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Meeting Details

Council
2 Mar 2018 - 14:00 to 17:00
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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.
Webcasting of Meeting
This meeting will be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site – at the start of the meeting the Provost will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed. 

The Council is a Data Controller under the Data Protection Act 1998. Personal data collected during this webcast will be handled in accordance with the relevant legislation and the Council’s Data Protection Policy. 

Generally the public seating areas will not be filmed. However, by entering the Council Chamber and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings for webcasting or training purposes. 

If you have any queries regarding this, please contact Committee Services on 0141 618 7112

To find the webcast please navigate to http://renfrewshire.cmis.uk.com/renfrewshire/meetings.aspx and select the meeting from the calendar.
Members’ attention is drawn to the enclosed statement regarding declarations in terms of Section 112 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992. 
Copies of the notes of the procedures to be followed in respect of consideration of (i) the Revenue Estimates and Council Tax; and (ii) the Housing Revenue Account Budgets, Rent Levels and Capital Investment Plans are also attached to the relevant reports.  
Chair
Provost Cameron presided.

The Provost extended condolences, on behalf of the Council, to Councillor Grady following the death of his mother.














In Attendance
S Black, Chief Executive; P MacLeod, Director of Children’s Services; S MacDougall, Director of Environment & Communities; A Russell, Director of Finance & Resources; L McIntyre, Head of Policy & Commissioning and L Mahon, Head of Marketing (both Chief Executive’s); G McKinlay, Head of Schools, S Quinn, Assistant Director - Schools and J Trainer, Head of Early Years & Inclusion (all Children’s Services); F Carlin, Head of Planning & Housing Services (Development & Housing Services); and K Graham, Head of Corporate Governance, A MacArthur, Head of Finance, J Lynch, Head of Property Services, M Conaghan, Legal & Democratic Services Manager, L Belshaw, Democratic Services Manager and R Devine, Senior Committee Services Officer (all Finance & Resources); J McKellar, Chief Executive (Renfrewshire Leisure Limited); M Crearie, Strategic Director for Paisley 2021 and I Beattie, Head of Health & Social Care (Paisley) (Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership).
Apology
Councillor Grady.
Sederunt
Councillors J MacLaren and McCartin left the meeting during consideration of the following item.
Additional Item
Councillor Don intimated that she wished to table an emergency motion, seconded by Councillor Rodden, which had not been included in the notice calling the meeting and she requested that this be taken as an additional item. Provost Cameron, being of the opinion that the motion, which was dealt with at item 19 below, should be considered by the Council as a matter of urgency, in terms of Standing Order 14 (b), authorised its consideration.





Sederunt
Councillors K and M MacLaren and Councillor Mylet entered the meeting prior to consideration of the following item.
Emergency Motion by Councillors Don and Rodden
19
Councillors Don and Rodden moved that "Council notes with concern, the announcement by bus operators McGill's to withdraw services No 8 & 19 from 26th March, and that this proposal would mean the withdrawal of a direct service between Bridge of Weir, Houston and Brookfield with Paisley Town Centre. 

The potential impact that these changes will have on many individuals is significant particularly on the ability of residents to access vital services including health centres, shopping, schools and workplaces.

Council also notes the concerns expressed by local communities regarding the changes and congratulates local campaigners and the petition launched to save the routes which has now attracted over 2, 700 signatures.

Council agrees to support every effort to retain the continuation of these bus services and calls on McGill's and Strathclyde Passenger Transport to work together to ensure that that the current level of service and the direct links provided by the No 8 and 19 services are maintained." 

Councillor Don, seconded by Councillor Rodden, then moved the motion. 

Councillor Sheridan, seconded by Councillor McCulloch, moved as an amendment that "Council calls upon the Scottish Government consider re-regulation of bus services". 

In terms of Standing Order 27 Councillors Don and Rodden, being the mover and seconder of the motion agreed the amendment as an addition to the motion.  The motion, as amended, was approved unanimously.

DECIDED:

(a) That Council notes with concern, the announcement by bus operators McGill's to withdraw service numbers 8 and 19 from 26 March 2018 and that the proposal would mean the withdrawal of a direct service between Bridge of Weir, Houston and Brookfield with Paisley Town Centre; 

(b) That it be noted that the potential impact the changes would have on many individuals was significant, particularly on the ability of residents to access vital services including health centres, shopping, schools and workplaces; 

(c) That Council also notes the concerns expressed by local communities regarding the changes and congratulates local campaigners and the petition launched to save the routes which has now attracted over 2, 700 signatures; 

(d) That Council support every effort to retain the continuation of these bus services and calls on McGill's and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport to work together to ensure that the current level of service and the direct links provided by the number 8 and 19 services are maintained; and

(e) That Council calls upon the Scottish Government to consider re-regulation of bus services.
Items Of Business
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.

Minutes attached separately:

 

Council, 21 December 2017, pages 1-22

Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 16 January 2018, pages 23-36

Regulatory Functions Board, 17 January 2018, pages 37-42

Education and Children's Services Policy Board, 18 January 2018, pages 43-48

Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board, 22 January 2018, pages 49-54

Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, 24 January 2018, pages 55-62

Petitions Board, 29 January 2018, pages 63-64

Appointment Board, 30 January 2018, pages 65-66

Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board, 31 January 2018, pages 67-88

Regulatory Functions, 1 February 2018, pages 89-92

Council, 8 February 2018, pages 93-96

Regulatory Functions, 15 February 2018, pages 97-98

Cross Party Sounding Board, 15 February 2018, pages 99-100

Renfrew and Gallowhill Local Area Committee, 20 February 2018 (to follow)

Leadership Board, 21 February 2018 (to follow)

Paisley North Local Area Committee, 22 February 2018 (to follow)

1

There were submitted the Minutes of the following meetings of the Council, Boards and Panels on the dates specified: 

Council, 21 December 2017
Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 16 January 2018
Regulatory Functions Board, 17 January 2018
Education and Children's Services Policy Board, 18 January 2018
Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board, 22 January 2018
Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, 24 January 2018
Petitions Board, 29 January 2018 
Appointment Board, 30 January 2018 
Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board, 31 January 2018 
Regulatory Functions, 1 February 2018 
Council, 8 February 2018 
Regulatory Functions, 15 February 2018 
Cross Party Sounding Board, 15 February 2018 
Renfrew and Gallowhill Local Area Committee, 20 February 2018
Leadership Board, 21 February 2018 and
Paisley North Local Area Committee, 22 February 2018. 

DECIDED: That the Minutes be approved.


Prior to consideration of the following item the Provost drew Members’ attention to the provisions of Section 112 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 which restricted the voting rights of Members on certain issues if they were in arrears with Council Tax payments.

Report by Director of Finance and Resources
2

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to the Revenue Budget and Council Tax for 2018/19, together with appendices detailing revenue estimates for 2018/19; estimates of expenditure and income for the year ended 31 March 2019; and the General Fund probable outturn for 2017/18. 

The report provided members with an overview of the Council’s projected financial position on the General Fund revenue budget and detailed the information required for the Council to set its budget and Council Tax for 2018/19. The report also recommended that Members considered the medium and longer-term financial context for the Council and the ongoing financial pressures and challenges facing the public sector more generally, as detailed within the report. 

The report intimated that the Scottish Government had not provided any material details of spending plans beyond 2018/19 but had published some high-level figures at an overall budget level for 2019/20. As previously intimated, at the meeting of the Leadership Board held on 12 December 2017, the Scottish Government had re-affirmed their policy priorities over the course of the current parliamentary period in relation to growing in real terms spending in the NHS, protecting Police spending in real terms and the commitment to almost double the level of free early years nursery hours.

 


The Scottish Government had allocated £299.581 million grant funding to Renfrewshire Council for 2018/19 subject to compliance with a number of associated conditions.  This included the continuation of the Council Tax cap, which contained the maximum increase that could be applied locally by an individual council as part of the 2018/19 budget to 3% maintaining, at a national level, the overall pupil teacher ratio of 13.7 and providing places for all probationers who required one;  and the continued prioritisation of financial support for social care including the use of funding provided through the health budget to support Adult Social Care services provided through Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership.  The Scottish Government had indicated that should the conditions not be met, the funding allocation would be reduced, however the scale of any reduction had not been confirmed. 

Councillor Shaw tabled a motion on behalf of the Administration. 

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting then adjourned at 2.07pm to allow members to consider the motion. The meeting reconvened at 2.23pm.

Councillor Shaw, seconded by Councillor Nicolson, moved: 

"1. That this Administration’s first budget will deliver on its commitments set out in its manifesto to the citizens of Renfrewshire to invest in inclusive economic growth, the environment, local communities and support the most vulnerable in Renfrewshire.

2. That as recommended by the Director, these budget proposals take a holistic view of resources available and include the use of the £7.500 million of available capital resources outlined in Agenda item 3.

3. Further and in line with the recommendations of the Director, that unallocated General Fund balances are budgeted to be maintained at £7.000 million moving into 2018/19 and that on the closure of the 2017/18 accounts, any unallocated balances in excess of this amount be transferred to the Investment Programme Capital Fund to provide additional capacity in future years to the ongoing debt smoothing strategy.


4. Commit £2.500 million of revenue resources to sustain for the next 5 years, investment by this Administration in enhanced environmental cleaning across Renfrewshire. This will double to £0.500 million per annum the uplift in environmental cleaning already made by this administration in 2017/18 and which will be subject to a report each year to the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board to agree the annual deployment of these additional resources to key priority areas across Renfrewshire.

5. Commit £1.870 million of resources (£1.000 million of capital resources and £0.870 million of revenue resources) to support a £1.500 million programme of investment in green spaces and playparks and a further £0.370 million of revenue resources to support the establishment of a villages investment fund. The full deployment of these resources will be the subject of a detailed report back to a future Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board but at this stage £0.110 million of the green space and playpark funding is committed in consultation with the community to the re-provision of a Multi-Use Games Area or alternative facility in the Bargarran area of Erskine. The full programme of deployment of the resources will examine opportunities to support community-led projects where Council resources can be deployed as match funding in support of applications for other sources of grant and income, providing the potential to grow the overall level of deliverable investment.

6. Commit £1.500 million (£0.5 million in revenue resources and £1.000 million in capital resources) to establish a Community Empowerment Fund that will be used to support community asset transfers by providing up-front investment in the condition of assets prior to transfer. The deployment of the fund to specific asset transfers will be subject to consideration as part of individual projects progressing through the asset transfer approval arrangements.

7. Deliver the following strategic investments that will support this Administration’s commitment towards inclusive economic growth across Renfrewshire:

£4.5 million of revenue resources invested in a new 5 year Employability Programme for Renfrewshire.  This new programme will take account of the developing changes in Renfrewshire’s economy, ensuring citizens across Renfrewshire are prepared and supported to fully participate and benefit from the economic growth and job opportunities that this Administration will deliver through:

- the £275 million of City Deal investment projects across Renfrewshire, 

- the initial £65 million investment to deliver a National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland in Renfrewshire, 
- the capital and revenue investment, exceeding £100 million that will be invested in Cultural and Heritage led regeneration across Paisley and Renfrewshire, 

- the growth in new jobs that will emerge across the care sector including those linked to the planned increase in the Early Learning and Childcare workforce.

The programme will also allow available European Funding of at least £2.4 million, to be drawn down through to 2022, lifting the overall programme investment to £6.9 million. A report will be brought to the next appropriate Leadership Policy Board outlining full details of the new programme.

£4.000 million of capital resources to boost investment in the roads infrastructure across Renfrewshire.  This additional investment will be focused on those key routes that keep the Renfrewshire economy moving and lifts planned capital investment in 2018/19 to £7.239, the biggest ever single year investment in the roads, cycling and pathway infrastructure across Renfrewshire and is in addition to the strategic transport infrastructure investment that will be delivered as part of the City Deal projects across Renfrewshire. 

A £2.000 million commitment of resources (being £1.500 million of capital resources and £0.500 million of revenue resources) to support further investment in digital infrastructure. These resources will provide match funding for a bid to a Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Full Fibre Network Fund, which will seek to secure a further £5 million - £7 million for Renfrewshire, providing total investment potential of between £7 million - £9 million. This will deliver a step change for Renfrewshire, connecting schools and public buildings to a leading-edge fibre network and growing access to businesses and homes, ensuring Renfrewshire is at the forefront of being an attractive, modern and inclusive area for learning, living and investing. This investment will be in addition to investment that will accrue to Renfrewshire from the Scottish Government’s recently announced £600 million digital infrastructure investment across Scotland. 

8. Invest an additional £4.500 million of revenue resources to support a new 5 year tackling poverty programme through to the end of 2022/23. These resources, along with £0.5 million of existing resources that are anticipated to remain at the end of 2017/18, will provide a total of £5 million to support the new programme. This funding will be focused on delivering initiatives from the existing programme that are evaluated as having the greatest impact across Renfrewshire. A report will be presented to the next Leadership Board which will outline the full detail of the evaluation and the new 2018 – 2023 programme which will effectively integrate with mainline service arrangements. It can be confirmed at this stage that the new programme will include the continuation of:

Families First Programme
Cost of the School Day and Breakfast Clubs
Skoobmobile
School counselling and healthier & wealthier children projects
Claimant Support and Advice Services, including energy advice
Support for Streetstuff
Digital inclusion

9. Commit £0.050 million of revenue resources to further alleviate poverty through the development and implementation of arrangements for the provision of an affordable Respectful Funeral Service for Renfrewshire to support families at the most difficult of times and to allow the scrapping of burial and registration fees linked to the loss of a child under 16. In addition, we will commit £1.000 million of revenue resources to deliver improvements in the Cemetery estate across Renfrewshire.

10. Commit £0.810 million of revenue resources to assist in managing the impact on Renfrewshire residents of a further phase of UK Government Welfare Reform changes, in particular the roll out of Universal Credit due to commence in September 2018 across Renfrewshire. This Fund will be flexibly utilised to allow responsive interventions to be quickly deployed over the short term by the Council in response to the developing needs of communities impacted by this ongoing programme of change.

11. Commit £0.200 million of revenue resources to support a programme to increase music participation, tuition and free instrument provision across Renfrewshire School pupils, which will also support lower income households. A full report on the delivery of this programme will be presented to a future meeting of the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board.

12. Commit £0.090 million to lift the school clothing grant allowance from £55 to £70.

13. Commit £0.050 million of revenue resources to provide funding to support sportingly gifted schoolchildren from lower income households across Renfrewshire’s schools participate in key sporting events. A full report on how this funding will be administered will be presented to a future meeting of the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board.

14. Commit £0.100 million of revenue resources to establish support for the provision of Sign Language and Braille training to parents and siblings of deaf and blind children across Renfrewshire.

15. Commit £0.040 million of revenue resources to support the Year of Young People across Renfrewshire.

16. Commit £0.030 million of revenue resources to deliver free concessionary swimming for parents accompanying a child under the age of 1 year old, providing targeted support to young families and those mothers and fathers on maternity and paternity leave.

17. Commit £0.010 million to support the work of Renfrewshire Fairtrade steering group and Fairtrade community.

 

18. To protect services to the most vulnerable in Renfrewshire, agree to recommendation 2.4 to make available £2.112 million of resources to support cost and demand pressures on Adult Social Care Services as outlined in the Director’s report and which will form part of the resources being made available under delegation to Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (RHSCP) on the 1st April 2018. Further that as part of this delegation process, agree to work in pro-active partnership with RHSCP and social care providers to secure the payment of the £8.75 living wage across all care staff providing services to the Council in addition to those directly employed by the Council. In addition, agree that the required draw is made in 2018/19 from the resources carried forward to support Adult Social Care as referred to in paragraph 1.10 of the Director’s report, to fund the Health and Social Care Partnership for the provision of Day Care services currently provided at West Lane Gardens in Johnstone and Whitehaugh in Paisley until the end of 2018/19, providing greater time to support families to meet the choices being made by clients as to their care requirements.

19. To agree the base budget assessment for all services for 2018/19 as recommended by the Director of Finance and Resources, and subject to agreement of item 18 above, agree a 2018/19 base budget of £371.649 million. 

20. To agree to make provision of £6.730 million in 2018/19 for pay inflation and Living Wage across all staff groups and make no provision for general non-pay inflation, as recommended by the Director of Finance and Resources.

21. To agree to increase charges for services by 2.5% to generate additional income of £0.150 million, subject to the note at paragraph 26 below and to agree the proposals outlined at paragraph 5.3 of the report to move the current subsidised internal rate for self-funding placements within Council owned Care Homes closer to charges applied by external providers.

22. To agree the resource allocations for 2018/19 for all services, as amended by these proposals.

23. To agree the detailed Revenue Estimates for all services be amended to reflect these proposals and the necessary allocation of central support costs, central repairs costs, capital charges, specific grants and loan charges provision with Directors authorised to take any action necessary to implement these decisions.

24. Subject to agreement of the above, to agree that the council tax for 2018/19 be set at £1,199.63 for Band D subjects, representing a 3% increase on the 2017/18 level, and for all bandings to be set at:
Council Tax
Band                                                                     2018/19

A 799.75
B 933.05
C 1,066.34
D 1,199.63
E 1,576.18
F 1,949.40
G 2,349.28
H 2,939.09

25. Subject to agreement of the points above, agree that the Council’s budget is underpinned by appropriate decisions and makes appropriate provision to meet the specified commitments in the package of conditions linked to the Council’s grant settlement.

26. To agree to increase other charges for services by 2.5% (as detailed in paragraph 21 above) or where appropriate by the rate set in national regulations or guidance, or where charges are based on full cost recovery by the appropriate increase to maintain this position, subject to Directors being authorised

(a) to round the charge up or down to a figure deemed by them appropriate, and 

(b) not to impose any increase, if having reviewed the implications of the increase, he or she determines it would be inappropriate to do so, having regard to any material factor applicable to the goods or services to which the charge relates.

To note the requirement of financial code 14a that Directors review the amounts their departments charge for goods or services and if they think any charge needs to be increase they will recommend this to the appropriate Board.  The Council therefore agrees that when a Director carries out such a review and believes a charge for goods or services should be levied greater than the increase of 2.5% or the rate set in national guidance, he or she will be entitled to recommend the same to the appropriate Board for approval."

Councillor J MacLaren, seconded by Councillor McIntyre, moved as an amendment:

"1. That council tax for 2018/19 be frozen at the 2017/18 level of £1,164.69 for Band D subjects, and for all bandings to be set at:

                                                                                Council Tax
                            Band                                            2018/19

                               A                                                 776.46
                               B                                                 905.87
                               C                                              1,035.28
                               D                                              1,164.69
                               E                                              1,530.27
                               F                                              1,892.62
                               G                                              2,280.85
                               H                                              2,853.49

2. That the following additional spend commitments are made for 2018/19:

a. Commit £0.300 million of revenue resource to support bringing non-adopted roads up to adoptable standards, allowing them to be adopted and brought into the council estate. Further that the Director of Environment and Communities be instructed to bring forward a report to the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board outlining detailed operational proposals for the administration of the scheme in 2018/19, which will include the underlying principles that funds will be offered where a majority of owners are in agreement and should be offered on a match funding basis of up to a maximum of 50% of the costs, with the remaining funds coming from the owners.

b. Commit £0.100 million of revenue resources in 2018/19 to provide a fund to support communal repairs in private housing stock where repair work has stalled owing to a lack of agreement from each owner to pay for repairs. Further, that the Director of Development & Housing Services be instructed to develop a report for the Communities, Housing and Planning Board consideration with regards to the implementation of this proposal within the 2018/19 financial year.

 

3. That the adjustments outlined in the table below be made to the relevant investment proposals detailed in the Administration motion.

                                                                              Motion            Motion
Motion                                                                    Investment     Investment
Paragraph                                                               £m                 £m
7                Employability Programme                    4.500              3.488
4                Environmental Improvements              2.500              2.000
3                Unallocated Reserves                          7.000              6.000" 

On the roll being called, the following members voted for the amendment: Councillors Begg, Binks, Graham, Kerr, Mackay, J MacLaren, McIntyre and Strang.

The following members voted for the motion: Councillors Adam-McGregor, Burns, J Cameron, Provost L Cameron, and Councillors Campbell, Andy Doig, Audrey Doig, Don, Hughes, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, McCartin, McEwan, McGurk, McNaughtan, Mylet, Nicolson, Paterson, Rodden, Shaw and Steel.

The following members abstained: Councillors Bibby, Brown, Davidson, Devine, Dowling, Harte, Hood, Kennedy, McCulloch, Montgomery, Sharkey and Sheridan.

8 members having voted for the amendment, 12 members having abstained and 21 members having voted for the motion, the motion was accordingly declared carried.

DECIDED:

(a) That this Administration’s first budget would deliver on its commitments set out in its manifesto to the citizens of Renfrewshire to invest in inclusive economic growth, the environment, local communities and support the most vulnerable in Renfrewshire;

(b) That as recommended by the Director, these budget proposals take a holistic view of resources available and include the use of the £7.5 million of available capital resources outlined in Agenda item 3;

(c) That further and in line with the recommendations of the Director, unallocated General Fund balances were budgeted to be maintained at £7 million moving into 2018/19 and that on the closure of the 2017/18 accounts, any unallocated balances in excess of this amount be transferred to the Investment Programme Capital Fund to provide additional capacity in future years to the ongoing debt smoothing strategy;

(d) That £2.5 million of revenue resources be committed to sustain for the next 5 years, investment by this Administration in enhanced environmental cleaning across Renfrewshire. This would double to £0.5 million per annum the uplift in environmental cleaning already made by this administration in 2017/18 and would be subject to a report each year to the Infrastructure, Land & Environment Policy Board to agree the annual deployment of these additional resources to key priority areas across Renfrewshire;

(e) That £1.870 million of resources (£1.000 million of capital resources and £0.870 million of revenue resources) be committed to support a £1.5 million programme of investment in green spaces and playparks and a further £0.370 million of revenue resources to support the establishment of a villages investment fund. The full deployment of these resources would be the subject of a detailed report to a future meeting of the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board but at this stage £0.110 million of the green space and playpark funding was committed in consultation with the community to the re-provision of a Multi-Use Games Area or alternative facility in the Bargarran area of Erskine. The full programme of deployment of the resources would examine opportunities to support community-led projects where Council resources could be deployed as match funding in support of applications for other sources of grant and income, providing the potential to grow the overall level of deliverable investment;

(f) That £1.5 million (£0.5 million in revenue resources and £1 million in capital resources) be committed to establish a Community Empowerment Fund that would be used to support community asset transfers by providing up-front investment in the condition of assets prior to transfer. The deployment of the fund to specific asset transfers would be subject to consideration as part of individual projects progressing through the asset transfer approval arrangements;

(g) That the following strategic investments be delivered that would support this Administration’s commitment towards inclusive economic growth across Renfrewshire:

£4.5 million of revenue resources invested in a new 5 year Employability Programme for Renfrewshire.  This new programme would take account of the developing changes in Renfrewshire’s economy, ensuring citizens across Renfrewshire were prepared and supported to fully participate and benefit from the economic growth and job opportunities that this Administration would deliver through:

- the £275 million of City Deal investment projects across Renfrewshire, 

- the initial £65 million investment to deliver a National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland in Renfrewshire, 

- the capital and revenue investment, exceeding £100 million that would be invested in cultural and heritage-led regeneration across Paisley and Renfrewshire, 

- the growth in new jobs that would emerge across the care sector including those linked to the planned increase in the Early Learning and Childcare workforce.

The programme would also allow available European Funding of at least £2.4 million, to be drawn down through to 2022, lifting the overall programme investment to £6.9 million. A report would be brought to the next appropriate Leadership Policy Board outlining full details of the new programme.

£4 million of capital resources to boost investment in the roads infrastructure across Renfrewshire. This additional investment would be focused on those key routes that keep the Renfrewshire economy moving and lifts planned capital investment in 2018/19 to £7.239, the biggest ever single year investment in the roads, cycling and pathway infrastructure across Renfrewshire and was in addition to the strategic transport infrastructure investment that would be delivered as part of the City Deal projects across Renfrewshire; 

A £2 million commitment of resources (being £1.5 million of capital resources and £0.5 million of revenue resources) to support further investment in digital infrastructure. These resources would provide match-funding for a bid to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Full Fibre Network Fund, which would seek to secure a further £5 million - £7 million for Renfrewshire, providing total investment potential of between £7 million - £9 million. This would deliver a step change for Renfrewshire, connecting schools and public buildings to a leading-edge fibre network and growing access to businesses and homes, ensuring Renfrewshire was at the forefront of being an attractive, modern and inclusive area for learning, living and investing.


This investment would be in addition to investment that would accrue to Renfrewshire from the Scottish Government’s recently announced £600 million digital infrastructure investment across Scotland; 

(h) That an additional £4.5 million of revenue resources be invested to support a new five-year tackling poverty programme through to the end of 2022/23. These resources, along with £0.5 million of existing resources that were anticipated to remain at the end of 2017/18, would provide a total of £5 million to support the new programme. This funding would be focused on delivering initiatives from the existing programme that were evaluated as having the greatest impact across Renfrewshire. A report would be submitted to the next meeting of the Leadership Board which would outline the full detail of the evaluation and the new 2018 – 2023 programme which would effectively integrate with mainline service arrangements. It could be confirmed at this stage that the new programme would include the continuation of:

Families First Programme
Cost of the School Day and Breakfast Clubs
Skoobmobile
School counselling and healthier & wealthier children projects
Claimant Support and Advice Services, including energy advice
Support for Streetstuff and
Digital inclusion;

(i) That £0.050 million of revenue resources be committed to further alleviate poverty through the development and implementation of arrangements for the provision of an affordable respectful funeral service for Renfrewshire to support families at the most difficult of times and to allow the scrapping of burial and registration fees linked to the loss of a child under 16. In addition, £1 million of revenue resources would be committed to deliver improvements in the Cemetery estate across Renfrewshire.

(j) That £0.810 million of revenue resources be committed to assist in managing the impact on Renfrewshire residents of a further phase of UK Government welfare reform changes, in particular the roll out of Universal Credit due to commence in September 2018 across Renfrewshire. This Fund would be flexibly utilised to allow responsive interventions to be quickly deployed over the short term by the Council in response to the developing needs of communities impacted by this ongoing programme of change;

(k) That £0.200 million of revenue resources be committed to support a programme to increase music participation, tuition and free instrument provision across Renfrewshire School pupils, which would also support lower income households. A full report on the delivery of this programme would be submitted to a future meeting of the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board;

(l) That £0.090 million be committed to lift the school clothing grant allowance from £55 to £70;

(m) That £0.050 million of revenue resources be committed to provide funding to support sportingly gifted schoolchildren from lower income households across Renfrewshire’s schools participate in key sporting events. A full report on how this funding would be administered would be submitted to a future meeting of the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board;

(n) That £0.100 million of revenue resources be committed to establish support for the provision of sign language and braille training to parents and siblings of deaf and blind children across Renfrewshire;

 

(o) That £0.040 million of revenue resources be committed to support the Year of Young People across Renfrewshire;

(p) That £0.030 million of revenue resources be committed to deliver free concessionary swimming for parents accompanying a child under the age of 1 year old, providing targeted support to young families and those mothers and fathers on maternity and paternity leave;

(q) That £0.010 million be committed to support the work of Renfrewshire Fairtrade steering group and Fairtrade community;

(r) That to protect services to the most vulnerable in Renfrewshire, recommendation 2.4 of the report, to make available £2.112 million of resources to support cost and demand pressures on Adult Social Care Services as outlined in the Director’s report and which would form part of the resources being made available under delegation to Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (RHSCP) on 1 April 2018 be agreed. Further that as part of this delegation process, it be agreed to work in pro-active partnership with RHSCP and social care providers to secure the payment of the £8.75 living wage across all care staff providing services to the Council in addition to those directly employed by the Council. In addition, it be agreed that the required draw was made in 2018/19 from the resources carried forward to support Adult Social Care as referred to in paragraph 1.10 of the Director’s report, to fund the Health and Social Care Partnership for the provision of day care services currently provided at West Lane Gardens in Johnstone and Whitehaugh in Paisley until the end of 2018/19, providing greater time to support families to meet the choices being made by clients as to their care requirements;

(s) That the base budget assessment for all services for 2018/19 as recommended by the Director of Finance & Resources, be agreed and that a 2018/19 base budget of £371.649 million be agreed; 

(t) That it be agreed to make provision of £6.730 million in 2018/19 for pay inflation and Living Wage across all staff groups and to make no provision for general non-pay inflation, as recommended by the Director of Finance & Resources;

(u) That it be agreed to increase charges for services by 2.5% to generate additional income of £0.150 million, subject to the note below paragraph (z) and that the proposals outlined at paragraph 5.3 of the report to move the current subsidised internal rate for self-funding placements within Council-owned care homes closer to charges applied by external providers be agreed;

(v) That the resource allocations for 2018/19 for all services, as amended by these proposals be agreed;

(w) That the detailed Revenue Estimates for all services be amended to reflect these proposals and the necessary allocation of central support costs, central repairs costs, capital charges, specific grants and loan charges provision with Directors authorised to take any action necessary to implement these decisions;

(x) That the Council Tax for 2018/19 be set at £1,199.63 for Band D subjects, representing a 3% increase on the 2017/18 level, and for all bandings to be set at:

 

 

 


    Band             Council Tax 2018/19

                                    A                   799.75
                                    B                   933.05
                                    C                   1,066.34
                                    D                   1,199.63
                                    E                   1,576.18
                                    F                   1,949.40
                                    G                   2,349.28
                                    H                   2,939.09

(y) That it be agreed that the Council’s budget was underpinned by appropriate decisions and that appropriate provision be made to meet the specified commitments in the package of conditions linked to the Council’s grant settlement;

(z) That it be agreed to increase other charges for services by 2.5% (as detailed in paragraph u above) or where appropriate by the rate set in national regulations or guidance, or where charges were based on full cost recovery by the appropriate increase to maintain this position, subject to Directors being authorised;

(i)  to round the charge up or down to a figure deemed by them appropriate, and 

(ii)  not to impose any increase, if having reviewed the implications of the increase, he or she determined it would be inappropriate to do so, having regard to any material factor applicable to the goods or services to which the charge relates; and 

That the requirement of financial code 14a that Directors review the amounts their departments charged for goods or services be noted and if they thought any charge needed to be increased they would recommend this to the appropriate Board; and that when a Director carried out such a review and believed a charge for goods or services should be levied greater than the increase of 2.5% or the rate set in national guidance it be agreed, he or she would be entitled to recommend the same to the appropriate Board for approval.

Report by Director of Finance and Resources
3

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to the Council’s Capital Plan for non-housing services for the period 2018/21 in respect of education, social work, leisure, community resources, planning, roads and a range of corporate projects. The report advised that the resources available to support investment included prudential borrowing and capital grants as well as contributions from revenue, partners and external funding bodies. 

The report indicated that the Scottish Government had published its draft budget for 2018/19 along with the provisional local government finance settlement which confirmed the total capital grant for Renfrewshire Council in 2018/19 was £16.333 million, of which £0.239 million was specific grant relating to cycling and walking safer streets. The settlement had subsequently been confirmed following approval of the Scottish Government’s budget by the Scottish Parliament on 21 February 2018.  The Cabinet Secretary had also opted to further defer payment of the £3.231 million of capital grant deferred in 2016/17 to some point in the 2019/20 period. Nationally the local government settlement included £150 million to be directed towards projects which supported the expansion of early years education and childcare provision.   Confirmation of Renfrewshire Council’s share of these resources and the associated investment proposals would be subject to appropriate reporting as the expansion planning and funding distribution for early years progressed in consultation with the Scottish Government.

The Autumn Budget Statement announced on 22 November 2017 had outlined further improvement to the capital settlement for the devolved administrations with the capital departmental expenditure limit for Scotland being £3.9 billion in 2018/19 and rising to £4.3 billion in 2020/21.   The report proposed that the Council continue to restrict making any new capital investment commitments funded by capital grant beyond that level of grant which was known and allocated. It was noted that the proposed capital plan outlined in the report extended beyond 2018/19 to reflect approved programmes already in place and funded by other arrangements such as prudential borrowing or specific funding related to the City Deal. It was further noted that this approach did not preclude the Council taking further investment decisions as part of the budget process where separate funding arrangements were established. 

Councillor Shaw tabled a motion on behalf of the Administration. 

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting then adjourned at 3.40pm to allow members to consider the motion. The meeting reconvened at 3.50pm.

Councillor Shaw, seconded by Councillor Nicolson, moved:

"1. To agree the investment programme totalling £245.778 million covering the period up to 2020/21, including the recommendations contained in the report for the allocation of resources to support the delivery of lifecycle maintenance programmes over the period.

2. To endorse the decisions taken by Council in consideration of item 2, to 

a. Direct the £4.000 million of resources available to boost investment in roads infrastructure. The capital plan outlines an existing investment of £3.239 million, therefore the additional sum allocated takes the total investment in 2018/19 to £7.239 million – the largest ever single year investment in roads, cycle routes and pathway infrastructure across Renfrewshire.

b. A £2.000 million commitment of resources, being £1.500 million of capital resources and £0.500 million of revenue resources, to support further investment in digital infrastructure, recognising the key role it has in supporting a modern and successful education, economic and social infrastructure

c. Commit £1.000 million of capital resources in addition to £0.500 million of revenue resources to support a programme of investment in green spaces and playparks and which will be subject to a detailed report back to an appropriate future Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board.

d. Commit £1.000 million of capital resources in addition to £0.500 million of revenue resources to establish a Community Empowerment Fund that will be used to support community asset transfers by providing up-front investment in the condition of assets prior to transfer. The deployment of the fund to specific asset transfers will be subject to consideration as part of individual projects progressing through the asset transfer approval arrangements.

3. To delegate to the Head of Property Services and Head of Amenity Services, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Resources, authority to adjust where appropriate resources across individual components of the lifecycle maintenance and roads and structures programmes respectively.

Agree to the suite of prudential indicators, treasury management indicators and treasury strategy set out in Appendix 6 of the report, subject to required adjustments arising from decisions outlined in points 1 – 3 above and in relation to any other decisions taken by members at this Council meeting."

This was agreed.

DECIDED:

(a) That the investment programme totalling £245.778 million covering the period up to 2020/21, including the recommendations contained in the report for the allocation of resources to support the delivery of lifecycle maintenance programmes over the period be agreed;

(b) That decisions (i) - (iv) below taken by Council, in consideration of item 2 of this Minute be endorsed, 

(i) To direct the £4 million of resources available to boost investment in roads infrastructure. The capital plan outlined an existing investment of £3.239 million, therefore the additional sum allocated takes the total investment in 2018/19 to £7.239 million – the largest ever single-year investment in roads, cycle routes and pathway infrastructure across Renfrewshire;

(ii) To commit £2 million of resources, being £1.5 million of capital resources and £0.5 million of revenue resources, to support further investment in digital infrastructure, in recognition of the key role it had in supporting a modern and successful education, economic and social infrastructure;

(iii) To commit £1 million of capital resources in addition to £0.5 million of revenue resources to support a programme of investment in green spaces and playparks and which would be subject to a detailed report being submitted to a future meeting of the  Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board;

(iv) To commit £1 million of capital resources, in addition to £0.5 million of revenue resources to establish a Community Empowerment Fund that would be used to support community asset transfers by providing up-front investment in the condition of assets prior to transfer. The deployment of the fund to specific asset transfers would be subject to consideration as part of individual projects progressing through the asset transfer approval arrangements;

(c) To delegate to the Head of Property Services and Head of Amenity Services, in consultation with the Director of Finance & Resources, authority to adjust, where appropriate, resources across individual components of the lifecycle maintenance and roads and structures programmes respectively; and

(d) To agree to the suite of prudential indicators, treasury management indicators and treasury strategy, set out in Appendix 6 of the report, subject to required adjustments arising from decisions outlined in points (a) – (c) above and in relation to any other decisions taken by members at this Council meeting.

 

 

Joint Report by Director of Finance and Resources and Acting Director of Development and Housing Services
4

There was submitted a joint report by the Director of Finance & Resources and the Acting Director of Development & Housing Services relative to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for financial year 2018/19 and the Housing Capital Investment Plan 2018/19 to 2020/21. Appendices to the report detailed anticipated expenditure and income for the year ending 31 March 2019.

The report provided an update on consultation with tenants on the annual rent setting process and highlighted an improved financial outlook over the medium term as a result of a slower than expected roll out of welfare reform including universal credit and direct payments together with improved performance in bad debt and rental loss through voids.

The report recommended an average weekly rent increase of 1% in 2018/19 and provided copies of the HRA Budget 2018/19 and Housing Capital Investment Plan 2018/19 - 2020/21. 

Councillor McGurk, seconded by Councillor McNaughtan, moved:

To agree to an average weekly rent increase of 1% for 2018/19;

To note the outcome of the tenant consultation process as detailed in section 5 of the report;

To approve the HRA budget for Financial Year 2018/19 as proposed in the report and detailed at Appendix 2; and

To approve the Housing Capital Investment Plan 2018/19 to 2020/21 as detailed in Appendix 3 of the report, which provides for investment of £53.9 million over the three year period. This was agreed.

DECIDED:

(a) That an average weekly rent increase of 1% for 2018/19 be agreed;

(b) That the outcome of the tenant consultation process, as detailed in section 5 of the report, be noted;

(c) That the Housing Revenue Account budget for Financial Year 2018/19 as proposed in the report and detailed in Appendix 2 be approved; and

(d) That the Housing Capital Investment Plan 2018/19 to 2020/21, as detailed in Appendix 3 of the report, which provided for investment of £53.9 million over the three year period, be approved.

Report by Director of Finance and Resources
5

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to Renfrewshire Council’s remuneration arrangements for elected members.

 

 

 

 

 

The report advised that the existing local remuneration arrangements, approved at the meeting of the Council held on 18 May 2017, were in accordance with prevailing Scottish Government regulations. It was noted that increases in elected member remuneration were linked to the movement in the median annual earnings of public sector workers in Scotland, that amendments to the regulations had been laid before the Scottish Parliament which proposed an increase in elected member remuneration of 0.4% effective from 1 April 2018. 

DECIDED:

(a) That Council note the 0.4% increase in remuneration levels mandated by The Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 (Remuneration) Amendment Regulations 2018 for the Leader of the Council, the Provost and for councillors with effect from 1 April 2018; their salaries therefore being £33,992, £25,494 and £16,994 respectively; and 

(b) That Council apply a 0.4% increase in the pay of Senior Councillors with effect from 1 April 2018. Senior Councillors comprised (i) Policy Board Conveners; (ii) the Council representative nominated as, on rotation, the chair or the depute chair of Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership’s Integration Joint Board; (iii) the Council representative nominated as the chair of Renfrewshire Leisure Limited’s Board of Directors; (iv) Regulatory Board Conveners; and (v) the Leaders of the largest and second largest opposition groups. The salaries of Senior Councillors in classifications (i), (ii) and (iii) above would therefore be £25,200 from 1 April 2018; and the salaries of Senior Councillors in classifications (iv) and (v) above would therefore be £20,783 from 1 April 2018.

Report by Chief Executive
6

Under reference to Item 16 of the Minute of the meeting of the Council held on 28 September, 2017 there was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the advantages and risks of using Hub West Scotland and detailing current and potential future projects.

The report stated that Hub West Scotland was a joint-venture organisation which was owned by both the public and private sectors, the procurement process for its establishment had been conducted in accordance with the above EU Threshold Competitive Dialogue Procedure for Services. 

When developing the procurement strategy for infrastructure projects which encompassed an element of design and build, partnership with Hub West could be considered as an option if it satisfied the requirement to achieve Value for Money, including adding social value through the project.  

At the meeting of the former Finance & Resources Policy Board held on 5 March 2012 it had been agreed, in principle, that the Council could participate in the Hub West Territory Partnering Agreements but that prior to proceeding with formal appointment for Design and Build, a Contract Authorisation Report would be submitted to the appropriate Policy Board, seeking approval to enter into an agreement with Hub West Scotland for the full delivery of the project.  It was highlighted that Hub West Scotland had delivered Johnstone Town Hall and the Community Safety Hub in Paisley, had been appointed to complete the initial stages of the contract for Paisley Town Hall and that it was anticipated that authority would be sought at a future meeting of the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board to appoint Hub West Scotland as the preferred delivery partner for the construction of the new Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub. 
 
Responses to the concerns, raised at the Council meeting held on 28 September 2017, of a lack of transparency and democratic accountability over procurement and tender, community benefits and construction charter were provided, together with the relative advantages and potential disadvantages of utilising Hub West.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted; and

(b) That it be noted that specific recommendations to award any contract to Hub West Scotland would be submitted to future meetings of the appropriate Boards for approval in accordance with the terms of the Council’s Standing Orders Relating to Contracts.

Report by Director of Finance and Resources
7

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to governance arrangements.

The report made reference to the decision taken at the meeting of the Council held on 21 December 2017 to amend the Scheme of Delegated Functions as it related to the planning function, as detailed in the appendix to the report, having noted that the changes required to be referred to Scottish Ministers for approval and that confirmation of this process would be reported to a future meeting of the Council. Correspondence had subsequently been received from the Planning and Architecture Division of the Local Government and Communities Directorate of the Scottish Government confirming, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, approval of the revised Scheme of Delegation and advising that Renfrewshire Council could now proceed to adopt the revised scheme with a view to its operation from the formal date of adoption. In terms of Regulation 5 of the Town and Country Planning (Schemes of Delegation and Local Review Procedures) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 the updated scheme would be made available for inspection. 

In addition, the report proposed amendment to the composition of the Police and Fire & Rescue Scrutiny Sub-committee with membership being drawn from the pool of members of the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, on the same basis as the previously fixed membership, namely three members from the Administration, including the Convener or Depute Convener of the Policy Board and two members from the opposition groups or parties.  The report further proposed that the Convener and Depute Convener of the Appointment Board for Directors and Heads of Service be Councillors Nicolson and Paterson respectively. 

The report referred to the decision taken at a meeting of the former Finance & Resources Policy Board to approve the recommendation made by the Renfrew and Gallowhill Local Area Committee to award £5,330 from the Renfrew Burgh Citizens Fund to cover the cost of removal and reinstatement of the flagpole at Ferry Green and a subsequent request from members of the community that the Renfrew 600 flag, a copy of which was attached as an appendix to the report, be flown from this flagpole. The office of the Lord Lyon had confirmed that it had no objections to this proposal and accordingly the report proposed that the Council approve flying of the Renfrew 600 flag from the Ferry Green flagpole, subject to any requirement on the Council to fly a different flag.

 

Councillor Nicolson, seconded by Councillor Paterson, moved: 

(a) That it be noted that Scottish Ministers had approved the revised Scheme of Delegation in relation to the planning function as set out in Appendix 1 to the report; 

(b) That it be noted that the updated Scheme would be made available for inspection as required in terms of Regulation 5 of the Town and Country Planning (Schemes of Delegation and Local Review Procedures) (Scotland) Regulations 2008; 

(c) That the membership of the Police and Fire & Rescue Sub-committee be drawn from the pool of members of the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on the basis of three members of the administration, including the Convener or Depute Convener of the Policy Board and two members of the opposition; 

(d) That Councillors Nicolson and Paterson be the Convener and Depute Convener respectively on the Appointment Board for vacant posts of Chief Executive, Director, Assistant Director - Schools and Heads of Service; and 

(e) That the Renfrew 600 flag, as shown in Appendix 2 to the report, be flown from the Ferry Green flagpole, Renfrew, subject to any requirement on the Council to fly a different flag.

Councillor Sharkey, seconded by Councillor Kennedy moved as an amendment that paragraph 2.3 of the report be deleted.

On the roll being called, the following members voted for the amendment: Councillors Bibby, Brown, Davidson, Devine, Dowling, Harte, Hood, Kennedy, McCulloch, Montgomery, Sharkey and Sheridan.

The following members voted for the motion: Councillors Adam-McGregor, Begg, Binks, Burns, J Cameron, Provost L Cameron, and Councillors Campbell, Andy Doig, Audrey Doig, Don, Graham, Hughes, Kerr, Mackay, J MacLaren, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, McCartin, McEwan, McGurk, McIntyre, McNaughtan, Mylet, Nicolson, Paterson, Rodden, Shaw, Steel and Strang.

12 members having voted for the amendment and 29 members having voted for the motion, the motion was accordingly declared carried.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be noted that Scottish Ministers had approved the revised Scheme of Delegation in relation to the planning function as set out in Appendix 1 to the report; 

(b) That it be noted that the updated Scheme would be made available for inspection as required in terms of Regulation 5 of the Town and Country Planning (Schemes of Delegation and Local Review Procedures) (Scotland) Regulations 2008; 

(c) That the membership of the Police and Fire & Rescue Sub-committee be drawn from the pool of members of the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on the basis of three members of the administration, including the Convener or Depute Convener of the Policy Board and two members of the opposition; 

(d) That Councillors Nicolson and Paterson be the Convener and Depute Convener respectively on the Appointment Board for vacant posts of Chief Executive, Director, Assistant Director - Schools and Heads of Service; and 

(e) That the Renfrew 600 flag, as shown in Appendix 2 to the report, be flown from the Ferry Green flagpole, Renfrew, subject to any requirement on the Council to fly a different flag.

Planning Applications
Members must deal with planning applications in an objective manner to ensure that they cannot be challenged with accusations of bias or predetermination. Votes on planning applications must be seen to be impartial and not influenced by party political issues.
The Head of Corporate Governance reminded members that they required to deal with planning applications in an objective manner to ensure that they could not be challenged with accusations of bias or predetermination and that votes on planning applications required to be seen to be impartial and not influenced by party political issues.
Report by Acting Director of Development and Housing Services
8

There was submitted a report by the Acting Director of Development & Housing Services relative to planning application 17/0394/PP: Bae Systems Ltd for the use of land within the core development area for residential development (in principle) at Royal Ordnance, Station Road, Bishopton, that required to be determined by the Council. It was proposed that the application be granted, in principle, subject to a Section 75 agreement being concluded to secure financial contributions or delivery mechanisms in relation to affordable housing, education and community facilities, roads infrastructure, public transport, health provision, community safety, renewable energy, sports, recreation and play facilities and community woodland park and the terms of the Section 75 agreement being considered and approved at future meetings of the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board. This was agreed.

DECIDED: That the application be granted, in principle, subject to a Section 75 agreement being concluded to secure financial contributions or delivery mechanisms in relation to affordable housing, education and community facilities, roads infrastructure, public transport, health provision, community safety, renewable energy, sports, recreation and play facilities and community woodland park and the terms of the Section 75 agreement being considered and approved at future meetings of the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board.

"School meal price increases will add further financial hardship to families who are just over the income threshold for free school meals, and especially on families with more than one child to feed.

 

Council accepts the need to maintain Primary and Secondary School meal prices at current levels, and will not increase prices as a practical step to ensure that school meals remain affordable."

9
There was submitted a Notice of Motion by Councillors Dowling and Grady which Provost L Cameron ruled was not competent in terms of Standing Order 19 (c).

"Toilet Signage - Hawkhead Cemetery

 

Council calls upon the department responsible to properly sign the toilets located in Hawkhead Cemetery."

10

There was submitted a Notice of Motion by Councillors Davidson and Sharkey in the following terms:

"Toilet Signage - Hawkhead Cemetery 

Council calls upon the department responsible to properly sign the toilets located in Hawkhead Cemetery." 

Councillor Davidson, seconded by Councillor Sharkey, then moved the motion which was approved unanimously. 

DECIDED:  That Council calls upon the department responsible to properly sign the toilets located in Hawkhead Cemetery.

"Day Centres

 

Council acknowledges the attempts to work with Capability Scotland and potential alternative providers for the Learning Disability Service at Whitehaugh and West Lane Gardens Day Centres, but notes the requirements set out on the e motion approved at the special council meeting of 30 August 2017 have not been fulfilled.

 

Council recognises the primacy of Self Directed Support and the wishes of service users to continue to attend Whitehaugh and West Lane Gardens.

 

Council understands that a proposal in regard to the future of the Learning Disability Service is under consideration by the Health and Social Partnership and Capability Scotland, and agrees that this should be taken forward only if acceptable to the service users and their carers.  This proposal and any other alternative proposal being considered, should be clarified and put to Service users and their carers prior to the next meeting of the Integrated Joint Board for Health and Social Care to be held on the 23rd March.

 

Should the proposals presented not be acceptable to service users and their carers, Council and the Health and Social Care Partnership will take the necessary action to uphold both the wishes of service users and their carers and the democratic view of elected members and assume operational responsibility for the continuation of the current services at the Whitehaugh and West Lane Centres with effect from the 1st May 2018."

11
There was submitted a Notice of Motion by Councillors Bibby and McCartin which was withdrawn in terms of Standing Order 27.

DECIDED: That it be noted that the notice of motion had been withdrawn.

"Chief Executive Responsibilities

 

At each council cycle the council may pass a motion put forward by opposition councillors.  Where the Chief Executive or her staff are required to carry out a task, set up a process or other such activity it is often difficult for opposition members to follow up what, if anything, has been done to meet the terms of that council motion.

 

The Chief Executive and/or relevant staff must be proactive in involving the councillor who moved the motion, to inform her/him of the action taken, by whom, and the outcomes expected.

 

The council asks that, within 10 working days of the decision being taken, a specific relevant member of staff is identified who will be tasked with taking forward the action agreed at the council and this name is given to the mover of the original motion."

12
There was submitted a Notice of Motion by Councillors McCartin and Andy Doig in the following terms:

"Chief Executive Responsibilities 

At each council cycle the council may pass a motion put forward by opposition councillors. Where the Chief Executive or her staff are required to carry out a task, set up a process or other such activity it is often difficult for opposition members to follow up what, if anything, has been done to meet the terms of that council motion. 

The Chief Executive and/or relevant staff must be proactive in involving the councillor who moved the motion, to inform her/him of the action taken, by whom, and the outcomes expected. 

The council asks that, within 10 working days of the decision being taken, a specific relevant member of staff is identified who will be tasked with taking forward the action agreed at the council and this name is given to the mover of the original motion." 

Councillor McCartin, seconded by Councillor Andy Doig, then moved the motion. 

In terms of Standing Order 27 Councillors McCartin and Andy Doig, being the mover and seconder of the motion agreed that the word ‘opposition’ be removed where it occurred in the motion.   The motion as amended was approved unanimously.

DECIDED:

(a) That within 10 working days of a motion being approved by Council which requires the Chief Executive  or her staff  to carry out a task, set up a process or other such activity the Chief Executive and/or relevant staff must be proactive in involving the councillor who moved the motion, to inform her/him of the action taken, by whom, and the outcomes expected; and  

(b) That the mover of the motion be given the name of the specific relevant member of staff identified who has been tasked with taking forward the action agreed by the Council.

"Commemorative Plaque to Habbie Simpson, Kilbarchan's Musician and Bard

 

Council notes that it is the official policy of Renfrewshire Council that all villages in Renfrewshire have the right to designate themselves as "Villages of Heritage and Culture", and accordingly Council encourages all village communities to promote their own distinctive cultural and historical narratives to highlight their contribution to Renfrewshire as a county.

 

Council therefore agrees to erect a commemorative plaque in Church Street, Kilbarchan, to the memory of Kilbarchan's ledgendary Musician and Medieval Bard, Habbie Simpson, who is buried in the former West Kirk graveyard, and who made a significant contribution to the development of Kilbarchan as a community."

13
There was submitted a Notice of Motion by Councillors Andy Doig and McCartin in the following terms:

"Commemorative Plaque to Habbie Simpson, Kilbarchan's Musician and Bard 

Council notes that it is the official policy of Renfrewshire Council that all villages in Renfrewshire have the right to designate themselves as "Villages of Heritage and Culture", and accordingly Council encourages all village communities to promote their own distinctive cultural and historical narratives to highlight their contribution to Renfrewshire as a county. 

Council therefore agrees to erect a commemorative plaque in Church Street, Kilbarchan, to the memory of Kilbarchan's ledgendary Musician and Medieval Bard, Habbie Simpson, who is buried in the former West Kirk graveyard, and who made a significant contribution to the development of Kilbarchan as a community." 

Councillor Doig, seconded by Councillor McCartin, then moved the motion which was approved unanimously.

DECIDED:

(a) That Council notes that it is the official policy of Renfrewshire Council that all villages in Renfrewshire have the right to designate themselves as "Villages of Heritage and Culture", and accordingly Council encourages all village communities to promote their own distinctive cultural and historical narratives to highlight their contribution to Renfrewshire as a county; and 

(b) That Council agrees to erect a commemorative plaque in Church Street, Kilbarchan, to the memory of Kilbarchan's legendary musician and medieval bard, Habbie Simpson, who is buried in the former West Kirk graveyard, and who had made a significant contribution to the development of Kilbarchan as a community.

"This council recognises that there is an ongoing problem of dog fouling in Renfrewshire and commends Daventry District Council for making it illegal to walk your dog without carrying a dog poo bag.  A similar law exists in Australia.

 

Council instructs the Director of Environmental & Communities to investigate and bring a report back to Committee on the feasibility of making it illegal to walk your dog on public ground without carrying a bag to pick up your dog poo."

14
There was submitted a Notice of Motion by Councillors J MacLaren and Strang in the following terms:

"This council recognises that there is an ongoing problem of dog fouling in Renfrewshire and commends Daventry District Council for making it illegal to walk your dog without carrying a dog poo bag. A similar law exists in Australia. 

Council instructs the Director of Environmental & Communities to investigate and bring a report back to Committee on the feasibility of making it illegal to walk your dog on public ground without carrying a bag to pick up your dog poo." 

Councillor J MacLaren, seconded by Councillor Strang, then moved the motion.

In terms of Standing Order 27 Councillors J MacLaren and Strang, being the mover and seconder of the motion agreed to the following:-

in the first paragraph after ‘poo bag’ the words ‘and disposing of the filled bag in a council waste bin’ be added,

in the second paragraph after ‘walk your dog on' add the words 'any areas regarded as' and that the report address the position in terms of professional dog walkers.   

The motion as amended was approved unanimously.

DECIDED:

(a) That this Council recognises that there is an ongoing problem of dog fouling in Renfrewshire and commends Daventry District Council for making it illegal to walk your dog without carrying a dog poo bag and disposing of the filled bag in a council waste bin. A similar law exists in Australia;  

(b) That Council instructs the Director of Environmental & Communities to investigate and submit a report to the appropriate Policy Board on the feasibility of making it illegal to walk your dog on any areas regarded as public ground without carrying a bag to pick up your dog poo and addressing the position in terms of professional dog walkers.

"Reinstatement of Bargarran Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA)

 

This Council should be congratulated in creating a joint campus in which the two primary schools of St John Bosco and Bargarran representing different faiths share common facilities within the Bargarran neighbourhood of Erskine in Renfrewshire.

 

We regret that the planned multi-use games area to be used by the school and local youngsters, at no charge, appears to have been dropped from the original plans.

 

As many as 800 supporters have signed a petition to reinstate the MUGA.  We ask for Council support to make a conscious and positive decision to reinstate the project to build this Multi-Use Games Area in Bargarran."

15
There was submitted a notice of motion by Councillors Begg and Kerr which Provost L Cameron ruled was not competent in terms of Standing Order 19 (c).

"Council recognises the benefits of volunteering within our communities which includes boosting self-esteem, health and employment prospects.

 

Council congratulates volunteer-friendly organisations such as Environmental Training Team who work in partnership with a wide range of organisations across many sectors to provide volunteering opportunities and training.  Council notes that Environmental Training Team have a proven track record of volunteers obtaining employment or entering further education."

16
There was submitted a Notice of Motion by Councillors K MacLaren and Mylet in the following terms:

"Council recognises the benefits of volunteering within our communities which includes boosting self-esteem, health and employment prospects. 

Council congratulates volunteer-friendly organisations such as Environmental Training Team who work in partnership with a wide range of organisations across many sectors to provide volunteering opportunities and training. Council notes that Environmental Training Team have a proven track record of volunteers obtaining employment or entering further education." 

Councillor K MacLaren, seconded by Councillor Mylet, then moved the motion which was approved unanimously.

DECIDED:

(a) That Council recognises the benefits of volunteering within our communities which includes boosting self-esteem, health and employment prospects; and  

(b) That Council congratulates volunteer-friendly organisations such as Environmental Training Team who work in partnership with a wide range of organisations across many sectors to provide volunteering opportunities and training. Council also notes that Environmental Training Team have a proven track record of volunteers obtaining employment or entering further education.

"Council agrees to join the Final Straw campaign to stop the use of plastic straws in all facilities owned or run by the council.

 

Council understands that items such as these can take up to 500 years to decompose, posing a danger to both the onshore and marine environment and notes that, in Scotland, an estimated three billion such straws are thrown away each year.

 

Council will encourage all other businesses and organisations in Renfrewshire to support the Final Straw campaign and congratulates those who have already made a commitment to this, such as Cafe Su in Paisley.

17
There was submitted a Notice of Motion by Councillors Burns and K MacLaren in the following terms:

"Council agrees to join the Final Straw campaign to stop the use of plastic straws in all facilities owned or run by the council. 

Council understands that items such as these can take up to 500 years to decompose, posing a danger to both the onshore and marine environment and notes that, in Scotland, an estimated three billion such straws are thrown away each year. 

Council will encourage all other businesses and organisations in Renfrewshire to support the Final Straw campaign and congratulates those who have already made a commitment to this, such as Cafe Su in Paisley." 

Councillor Burns, seconded by Councillor K MacLaren, then moved the motion.

Councillor Davidson, seconded by Councillor Kennedy, moved as an amendment that Council agrees to consult with disability groups and manufacturers, to find a disposable flexible, biodegradable alternative to plastic straws, which is suitable for hot and cold drinks, before committing to join the Final Straw campaign.

In terms of Standing Order 27 Councillors Burns and K MacLaren, being the mover and seconder of the motion agreed to the amendment to the motion as follows:-

(a) That Council agrees to consult with disability groups and manufacturers, to find a disposable flexible, biodegradable alternative to plastic straws, which is suitable for hot and cold drinks, before committing to join the Final Straw campaign to stop the use of plastic straws in all facilities owned or run by the council;  

(b) That Council understands that items such as these can take up to 500 years to decompose, posing a danger to both the onshore and marine environment and notes that, in Scotland, an estimated three billion such straws are thrown away each year; and  

(c) That Council will encourage all other businesses and organisations in Renfrewshire to support the Final Straw campaign and congratulates those who have already made a commitment to this, such as Cafe Su in Paisley.  The motion as amended was approved unanimously.

DECIDED:

(a) That Council agrees to consult with disability groups and manufacturers, to find a disposable flexible, biodegradable alternative to plastic straws, which is suitable for hot and cold drinks, before committing to join the Final Straw campaign to stop the use of plastic straws in all facilities owned or run by the council;  

(b) That Council understands that items such as these can take up to 500 years to decompose, posing a danger to both the onshore and marine environment and notes that, in Scotland, an estimated three billion such straws are thrown away each year; and  

(c) That Council will encourage all other businesses and organisations in Renfrewshire to support the Final Straw campaign and congratulates those who have already made a commitment to this, such as Cafe Su in Paisley.

"Muga

 

Council notes that the removal of the Muga from the new joint campus in Bargarran, Erskine, would erode the leisure facilities that is available to the residents in the area.  Therefore, Council agrees to re-instate the Muga at the earliest opportunity, in conjunction with local residents, the Community Council and C@fe, to ensure that it is sited at the correct spot."

18
There was submitted a notice of motion by Councillors Harte and Dowling which Provost L Cameron was not competent in terms of Standing Order 19(c).
The 8 and 19 McGill's Services - "Council agrees to support every effort to retain the continuation of these bus services and calls on McGills and Strathclyde Passenger Transport to work together to ensure that the current level of service and the direct links provided by the No 8 and 19 services are maintained".  "Council calls upon the Scottish Government to consider re-regulation of bus services".  

Additional Meeting Documents

  1. pdf Minutes (2264Kb)
  2. pdf to follow minutes (867Kb)

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