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 7 January 2025.

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 (3.6%) against the revised budget for the year. The projected capital outturn at 31 March 2025 was a breakeven position.

DECIDED:

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

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

(c) That it be noted that the service was currently conducting an exercise to ascertain the costs associated with Storm Eowyn in January; that an element of storm related costs had been included within the service's projected outturn position, however, these costs could rise, affecting the outturn position; and that this would be reported at year-end within the outturn report to Council.

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 22 January 2025 and an update on the services and key projects delivered during this period.

DECIDED: That the contents of the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to air quality within Renfrewshire and the findings of the Council’s most recent Local Air Quality Management report. The 2024 Air Quality Annual Progress Report for Renfrewshire Council was attached at Appendix 1 of the report.

The report provided an overview of the Council's obligations under the Environment Act 1995 in terms of the Local Air Quality Management regime and the requirement for Air Quality Management Areas to be established where objectives for air quality pollutants were exceeded. It was noted that Renfrewshire had three Air Quality Management Areas located in Paisley, Johnstone and Renfrew. The report advised that there had been no exceedances in these areas throughout 2023 and set out the process for revoking the Air Quality Management Areas.

DECIDED:

(a) That the outcome of Renfrewshire’s 2024 Air Quality Annual Progress Report, which found that there were no exceedances of any quality objectives identified within Renfrewshire during 2023, be noted;

(b) That the contents of the Revocation of Renfrewshire’s Air Quality Management Areas report, which was set out at Appendix 2 of the report, be noted; and

(c) That the following Revocation Orders be approved:

(i) Renfrewshire Council, Paisley Air Quality Management Area, Revocation Order 2025; (ii) Renfrewshire Council, Johnstone Air Quality Management Area, Revocation Order 2025; and
(iii) Renfrewshire Council, Renfrew Town Centre Air Quality Management Area, Revocation Order 2025.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to a proposed traffic order which would allow the Council to complete its proposals to protect the public roads around the Council area, some of which suffer from inconsiderate, congestive and in some cases dangerous parking.

The proposed amendment order was the third waiting, loading and parking places consolidation and amendment digital order and covered requests for revisions and additions received since the cut-off date for the previous order approved by this Policy Board in November 2024. 

The roads which were proposed to have restrictions imposed were detailed in section 3.3 of the report.  The proposals were consulted on during July 2024 with a total of 39 pertinent responses being received, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.  Members were advised that, in accordance with the Local Authorities' Traffic Orders (Procedures) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 and the Council’s procedures, this Policy Board could decide on the objections itself or to appoint a Reporter to do so. It was determined that the objections would be considered and decided on at this meeting of the Policy Board and that they be not upheld.

DECIDED:

(a) That the objections made in relation to The Renfrewshire Council (Prohibition and restriction of waiting, loading and parking places) (Consolidation & Amendment Order 1002) Order 202* would be considered and decided on at this meeting of the Policy Board rather than appointing an independent Reporter and that the objections be not upheld;

(b) That the implementation of The Renfrewshire Council (Prohibition and restriction of waiting, loading and parking places) (Consolidation & Amendment Order 1002) Order 202*, which included the roads as listed at section 3.3 of the report be approved; and

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to a proposed update to the Council’s policy on the criteria and implementation of school crossing points across Renfrewshire.

The report advised that the current policy for crossing points was introduced in 1996 and further reinforced in 2004 by a review carried out under the then Scrutiny Board and that national guidance had not changed significantly over the previous 21 years.  The review therefore sought to refresh the policy to ensure it aligned with guidance, rather than make any fundamental or substantive change with regards to the assessment of crossing points.

Detail was provided around the assessment criteria for crossing points together with the current position within Renfrewshire. The proposed revised policy was attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 11.27 am and reconvened at 11.38 am.

Councillor Campbell proposed that the last sentence in paragraph 3.7 be removed and that the paragraph would read “The same process will also be adopted when reviewing whether a school crossing point should be removed should the local environment have changed since the crossing point was established e.g. local traffic management schemes have been introduced.”  This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED:

(a)  That the refreshed policy for assessment of locations for school crossing facilities be approved; and

(b)  That the last sentence in paragraph 3.7 be removed and that the paragraph would read “The same process will also be adopted when reviewing whether a school crossing point should be removed should the local environment have changed since the crossing point was established e.g. local traffic management schemes have been introduced.”

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the proposed sale of the vacant property Kelvin House / Forbes Place.

DECIDED: That the recommendations in the report be approved.