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Meeting Details

Leadership Board
16 Sep 2020 - 13:00 to 14:00
Occurred
  • Documents
  • Attendance
  • Visitors
  • Declarations of Interests

Documents

Agenda

Agenda
Standard Items
Recording of Meeting
This meeting will be recorded for subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site. If you have any queries regarding this please contact Committee Services on 07534 058160. To find the recording please follow the link which will be attached to this agenda once the meeting has concluded. Please note that only meetings of the Emergencies Board from 17 April 2020 onward have been recorded for broadcast.
Recording of Leadership Board - 16 September 2020
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.
Councillor Hughes declared a non-financial interest in respect of items 1, 6 and 7 of the agenda as she was Chair of the Board of Renfrewshire Leisure Limited. Councillor Hughes indicated that as she had a general dispensation from the Standards Commission which allowed her to take part and to vote in relation to such matters it was her intention to remain in the meeting during consideration of these items. 

Councillor McCartin declared a non-financial interest in respect of items 1, 6 and 7 of the agenda as she was a member of the Board of Renfrewshire Leisure Limited. Councillor McCartin indicated that as she had a general dispensation from the Standards Commission which allowed her to take part and to vote in relation to such matters it was her intention to remain in the meeting during consideration of these items.
Chair
Councillor Nicolson, Convener, presided.
In Attendance
S Black, Chief Executive; M Crearie, Director of Communities, Housing & Planning Services; G McNeil, Director of Environment & Infrastructure; A Russell, Director of Finance & Resources; S Quinn, Director of Children's Services; L Mahon, Head of Communications and Marketing, L McIntyre, Head of Policy and Commissioning and A Morrison, Head of Regeneration (all Chief Executive's); K Graham, Head of Corporate Governance, A MacArthur, Head of Finance, L Neary, Head of Transformation, HR and OD, M Conaghan, Legal and Democratic Services Manager, D Low, Democratic Services Manager and T Slater, Senior Committee Servies Officer (all Finance and Resources); D Leese, Chief Officer, Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership; and V Hollows, Chief Executive, Renfrewshire Leisure.
Recording of Meeting
Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Board would be recorded and that the recording would be available to watch on the Council's website.
Section 1 Heading
Section 1
Report by Chief Executive, Director of Finance and Resources and Chief Finance Officer, Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership
1
There was submitted a joint revenue budget monitoring report by the Chief Executive, Director of Finance & Resources and Chief Finance Officer, Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership summarising the financial position for services reporting to this Board for the period to 26 June 2020.

DECIDED: 

(a) That the projected revenue outturn position detailed in Table 1 of the report be noted;

(b) That the projected capital outturn position detailed in Table 2 of the report be noted; and 

(c) That the budget adjustments detailed at sections 4 and 6 of the report be noted.
Section 2 Heading
Section 2
Report by Chief Executive
2
There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the preparation and publication of a Local Child Poverty Action Report (the Report) for Renfrewshire, a copy of which was appended to the report. 

The report intimated that the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 required that each local authority and each relevant Health Board must jointly prepare and publish a Local Child Poverty Action Report after the end of each reporting year. The Report was required to describe measures taken during the reporting year within the local authority area that reduced child poverty or improved outcomes for children living in poverty together with planned and proposed future actions. 

The Report set out activities undertaken in Renfrewshire to reduce child poverty between April 2019 and March 2020 and also planned and proposed actions for the future. The Report had been developed jointly by Renfrewshire Council, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership. It also included information about partnership work to tackle child poverty across Renfrewshire's Community Planning Partnership area.

DECIDED:

(a) That the content of the draft Child Poverty Local Action Report 2019/20 be noted; and

(b) That it be agreed that the Local Child Poverty Action Report be published.
Section 3 Heading
Section 3
Report by Chief Executive
3
Under reference to item 5 of the Minute of the meeting of Council held on 27 February 2020, there was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the establishment of a Sub-committee of the Leadership Board to ensure the continued oversight of the climate change response by elected members.

The report proposed that the Climate Change Sub-committee be chaired by a member of the Administration, with 7 members in total (4 members from the Administration and 3 members from opposition groups as nominated by group leaders). The membership of the Climate Change Sub-committee would be drawn primarily from the membership of the Leadership Board but with discretion available to groups to appoint members who were not on the Board but who had a particular interest in the remit of the Sub-committee. The report suggested that the role of Vice Chair be held by an opposition member from the Sub-committee.

The report intimated that the first meeting of the Climate Change Sub-committee would take place in late October with meetings scheduled to take place following each main meeting of the Leadership Board, which would allow for 5 meetings to be held each year. A draft Terms of Reference for the Sub-committee was appended to the report.

DECIDED:

(a) That the proposed terms of reference, meeting and membership arrangements for the Climate Change Sub-committee be agreed; and 

(b) That it be noted that regular progress updates on the climate change response would continue to be reported to the Leadership Board.
 
Section 4 Heading
Section 4
Report by Director of Finance & Resources
4
There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to the development of a new Renfrewshire Digital Strategy to replace the previous strategy covering the period from 2016 to 2019.

Renfrewshire’s Digital Strategy, a copy of which was appended to the report,  outlined an approach to embedding digital across the Council in a way that closely aligned with the Council’s ambitions for Renfrewshire and ensured that the Council worked collaboratively to maximise the opportunities from emerging digital technologies and new ways of working and doing business. The new strategy had been developed further to reflect the Council’s experience during lockdown, showing the increasing importance of digital in how the Council worked, provided services, engaged with communities and educated children. The key elements of the Strategy were outlined in the report. 
 
DECIDED:

(a) That Renfrewshire’s Digital Strategy appended to the report be approved; and

(b) That it be noted that a further report would be submitted to the December Leadership Board meeting with a progress update.
Section 5
Report by Director of Environment and Infrastructure
5
Under reference to item 7 of the Minute of meeting of this Board held on 19 February 2020, there was submitted a report by the Director of Environment & Infrastructure relative to car parking in Paisley Town Centre.

The report intimated that between 27 March and 17 August 2020, car parking charges were temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic to support key workers. As a result of this temporary suspension the pilot agreed at the meeting of this Board on 19 February 2020 did not operate and therefore no data or evaluation of the pilot could be undertaken. For this reason the report proposed that the period for the pilot scheme be extended for a further six months. The data captured through the extended pilot period would also feed into the work being undertaken as part of the wider economic recovery plan from the COVID-19 pandemic.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be noted that the extension of three hours free car parking in five car parks in Paisley Town Centre was unable to be undertaken due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and

(b) That it be agreed that the pilot be extended for a further six months to allow a calendar year worth of data to be gathered and evaluated for the economic, financial and transportation impact of the car parking pilot, with a report being brought back to a future Leadership Board to inform future car parking policy in Paisley Town Centre.
Section 6
Report by Chief Officer, Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership
6
There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer, Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership, relative to a service update for the Adult Social Work Service.

The report advised that Adult Social Work Services across the Health and Social Care Partnership had moved quickly to respond to the emerging coronavirus pandemic, protecting and supporting employees and communities and particularly vulnerable people across the area. It was noted that staff working across the Council had shown great commitment and resilience during the pandemic delivering essential services, volunteering to support frontline services and helping others to remain safe at home.

The report provided a broad overview of the key areas impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the service areas paused and restarted, the particular areas of focus now and in the near future and any specific risks and priorities.

DECIDED: That the report be noted.
Section 7 Heading
Section 7
Report by Chief Executive
7
There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive, Renfrewshire Leisure, relative to an update on the operation of Renfrewshire Leisure with a summary of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the organisation since March 2020. The report outlined the operational and financial disruption experienced and provided information on how the organisation had adapted to these changed circumstances. The report also outlined the key priorities and areas of risk for the remainder of the financial year.

DECIDED: That the report be noted.
Report by Director of Communities, Housing & Planning Servoces
8
There was submitted a report by the Director of Communities, Housing and Planning Services relative to a proposal to adapt the new Culture Heritage and Events Fund (CHEF) into Renfrewshire’s Cultural Recovery and Renewal Fund to offer swift support to Renfrewshire’s culture sector at this time.

The report intimated that £0.2 million had been allocated to CHEF at the meeting of Renfrewshire Council held on 9 March 2020 to support projects across Renfrewshire. The report proposed that this funding be adapted into a suite of three funding programmes to help support cultural organisations, provide artist development grants and help to fund town centre and neighbourhood creative installations.

Renfrewshire Leisure would develop the eligibility, criteria and assessment and decision-making processes with the funds aiming to open by the end of 2020. Recommendations of awards would be made by officers and the report proposed that a review panel comprised of two elected members, one from the Renfrewshire Leisure Limited Board of Directors and one from Renfrewshire Council and one community representative appointed by Engage Renfrewshire be established to review the recommended awards. Delegated authority would sit with the Director of Communities, Housing and Planning to make a final determination of the grant applications taking into account the views of the review panel to ensure that funds were distributed as quickly as possible. A full report would be brought back to a future meeting of this Board to update on progress with the distribution of the grants from the Fund.    

DECIDED:

(a) That in light of the extreme impact of Covid-19 on Renfrewshire’s culture sector the £200,000 allocated for a new fund be repurposed to become Renfrewshire’s Cultural Recovery and Renewal Fund;

(b) That further work be taken forward by officers to develop the funds eligibility, criteria, funding caps per application and assessment process to ensure a swift, simple and inclusive process;

(c) That a review panel be put in place, comprised of two elected members, one from the Renfrewshire Leisure Limited Board of Directors and one from Renfrewshire Council and one community representative appointed by Engage Renfrewshire to review the recommended awards made by the assessing officers, and that authority be delegated to the Director of Communities Housing & Planning to determine the applications for funding taking into account the views of the review panel and to distribute the agreed awards, to enable funds to be swiftly distributed; and 

(d) That a report updating progress with the distribution of grants from the fund be brought back to a future meeting of the Board.
Section 8 Heading
Section 8

Attendance

Name
No other member attendance information has been recorded for the meeting.
NameReason for Sending Apology
No apology information has been recorded for the meeting.
NameReason for Absence
No absentee information has been recorded for the meeting.

Declarations of Interests

Member NameItem Ref.DetailsNature of DeclarationAction
Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes1, 6, 7 Chair of the Board of Renfrewshire Leisure Limited.Non-PecuniaryRemained in meeting due to having a general dispensation from the Standards Commission which allowed her to participate in discussion/vote.
Councillor Eileen McCartin1, 6, 7Member of the Board of Renfrewshire Leisure LimitedNon-PecuniaryRemained in meeting due to having a general dispensation from the Standards Commission which allowed participation in discussion/vote.

Visitors

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