There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to performance to deliver the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2023/26 during the 12-month period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

The report provided details of the key achievements of the service over the period; an update on changes made to the action plan and scorecard to reflect the new Council Plan themes;  a progress update on implementing the action plan linked to the 2022/25 Service Improvement Plan; and an assessment of performance in relation to the service scorecard of core performance indicators.

DECIDED:

(a) That the content of the report be noted;

(b) That the progress to date on delivering the actions contained within the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure - Service Improvement Plan 2023/26 be noted; and

(c) That the current performance of the service as measured by the scorecard indicators be noted.

The Service Improvement Plan 2024/27, a copy of which was attached as Appendix 1 of the report, was designed to sit beneath the Council Plan, Community Plan, Risk Management Plan, and the Workforce Plan to form a suite of documents which provided the strategic direction for the service. The Plan identified the priorities being addressed, the key tasks to be implemented, the implementation timetable and the measures of success. A mid-year progress update on the Service Improvement Plan would be submitted to a meeting of this Policy Board in the autumn of 2024.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Service Improvement Plan 2024/27, as appended to the report, be approved; and

(b) That it be noted that the mid-year progress of the Service Improvement Plan would be reported to this Policy Board in autumn 2024, with updates to the performance indicators and action plan.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure relative to a Service Update.

The report provided an overview of key service activities since the last meeting of this Policy Board on 20 March 2024 and an update on the services and key projects delivered during this period.

 DECIDED:

(a) That the content of the report be approved;

(b) That the response by officers to the Strathclyde Regional Bus Strategy Consultation attached at Appendix 1 of this report be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Annual Health & Safety Report 2023/24 and the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Annual Health and Safety Plan 2024/25. 

The Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Annual Health and Safety Report 2023/24 was attached as Appendix 1 of the report, while a copy of the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Annual Health and Safety Plan 2024/25 was attached as Appendix 2 of the report. The Council’s Health and Wellbeing Plan  promoted a positive health and safety culture to ensure compliance with relevant Health and Safety legislation and supported the Council Plan in working together to achieve a thriving and connected Renfrewshire, creating opportunities for all. The activity during 2023/24 was detailed in the Annual Health and Safety Report 2023/24.  Arrangements in place for 2024/25 for the management of health and safety and continuous improvement in relation to health and safety were detailed in the Annual Health and Safety Plan 2024/25. 

 DECIDED:

(a) The Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Health and Safety Report for 2023/24, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, specific to the areas of activity delegated to this Policy Board, be approved;

(b) That the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Annual Health and Safety Plan 2024/25, attached as an Appendix 2 to the report, specific to the areas of activity delegated to this Policy Board, be approved; and

(c) That it be noted that the Report and Plan would also be submitted to the Communities & Housing Policy Policy Board and the Finance, Resources & Customer Services Policy Board to approve the elements covered within those Boards’ remits.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to reviews of the Council's Garden Waste Permit Scheme and Churches and Charities charges since their introduction over the course of the 2023/24 financial year.

The report provided an update on the progression of the service implementations and set out their current status.  The report also provided reference to the wider landscape across Scotland and Renfrewshire's position in relation to these service areas.

DECIDED:

(a) That the content of the report be noted; and

(b) That the continuation of the garden waste permit and church and charity waste service arrangements as set out in the report be approved.

The report provided an update on Renfrewshire Council's waste and recycling performance and progress against national waste and recycling targets.  The report outlined challenges which could impact and limit progress towards meeting future government targets and identified a package of measures which aimed to increase recycling, optimise service delivery and enhance recycling provision and access to services for residents.

It was noted that the Service had applied to the Recycling Improvement Fund to cover the cost of the capital infrastructure required for recycling performance measures and that an update on the status of the application would be provided to the next meeting of this Policy Board.

DECIDED:

(a) That the good progress the Council had made towards achieving national waste and recycling targets and the current challenges that impacted on improving recycling performance be noted;

(b) That the measures to be taken forward to improve the quality and quantity of recycling, reduce our carbon footprint and optimise and improve the performance of the waste collection service, set out at section 5 of the report, be noted; 

(c) That, subject to an offer being made to Renfrewshire Council, the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure, in conjunction with the Convener of the Infrastructure Land & Environment policy board and the Head of Corporate Governance, be authorised to accept an offer from the Recycling Improvement Fund to cover the cost of the capital infrastructure required to implement the package of recycling improvement measures as set out in section 6 of the report; and

(d) That it be noted that the Policy Board would be updated at the next meeting on the status of the application.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the Air Quality Action Plan Update 2024.

The report outlined that there had been a steady improvement of air quality across Renfrewshire Council and, as such, no exceedances of any air quality objectives since 2019. The Renfrewshire Council Air Quality Action Plan, as appended to the report at Appendix A, outlined new measures which Renfrewshire Council would deliver between 2024-2029 to continue to reduce concentrations of air pollutants within the Council area.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to Paisley Grammar School.

The report sought approval to declare the existing Paisley Grammar School site and buildings as surplus to Renfrewshire Council's operational requirements and that the buildings and site be marketed for sale.

DECIDED: That the lease extension at 8 Lochaline Avenue, Paisley in favour of the current tenants, Stephen and Carol Ticcioni, based on the contents of the report, be approved.

DECIDED: That the new lease of 32 Houstoun Court, Johnstone to Arthur Ononye trading as Group Enterprises SCIO, based on the contents of the report, be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to a new lease of 34 Houstoun Court, Johnstone to Jane Struthers and Kari Butler.

DECIDED: That the new lease of 34 Houstoun Court, Johnstone to Jane Struthers and Kari Butler, based on the contents of the report, be approved.

DECIDED: That the new lease of 36 Houstoun Court, Johnstone to Johnstone Textile Space CIC, based on the contents of the report be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to a new lease of 40 Houstoun Court, Johnstone to Tom Pittaway.

DECIDED: That the new lease of 40 Houstoun Court, Johnstone to Tom Pittaway, based on the contents of the report, be approved.

DECIDED: That the new lease of Unit J Floors Street, Johnstone to Nwabueze Samueln Ogbodo, trading as Precious Palms Ltd,  based on the contents of the report, be approved.

DECIDED: That the new lease of 38/40 MacDowall Street, Johnstone to Iain McCallum, based on the contents of the report, be approved.

DECIDED: That the new lease of 15-17 Dunlop Crescent, Renfrew to Megan Macgregor, trading as The Corefactory, based on the contents of the report, be approved.

The report set out that during the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 the Council received 33 new applications, enquiries and expressions of interest in relation to Community Asset Transfers (CAT). A total of five applications were validated in the period, five applications approved and two applications were concluded.

DECIDED:

(a) That the content of the report be noted and approved; and

(b) That the Head of Economy & Development be authorised to submit the return to the Scottish Government and publish it on the Council’s webpage.

DECIDED: That the recommendations outlined in section 2 of the report be approved.