There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Sub-committee held on 28 August 2024, a copy of which forms the Appendix to this document.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

There was submitted a joint revenue and capital budget monitoring report by the Directors of Finance & Resources and Environment, Housing & Infrastructure for the period to 13 September 2024.

The report intimated that the projected revenue outturn at 31 March 2025 for those services reporting to this Policy Board was an overspend of £1.210 million (3.9%) against the revised budget for the year. The projected capital outturn at 31 March 2025 was a breakeven position. A number of revenue budget adjustments were detailed at section 6 of the report.

DECIDED:

(a) That the projected revenue outturn overspend position of £1.210 million be noted;

(b) That the projected capital outturn break-even position be noted;

(c) That the budget adjustment detailed at section 6.3 of the report be noted; and

(d) That the budget adjustments proposed at section 6.4 of the report be approved.

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

The report provided an overview of key service activities since the last meeting of this Policy Board held on 28 August 2024 and an update on the services and key projects delivered during this period.

Reference was made to the number of vehicles which had three or more unpaid penalty charges notices for breaching parking rules. A proposal was set out at section 6.5.5 of the report which would see vehicles with three or more outstanding penalty charge notices being removed from the road network when parked in one of the on street or off-street locations administered by the Council with the owner being required to pay a £175 release fee and a £20 daily storage charge (to cover costs to Renfrewshire Council) along with all outstanding fines before the vehicle would be released.

DECIDED:

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

(b) That the introduction of the policy dealing with persistent offenders of unpaid Penalty Charge Notices, as detailed in section 6.5.5 of the report, be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the service's performance and achievements over the period 1 April to 30 September 2024 against the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2024/27. The Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2024/25 Six-monthly progress update was attached as Appendix 1 of the report.

The report stated that the Service Improvement Plan 2024/27 for Environment, Housing & Infrastructure, approved at the meeting of this Policy Board held on 29 May 2024, set out the priorities for the development of the service over a three-year period, the actions which would ensure continuous improvement across the service and the performance indicators which ensured the impacts could be measured. The report provided details of the key achievements of the service during the reporting period; a progress update on implementing the action plan linked to the Service Improvement Plan; an assessment of performance in relation to the service scorecard of core performance indicators; and an overview of priorities for the service over the next six months.

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 & Infrastructure Services - Service Improvement Plan 2024/27 be noted; and

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

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the work undertaken by Environment, Housing & Infrastructure to implement the actions contained in the Annual Health and Safety Plan 2024/25.

The report advised that the Council’s Health and Wellbeing Plan, a key priority within the Council’s People Strategy 2021/26, 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. In addition, the report provided an update on the work undertaken by the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service to implement the actions contained in the Annual Health and Safety Plan 2024/25, approved at the meeting of this Policy Board held on 29 May 2024. Appendix 1 to the report set out a brief update for actions contained in the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Annual Health and Safety Plan 2024/25. It was highlighted that the report and update on the Plan would also be submitted to the Communities & Housing Policy Board and the Finance, Resources & Customer Services Policy Board to approve those elements of activity covered within the remits of those Policy Boards.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Annual Health and Safety Plan 2024/25 update, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report, as specific to the areas of activity delegated to this Policy Board be approved; and

(b) That it be noted the report and update on the  Annual Health and Safety Plan would also be presented to the Communities & Housing 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 Item 406 of The Renfrewshire Council (Prohibition and restriction of loading, waiting and parking places) (Consolidation and amendment Order 1001) Order 2024.

The report provided an overview of the function of Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) including  their role and governance of them both nationally and locally. Information was provided on the TRO “The Renfrewshire Council (Prohibition and restriction of loading, waiting and parking places) (Consolidation and amendment Order 1001) Order 2024” and it was noted that this was made in part on 2 February 2024.  Item 406 of the order, which was included in response to a petition calling for the installation of double yellow lines in the entrance to Gartmore Road off Hawkhead Road, Paisley which had been considered at the meeting of the Petitions Board held on 8 November 2021, had received sustained objections and had therefore not been included in the order when it was made.

The report provided analysis of the responses received during two consultation periods on Item 406, in May/June and September/October 2023. It was noted that Police Scotland were supportive of Item 406 and officers' assessment found that the road safety benefits of the proposal outweighed the impact on residents. Officers also noted that any as yet unsubstantiated impacts of Item 406 could be managed through future traffic orders.

DECIDED: That, following consideration of the objections made, The Renfrewshire Council (Prohibition and restriction of loading, waiting and parking places) (Consolidation and amendment Order 1001) Order 2024 (Item 406) be approved and the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure be authorised to make the order.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the proposed Flooding Operational Plan which aimed to ensure an informed and co-ordinated response by Renfrewshire Council to flooding incidents with a focus on the welfare of those affected and mitigation of property and environmental damage. The Plan was attached as Appendix 1 of the report.

The report set out the Council's responsibility under both the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 and Sections 18 and 59 of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 to provide an effective flood management service and to assess bodies of water for the purpose of ascertaining whether any such body gave rise to a risk of flooding, and to carry out a schedule of clearance and repair works to substantially reduce any such risk. Detail was provided on how the Council would fulfil these duties together with the action taken in the event of a flood alert being received.

Councillor J MacLaren, seconded by Councillor Gray, moved:

(a) That the Flood Operational Plan be approved subject to the addition of Station Road, Main Road and Old Greenock Road at the Finlaystone Burn, under the heading Langbank, to Appendix 1 of grids and gully hotspots; and

(b) That it be noted that updates on the plan would be provided to this Policy Board through future Service Update reports.

Councillor Nicolson, seconded by Councillor Campbell, moved as an amendment:

(a) That the Flood Operational Plan be approved subject to the addition, if they meet the criteria used to identify the other sites on the list, of Station Road, Main Road and Old Greenock Road at the Finlaystone Burn, under the heading Langbank, to Appendix 1 of grids and gully hotspots; and

(b) That it be noted that updates on the plan would be provided to this Policy Board through future Service Update reports.

Councillors J MacLaren and Gray being the mover and seconder agreed in terms of
Standing Order 27 to accept the amendment. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Flood Operational Plan be approved subject to the addition, if they meet the criteria used to identify the other sites on the list, of Station Road, Main Road and Old Greenock Road at the Finlaystone Burn, under the heading Langbank, to Appendix 1 of grids and gully hotspots; and

(b) That it be noted that updates on the plan would be provided to this Policy Board through future service update reports.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to progress made towards the implementation of 20mph speed limits on residential roads in Renfrewshire.

The report provided an overview of Traffic Scotland's commitment to implementing 20 mph speed limits on roads where it was appropriate to do so by the end of 2025. As part of this commitment, all road authorities were asked to undertake a road assessment to identify those 30 mph roads on their road network which were appropriate for a speed limit of 20 mph. Officers had carried out that review and proposed to recommend the conversion of all of Renfrewshire’s residential advisory 20mph speed limits and appropriate mandatory 30mph speed limits to mandatory 20mph speed limits. A map highlighting the affected roads was attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

It was noted in the report that Transport Scotland intended for local authorities to promote and implement their own 20 mph speed limits where appropriate and had offered to fund implementation costs relating to signage.  It was estimated that the cost for implementation in Renfrewshire would be in the region of £4 million for the installation of appropriate signage. The implementation of 20mph speed limits would require the promotion and public consultation on a traffic regulation order which had a statutory process and a consultation period of 28 days. Depending on the number and content of responses, and contractor time to erect the signs, the time taken to implement the 20 mph speed limits was estimated to be six months from consultation.

DECIDED: 

(a) That it be agreed that the process for implementation of 20mph speed limits, set out at section 1.3 of the report, be carried out through a Traffic Regulation Order process to ensure full consultation with affected communities could take place; and

(b) That it be noted that future updates on a delivery programme and confirmation of Transport Scotland funding for delivery would be submitted to a future meeting of this Policy Board.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure  relative to Renfrewshire’s household waste recycling performance in 2023.

The report provided detail on the Council's performance in terms of both the amount of waste collected and the amount processed as recycling by contractors after any contamination was removed from the recycling streams.  Figures were provided for kerbside collections, household waste recycling centre collections and special uplifts together with year-on year comparisons for each year from 2019 to 2022. A number of measures to improve future performance were set out in section 4 of the report.

DECIDED:

(a) That Renfrewshire Council’s recycling performance for 2023 be noted;

(b) That the increased recycling collected at household waste recycling centre facilities following investment in late 2022, as set out in section 3.11 of the report, be noted; and

(c) That the package of recycling improvement measures designed to increase the
quality and quantity of recycling from household waste, as detailed in section 4 of the report be noted, with updates on progress to be submitted to future meetings of this Policy Board.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to an option appraisal exercise carried out for Montrose Care Home, Paisley, following the decision by the Integration Joint Board in March 2024 to announce the closure of the existing service from that property.

The report provided detail on the options appraisal which had been carried out with Council services and partner organisations in respect of Montrose Care Home, Paisley following the decision of the Renfrewshire Integration Joint Board in March 2024 to close the care home. It was determined that there was no known demand for the facility and it was recommended that it be declared as surplus to Council requirements and marketed for sale with a report being submitted to a future meeting of this Policy Board detailing the outcome of the marketing exercise.

DECIDED:

(a) That the content of the option appraisal presented within the report be noted;

(b) That Montrose Care Home be declared as surplus to the Council’s property requirements; and

(c) That it be agreed that the property be marketed for sale.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the declaration of Falcon Day Centre as surplus to requirements to allow for either a community asset transfer or the marketing of the property for sale.

It was noted that the facility had closed during the Covid-19 pandemic and had not reopened. The decision to close the facility permanently was taken by the Renfrewshire Integration Joint Board in March 2024. It was noted that there was no Council demand for the facility.

The report advised that interest had been expressed in the building through the Community Asset Transfer process, it was recommended that the facility be declared as surplus to Council requirements to allow for either a community asset transfer or a commercial sale.

DECIDED: That the Falcon Day Centre be declared surplus to operational requirements to enable the sale or lease of the property by community asset transfer or commercial transaction.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the proposed sale of the  former Houston Village Hall, Main Street, Houston.

DECIDED: That the sale of Houston Village Hall to Stewart McGregor based on the contents of the report be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the proposed sale of
the Robertson Centre, Glasgow Road, Paisley.

DECIDED: That consideration of the sale of the  Robertson Centre be continued to a future meeting of this Policy Board.