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Meeting Details

Meeting Summary
Housing & Community Safety Policy Board
14 Mar 2017 - 13:00 to 14:00
  • Documents
  • Attendance
  • Visitors
  • Declarations of Interests

Documents

Agenda

Agenda
Notification
Standard Items
Further Information
This is a meeting which is open to members of the public. 

A copy of the agenda and reports for this meeting will be available for inspection prior to the meeting at the Customer Service Centre, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley and online at www.renfrewshire.cmis.uk.com/renfrewshire/CouncilandBoards.aspx

For further information, please either email
democratic-services@renfrewshire.gov.uk or telephone 0141 618 7112.
Members of the Press and Public
Members of the press and public wishing to attend the meeting should report to the customer service centre where they will be met and directed to the meeting.
Chair
Councillor Williams, Convener, presided.
In Attendance
S MacDougall, Director of Community Resources; D Gillies, Head of Facilities Management, O Reid, Head of Public Protection, C Dalrymple, Regulatory Enforcement Manager and D Kerr, Service Co-ordination Manager (all Community Resources); F Carlin, Head of Planning & Housing Services, L Muirhead, Housing Strategy & Quality Manager and L Feely, Housing Asset and Investment Manager (all Development & Housing Services); and J Lynch, Head of Property Services, D Farrell and J McIntyre, both Finance Business Partners and D Low, Senior Committee Services Officer (all Finance & Resources).
Also in Attendance
Chief Inspector S Wright (Police Scotland); and D Proctor, Local Senior Officer and P Devlin, Group Manager (both Scottish Fire and Rescue Service). 
Apology
Councillor McGurk.
Police 2026 - 10 Year Strategy for Policing in Scotland Consultation
5
There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Resources relative to the Police 2026 – 10 Year Strategy for Policing in Scotland consultation which would end on 8 May 2016.

The report intimated that the 10-year strategy was the foundation for fulfilling the strategic Scottish policing priorities of localism, inclusion, prevention, response, collaborative working, accountability and adaptability.  The strategy would be subject to a three-yearly planning process throughout the period of the strategy to ensure that the focus and priorities remained accurate and valid.  The strategy  would be reviewed and refreshed by the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland every three years.

DECIDED:

(a)    That the  consultation on the Police 2026 strategy be noted; and

(b)    That it be noted that the consultation was currently open and with responses required by the closing date of 8 May 2017.

 
Items Of Business
Elected Members - Training and Development Programme
Please note that a briefing entitled 'Hate Crime - Third Party Reporting' will be held in the Council Chamber at 12 noon, prior to the meeting of this Policy Board.
Apologies
Apologies from members.
Declarations of Interest
Members are asked to declare an interest in any item(s) on the agenda and to provide a brief explanation of the nature of the interest.
There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting. 
Joint report by Directors of Finance & Resources and Development & Housing Services.
1
There was submitted a joint revenue budget monitoring report by the Directors of Finance & Resources and Development & Housing Services for the period 1 April 2016 to 6 January 2017. 
  
DECIDED: 
  
(a)   That the budget position be noted: and 
  
(b)   That it be noted that since the last budget report there had been no budget adjustments.
 
Report by Director of Finance & Resources.
2
There was submitted a capital budget monitoring report by the Director of Finance & Resources in respect of the Housing Division of Development & Housing Services for the period 1 April 2016 to 6 January 2017.
  
DECIDED:   That the report be noted.
 
Report by David Proctor, Local Senior Officer.
3(a)
There was submitted a report by the Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) relative to service performance and activities in the Renfrewshire area for the period 1 December 2016 to 31 January 2017.  
  
The report highlighted improvements across a range of performance indicators and identified areas where further interventions were required. Over the period there had been a decrease in the number of accidental dwelling fires from 46 in the same period in 2015  to 23 in the current reporting period; the total number of all non-fatal fire casualties had decreased from 11 to 4; the total number of incidents involving deliberate fire raising had increased from 22 to 74; the total number of fires in non-domestic premises had decreased from 15 to 11; the number of unwanted fire alarm signal incidents had increased from 98 to 110; and the total number of non-fatal road traffic collisions attended by the Service had increased from 11 to 13.  The appendix to the report provided a detailed analysis of performance and activities. 

The report also detailed a number of priorities and interventions, specifically highlighting activities carried out in connection with Renfrewshire Safety Hub; the promotion of fire safety in the home; the holding of two ‘firesetter’ intervention events with young people who had a fascination with fire; the holding of a number of information/awareness events to support the work of the SFRS Winter Thematic Action Programme; and  the number of home safety visits carried out in Renfrewshire during the reporting period.

DECIDED:  That the report be noted.
 
Verbal update by Senior Local Officer.
3(b)
There was submitted the Renfrewshire Local Fire and Rescue Plan Review 2014/17 which informed the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) how well it was performing against its existing priorities as well as highlighting areas for continued improvement and opportunities for change.

The Review set out local performance data and intimated that three priority areas had achieved or exceeded the target and three priority areas had not achieved the target and had seen an increase in the three-year average figure.  The review proposed six priority areas to be included in the new Local Fire and Rescue Plan for Renfrewshire: domestic safety; unintentional injury and harm; deliberate fire setting; non-domestic fires; unwanted fire alarm signals; and operational resilience and preparedness.

DECIDED:    That the review be noted.
 
Report by Chief Superintendent Jim Downie
4
There was submitted a report by the Chief Superintendent, K Division Police Scotland, relative to service performance in the Renfrewshire area during the period 1 November 2016 to 3 January 2017.  The report provided an analysis of key performance indicators for both recorded and detected crime and covered all local police plan priority areas as detailed in the local police plan. 
  
DECIDED:  That the report be noted.
 
Report by Director of Community Resources.
6
There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Resources relative to the development of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Scotland (HMICS) annual Scrutiny Plan to deliver a planned programme of inspection for 2017/18. 

The report intimated that HMICS sought the views of key stakeholders on the proposed inspections and any topical, high risk or emerging areas in policing that could be included within the 2017/18 annual inspection programme. HMICS had already committed to developing a self-assessment inspection process for local policing as well as thematic inspections on Forensic Services, Cyber Policing, Counter Terrorism and Undercover Policing. They would also undertake their first statutory inspection of the Scottish Police Authority, with a particular focus on its new governance arrangements and oversight of transformational change, finance, people, audit and policing. HMICS was also committed to a joint inspection of British Transport Police with HMIC in England and Wales and to their ongoing joint scrutiny of Children’s Services with the Care Inspectorate.

The final date for submissions on the consultation was 17 February 2017 and the Director of Community Responses had submitted a response on behalf of the Council, a copy of which was appended to the report.

DECIDED: 

(a)    That the consultation on the HMICS annual scrutiny plan be noted; and 

(b)   That the action of the Director of Community Resources in submitting a response on behalf of the Council as appended to the report be homologated.
 
Report by Director of Community Resources.
7

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Resources relative to an update on the outcomes and observations raised in a recent audit of the Renfrewshire MARAC process which had been undertaken by SafeLives, a national charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse. The audit had been carried out in October 2016, a year after MARAC had been established in Renfrewshire as part of the Scottish MARAC Development Programme.

 

The report advised that the audit looked at all aspects of the working of MARAC and provided observations, recommendations and examples of good practice where appropriate in the areas of identification of domestic abuse; referrals; multi-agency engagement; support for victims; information sharing; action planning; number of cases; equality; operational support; and governance. The report intimated that overall the audit had been positive and section 3 of the report highlighted seven areas of good practice.

 

The audit had been reviewed by the Gender Based Violence Steering Group and an action plan was being created to ensure recommended improvements were implemented. Progress against implementation of the action plan would be overseen by the Community Safety and Public Protection Steering Group.

 

 

DECIDED:

 

(a)    That the recent audit of the Renfrewshire MARAC process which was carried out by SafeLives as part of the Scottish MARAC Development Programme be noted; and

 

(b)    That the seven areas of good practice identified in the report be noted.
Report by Director of Community Resources.
8
There was submitted an update report by the Director of Community Resources relative to recent activities carried out in relation to public protection including environmental enforcement and improvement activities; protecting vulnerable residents; building safer communities; diversionary activities; and strategic Police Scotland priorities.

DECIDED: That the update report be noted.
 
Report by Director of Finance & Resources.
9
There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources seeking approval to declare the area of land adjacent 53 Spencer Drive, Paisley surplus to requirements, as outlined on plan E2586, a copy of which was appended to the report. 

DECIDED

(a)  That the area of land located adjacent to 53 Spencer Drive, Paisley, shown on the attached plan, be declared surplus to requirements;  

(b) That this land be sold to the adjoining proprietor of 53 Spencer Drive, Paisley, on such terms and conditions as may be negotiated by the Head of Property Services under delegated powers; 

(c)  That the Head of Corporate Governance be authorised to conclude the sale incorporating into the bargain such terms and conditions as may be deemed necessary to protect the Council’s interest;

(d)  That it be noted that the Head of Planning & Housing Services would place an advert in the local press in terms of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1959 for the proposed sale of an area of open space; and    

(e) That it be noted that the disposal of this land would have deemed consent from Scottish Ministers in terms of regulations for proposed disposal of HRA land and property.
 
Report by Director of Development & Housing Services.
10
Under reference to item 13 of the Minute of the meeting of this Board held on  8 November 2015, there was submitted a report by the Director of Development & Housing Services relative to the formal implementation of the finalised Orchard Street Housing Renewal Area Designation Order and Action Plan, a copy of which was appended to the report.    

Following the approval of the draft Order on 8 November 2015 a consultation had been launched launched.  The report summarised the responses received to the consultation from non-resident landlords, resident owners and commercial owners.  The finalised order would be issued to owners and residents and Paisley Housing Association would commence negotiations with owners over the acquisition of properties or their participation in the project.  The report estimated that work on site would commence in 2019/20 and would be completed in late 2021.

DECIDED:  

(a)    That the consultation activity and feedback received on the Orchard Street draft Designation Order as detailed in section 4 of the report be noted;

(b)    That the Director of Development & Housing Services be authorised to make a Housing Renewal Area Designation Order and Action Plan covering 33 Causeyside Street and 3,5,7 and 9 Orchard Street subject to the terms appended to the report; 

(c)    That it be noted that the grants to participating owners would be offered in line with the Council’s Scheme of Assistance  as set out in section 4.6 of the report;

(d)    That the estimated private sector housing grant required to support owners participating in the scheme and to support environmental work as set out in section 5 of the report be noted; and

(e)    That it be agreed that in circumstances where owners retained ownership of their property and did not voluntarily agree to fund their share of the common works or necessary repairs to their flat, the Council would enforce necessary works  by carrying out that work and putting in place measures to recover the cost of the work.
 
Report by Director of Development & Housing Services.
11

There was submitted a report by the Director of Development & Housing Services relative to the projects which would be submitted for funding in 2017/18 under the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Scotland: Area Based Schemes (HEEPS:ABS) initiative and updating members on the Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) pilot programme.

The report intimated that over the last four years a total of £10.235 million had been secured for Renfrewshire through HEEPS:ABS programmes. The Scottish Government had announced that Renfrewshire's allocation for 2017/18 would be £1,380,417 and the report advised that, following consultation with Housing Association partners, a bid of £1,380,417 would be submitted to the Scottish Government for external wall insulation projects.

The report advised that, subject to a successful application for the HEEPS:ABS funding, external wall insulation projects would also require financial support through the partners’ own financial resources and the  Energy Company Obligation (ECO) programme. Details of the Council’s external wall insulation project were appended to the report and the Council’s contribution towards these works would be met from the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme.

The Scottish Government had indicated that local authorities would be advised of approved HEEPS:ABS projects in early April 2017 and a report would be submitted to the next meeting of this Board advising members of the outcome of the application process.

The report also updated members on the Scotland's Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) which was launched in January 2016 with the aim of improving the energy efficiency rating of domestic and non-domestic buildings over a 15-20 year period.  The Scottish Government had indicated that up to £11 million would be available in 2017/18 and sought expressions of interest from local authorities in March 2017 for pilot projects.  The Council was considering its strategy to respond to the requirements of the SEEP pilot programme for 2017/18 and seeking to identify whether the Council could support or deliver any potential projects that would meet the requirements of SEEP funding.  Any applications for funding would be reported to a future meeting of this Board.

DECIDED:

(a)    That it be noted that Renfrewshire Council had been allocated £1,380,417 for 2017/18 for qualifying projects as part of the Scottish Government’s HEEPS:ABS programme;

 

(b)    That the Director of Development and Housing Services be authorised to bid for projects as set out in Section 3 of the report; 

(c)    That the Director of Development and Housing Services be authorised to oversee the delivery and operational management of the programme;

 

(d)    That it be noted that a further report would be submitted to the Board confirming the outcome of the HEEPS:ABS application; and

 

(e)    That the position with the SEEP pilot programme be noted and the approach being adopted as set out in Section 4 of the report be approved.

 
Report by Director of Development & Housing Services.
12
There was submitted a report by the Director of Development & Housing Services relative to the Private Sector Housing Investment Programme requirements for 2017/18 to support owner participation on a range of programmes including a carry forward of grant support for the proposed housing renewal project at Orchard Street which was subject to a separate report at this meeting of the Board.  The proposed programme was appended to the report. 

The proposed programme for 2017/18 detailed expenditure of £2.926 million based on the resource availability of £2.5 million for financial year 2017/18, as approved by Council on 16 February 2017, augmented by a reprofiling of resources amounting to £0.226 million from financial year 2016/17 and a £0.2 million contribution from the Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership Integration Joint Board.  The key elements of the programme included adaption grants providing assistance to older and disabled owners; Housing Investment Programme and other projects; salaries for staff engaged on private sector investment; and support to the private rented sector and miscellaneous fees.

DECIDED: 

(a)    That the Private Sector Housing Grant Investment Programme for the period 2017/18 as set out in the appendix to the report be approved; and
 
(b)    That the requirement for the Council to review the ongoing procurement, management and delivery of private sector adaptations with the Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (RHSCP) Integration Joint Board as a result of the expiry of the existing contract with Care & Repair Renfrewshire in October 2017 be noted.
 
EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
The Board may by resolution exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that if members of the press and public are present, there could be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 8 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1973.
The Board resolved to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that if members of the press and public were present, there could be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 8 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
13 Building Services Trading Budget Monitoring Report
  1. Building Services Trading Account Period 10
    • Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information);

Attendance

Attended - Other Members
Name
No other member attendance information has been recorded for the meeting.
Apologies
NameReason for Sending Apology
Councillor Marie McGurk 
Absent
NameReason for Absence
No absentee information has been recorded for the meeting.

Declarations of Interests

Member NameItem Ref.DetailsNature of DeclarationAction
No declarations of interest have been entered for this meeting.

Visitors

Visitor Information is not yet available for this meeting