to facilitate the delivery of the CWRR project.

It was proposed that the identified site be declared as surplus and then sold to SP Distribution Plc as per the provisional terms and conditions set out in section 5 of the report.

DECIDED:

(a) That the property outlined in red on the plan attached as an appendix to the report (The “Property”) be declared as surplus to requirement;

(b) That the sale of the Property to SP Distribution plc, along with servitude rights for appropriate connections, subject to the City Deal and Infrastructure Programme Director agreeing their exact location and subject to the terms and conditions detailed within section 5 of the report be approved; and

(c) That the Head of Corporate Governance, in conjunction with the City Deal & Infrastructure Programme Director, be authorised to make minor alterations to the documents, (being the Disposition and Plan to reflect the final agreed substation orientation) and to conclude the disposal of the Property as detailed in the report.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the lease of a property at 2-6 Skye Crescent, Paisley to M&D Green Dispensing Chemist Limited. The site was identified in a plan attached as an appendix to the report.

The report advised that M&D Green Dispensing Chemist Limited had held the lease of 2-4 Skye Crescent for over 20 years and now sought to lease the neighbouring vacant property, 6 Skye Crescent, with a view to combining it with their existing premises to create a fully refurbished, modern pharmacy.

The proposed terms and conditions of the lease were set out in full at section 3.4 of the report.

DECIDED: That the lease of 2-6 Skye Crescent, Paisley to M&D Green Dispensing Chemist Limited, based on the terms and conditions set out in the report, be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to a proposed lease at 32a Broomlands Street, Paisley. The site was identified in a plan attached as an appendix to the report.

The current lease holder, E Muir, became the tenant at the property in December 2023 on a six-month lease and sought to extend this to provide more security of tenure. The property operated as an NHS wig supplier and hair replacement specialist.  The proposed terms and conditions for the lease were set out in full in the report.

DECIDED: That the lease of 32A Broomlands Street, Paisley to E Muir, based on the terms and conditions set out in the report, be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to a proposed lease at Unit 7 Abercorn Industrial Estate, Paisley. The site was identified in a plan attached as an appendix to the report.

The property had been vacant since March 2023 and was marketed for lease with a closing date for offers set for 6 December 2023. Five offers were received to lease the unit and, following their assessment, it was recommended that the offer from J Naismith for a three-year lease at a rent of £5,000 per annum be accepted as per the terms and conditions set out in the report.

DECIDED: That the lease of Unit 7 Abercorn Industrial Estate, Paisley to J Naismith, based on the terms and conditions set out in the report, be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to a proposed lease at Unit 8 Abercorn Industrial Estate, Paisley. The site was identified in a plan attached as an appendix to the report.

The property had been vacant since March 2023 and was marketed for lease with a closing date for offers set for 6 December 2023. Four offers were received to lease the unit and, following their assessment, it was recommended that the offer from R.E.D Pest Control Ltd for a five-year lease at a rent of £10,000 per annum be accepted as per the terms and conditions set out in the report.

DECIDED: That the lease of Unit 8 Abercorn Industrial Estate, Paisley to R.E.D Pest Control Limited., based on the terms and conditions set out in the report, be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to land at Arkleston Road, Renfrew.  The site was identified in a plan attached as an appendix to the report.

The report advised that the land was currently undeveloped and the owner was proposing to sell the land for the development of an electric car charging facility.  An enquiry by the landowner had been submitted around whether the Council would agree to remove the burden restricting the use to sports and leisure from the title in order to facilitate the sale for the charging facility use.  In exchange for removing the burden the payment of a capital sum of £10,000 to Renfrewshire Council together with any reasonable legal expenses incurred by the Council had been agreed.

DECIDED:  That it be agreed that the historic title burden attached to the land at Arkleston Road, as identified in the location plan attached to the report, be removed.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the renewal of two leases at the Tannahill Centre, Blackstoun Road, Paisley where the Council was a tenant. 

The report advised that the Council held two leases at The Tannahill Centre, Blackstoun Road, Paisley from landlord The New Tannahill Centre Limited and that these were premises for Ferguslie pre-five Nursery and Ferguslie Library. The provisional terms and conditions for the leases were set out in full in the report.

DECIDED: That the Head of Corporate Governance be authorised to renew the leases of the nursery and library premises at the Tannahill Centre, Paisley on terms outlined in the report subject to such other conditions as may be considered necessary to protect the interests of Renfrewshire Council.