There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Councillors Don, Grady and Sheridan.

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

 

Council, 3 March 2022
Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 15 March 2022
Regulatory Functions Board, 16 March 2022 
Education and Children's Services Policy Board, 17 March 2022
Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board, 21 March 2022
Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, 23 March 2022
Appointment Board, 23 March 2022
Petitions Board, 28 March 2022
Local Review Body, 29 March 2022
Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board, 30 March 2022
Regulatory Functions Board, 31 March 2022
Leadership Board, 20 April 2022
Appointment Board, 21 April 2022 
Placing Request and Exclusions Appeals Panel, 26 April 2022

DECIDED: That the Minutes be approved.

Under reference to item 15 of the Minute of the meeting of the Council held on 3 March 2022, there was submitted a report by the Director of Environment & Infrastructure relative to Renfrewshire’s Roads & Infrastructure Investment Strategy which set out the strategic, proactive approach to maintaining and improving Renfrewshire’s roads, pavements and pathways.

The report intimated that the current strategy, set out in the appendices to the report, had been used to support investment decisions in Renfrewshire’s road infrastructure over the last seven years. The report also provided a general update of other capital investment streams that had delivered significant infrastructure projects over the same period. 

The report noted that the five-year £40 million investment programme was the first time the Council had approved a multi-year investment which allowed a medium-to-longer term strategic approach to be taken to maintaining Renfrewshire’s road related infrastructure. The fourth year of the programme had just commenced, with £25 million invested over the last three years, with a further investment in the road network of over £11 million planned in 2022/23.

The report set out a summary of the investment achievements delivered over the last three years and advised that these benefits had been supported by sustained improved performance in the Scottish Local Government Benchmarking Framework indicators which could be attributed to the significant investment in recent years. Renfrewshire’s class A road network was now ranked 4th in Scotland, improving from 8th in 2018, with the class B network being ranked 7th, improving from 10th in 2018.

The report advised that annual improvement programmes were targeted at improving other infrastructure such as bridges, structures and street lighting. In addition to internal funding, the Council regularly secured external funding to deliver priority programmes with around £1 million each year being accessed from Strathclyde Passenger Transport as well as regular funding requests to Sustrans and Transport Scotland for improvements to active travel and electric charging points. It was noted that the service would endevour to adopt a long-term view to roads maintenance activities across all aspects of the roads infrastructure.
 
DECIDED:

(a) That the strategic approach to maintaining and improving Renfrewshire’s road assets and infrastructure, as set out in the report and supporting appendices, be noted; and

(b) That it be noted that Environment & Infrastructure would continue to adopt a strategic approach to tackling roads and infrastructure in the years ahead, subject to approved investment capacity reflecting future decisions made by the Council. 

Under reference to item 6 of the Minute of the meeting of the Council held on 3 March 2022, there was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources setting out arrangements for Board and Council meetings up to and including the next scheduled meeting of the Council to be held on 30 June 2022. The report also considered arrangements for the Statutory Meeting of the Council which would be held on 19 May 2022.

The report confirmed arrangements for meetings going forward considering the current position on public health measures and guidance in place to combat Covid-19, including the Omicron variant, and any other public health concerns that might prevent elected members attending meetings in person in the Council Chamber. It was noted that the arrangements set out in the report continued those previously put in place to allow maximum flexibility to enable meetings to take place in the most appropriate and safe way, while considering any public health guidance or advice available at the time of the meeting.

The report also proposed amendments to the Scheme of Delegated Functions; requested  a delegation to the Head of Corporate Governance to amend the Protocol for Relations between Political Groups, Elected Members and Officers; proposed arrangements for flag flying in respect of International Workers’ Memorial Day; requested a delegation to the Director of Communities & Housing Services to award funding for community gala days; and provided an update on the appeal by Paul Mack against the sanction of disqualification imposed by the Standards Commission of Scotland.

 

 

 

 

 

DECIDED:

 

(a) That the arrangements for Council and Board meetings, set out in section 3 of the report, which would continue to include the options to use hybrid meetings involving elected members attending meetings in person in Renfrewshire House, should this be consistent with advice and guidance on public health, or to hold meetings remotely using the Teams platform be approved;

 

(b) That it be noted that the arrangements for future meetings of Council and Boards would be brought to the next scheduled meeting of the Council on 30 June 2022;

(c) That it be noted that the Statutory Meeting of the Council to be held on 19 May 2022 would be held in the Council Chambers with the Chief Executive initially as the Chair;

(d) That Section 5E of the Council’s Scheme of Delegated Functions be amended to include an additional delegation to the Director of Environment & Infrastructure as follows: “To determine, in written consultation with the Heads of Corporate Governance and Facilities Management, the Provost and political group leaders, which major events deserving of recognition in respect of which flags are to be flown from Council buildings” and that the remaining paragraphs are renumbered accordingly;

(e) That Section F, delegations to the Director of Finance & Resources, paragraph 1(b) be amended to reflect changes in guidance related to legislation, by the addition of the words in italics: “(b) to change references to any piece of legislation or related guidance where the legislation or guidance is amended or repealed and to insert references to new pieces of legislation or guidance where the new pieces of legislation or guidance largely re-enact the provisions of the amended or repealed legislation or guidance.”;

(f) That paragraph 61 of Section D, delegations to the Director of Communities & Housing Services be amended from “61. In respect of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 Prevent Guidance (Scotland) to be the Council’s single point of contact for Prevent and to make arrangements for holding Prevent Professional Concerns Case Conferences as required.” to “61. In respect of the guidance issued under sections 36(7) and 38(6) of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 to support Prevent Multi-Agency Panel Members – to be the Council’s single point of contact for Prevent and to be the designated Chair of PMAP Renfrewshire.”;

(g) That it be delegated to the Head of Corporate Governance to update the Protocol for Relations between Political Groups, Elected Members and Officers to reflect changes in data protection legislation, the Councillors’ Code of Conduct and changes in officer titles; 

(h) That it be agreed that each year on International Workers’ Memorial Day all flags at Renfrewshire House, and Renfrew and Johnstone Town Halls be flown at half-mast;

(i) That it be delegated to the Director of Communities & Housing Services to consider applications and award funding to organisations involved in running local gala days, as set out in paragraph 6.1 of this report; and 

 

(j) That it be noted that the appeal by Paul Mack had been heard by the Court of Session and a written decision had been issued on 11 March 2022, and that the appeal had been upheld to the extent that the Court reduced the period of disqualification to a period of 10 months running from 10 May 2021.

Under reference to item 9 of the Minute of the meeting of the Audit, Risk & Scrutiny Board held on 21 March 2022, there was submitted a report by the Lead Officer relative to the review of bus deregulation and the effect on transport services within Renfrewshire.

The report summarised the scope and findings of the review, which had been submitted to meetings of the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board over the last two years, incorporating a pause during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The report intimated that the findings of the review demonstrated that the bus industry was in a state of flux as a result of the pandemic and provisions of the new Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 but that, despite this, there were a number of opportunities for the Council to work in partnership with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, commercial operators and local communities to promote, strengthen and enhance bus services across Renfrewshire.

The report advised that subsequent to the meeting of the Board, McGills Buses had contacted the Chief Executive indicating that there was a factual error in paragraph 4.2 of the report at the third bullet point. It was noted that paragraph 1.5 of the report submitted to the Council meeting also contained a factual error and that this should read ‘The majority of bus services in Scotland are operated on a commercial basis by privately owned operators. Transport Scotland subsidises a proportion of the costs of the bus network (around 44%) through a Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG). Payments are also made to operators under the national concessionary bus travel scheme (NCT).’ 

It was noted that McGills had advised that the BSOG amounts to around 10% of operator costs nationally and around 7% of their costs and members were asked to note that the reference to the 44% figure did not relate solely to the BSOG but was the proportion of operators’ revenue made up from various elements. The section of the report should have read ‘The majority of bus services in Scotland are operated on a commercial basis by privately owned operators. 44% of operator revenue nationally comes from Local or Central Government Transport Scotland through concessionary travel reimbursement, Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) or supported services.’

DECIDED:

(a) That the review outcomes be noted, subject to paragraph 4.2 being amended to read ‘The majority of bus services in Scotland are operated on a commercial basis by privately owned operators. Transport Scotland subsidises a proportion of the costs of the bus network (around 44%) through a Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG). Payments are also made to operators under the national concessionary bus travel scheme (NCT).’; and

(b) That the recommendations of the Board’s review, as set out in section 6 of the report, be approved.

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

"Cutting of toenails

Council recognises that cutting toenails is not a job for the health service. However it also recognises that it is a service which needs to be done, and that the present ways of dealing with this are totally unsatisfactory.

This service is part of personal care, and has been recognised as such for some years. However little has been done to try to find a way of providing this service to those who need it and for whom private sector provision is just too expensive.

It is recognised that some voluntary sector groups, such as ROAR, are now providing toenail cutting services, but there is a long waiting list for this.

Council will therefore examine ways that this service can be brought under the jurisdiction of the Health and Social Care partnership to provide a meaningful way of ensuring that the mainly elderly people who require this service can have it provided under the heading of “free personal care” as has previously been the case with other such services.

It is not good enough that this simple yet vital service has effectively been privatised out of NHS podiatry services, with elderly people who can ill afford it having to pay £30 or more to a private provider, or rely on a charity for services."

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

DECIDED: Council recognised that cutting toenails was not a job for the health service. However it also recognised that it was a service which needed to be done, and that the present ways of dealing with this were totally unsatisfactory.

This service was part of personal care, and had been recognised as such for some years. However little had been done to try to find a way of providing this service to those who needed it and for whom private sector provision was just too expensive.

It was recognised that some voluntary sector groups, such as ROAR, were now providing toenail cutting services, but there was a long waiting list for this.

Council would therefore examine ways that this service could be brought under the jurisdiction of the Health and Social Care partnership to provide a meaningful way of ensuring that the mainly elderly people who required this service could have it provided under the heading of “free personal care” as had previously been the case with other such services.

It was not good enough that this simple yet vital service had effectively been privatised out of NHS podiatry services, with elderly people who could ill afford it having to pay £30 or more to a private provider, or rely on a charity for services.

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

"The Powers of Community Wardens to Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour

Council commends council officers for their commitment to promoting the strategies of Renfrewshire Council in relation to dealing with anti- social behaviour, and notes positively the recent update to the anti- social behaviour strategy of the Council. However, Council nonetheless regrets the very real negative effects that anti-social behaviour continues to have on our towns, villages, and communities.”

Council agrees to examine best practice in other local authorities, in terms of increasing the powers of community wardens to eradicate anti- social behaviour, including looking at closer co-operation with Police Scotland and developing the authority and powers of community wardens to deal with anti-social behaviour, and resolves to report back and make a recommendation to the appropriate policy board”.

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

DECIDED: Council commended council officers for their commitment to promoting the strategies of Renfrewshire Council in relation to dealing with anti- social behaviour, and noted positively the recent update to the anti- social behaviour strategy of the Council. However, Council nonetheless regretted the very real negative effects that anti-social behaviour continued to have on our towns, villages, and communities.

Council agreed to examine best practice in other local authorities, in terms of increasing the powers of community wardens to eradicate anti- social behaviour, including looking at closer co-operation with Police Scotland and developing the authority and powers of community wardens to deal with anti-social behaviour, and resolved to report back and make a recommendation to the appropriate policy board.

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

"The Leasing of Council Assets to Small Businesses and Social Enterprises

“Council believes that community empowerment should be a reality and not just a slogan, and commends those community groups across Renfrewshire which have successfully asset transferred former unused, or disused, council facilities to make them into viable and thriving community assets.

 

“Council agrees to formulate a strategy that in the event of unused council assets in the community, such as playpark pavilions, where there is no tangible appetite for asset transfer in any given community despite it being promoted and offered, will offer to lease such council assets to small businesses and social enterprises”.

 

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

DECIDED: Council believed that community empowerment should be a reality and not just a slogan, and commended those community groups across Renfrewshire which had successfully asset transferred former unused, or disused, council facilities to make them into viable and thriving community assets.

Council agreed to formulate a strategy that in the event of unused council assets in the community, such as playpark pavilions, where there was no tangible appetite for asset transfer in any given community despite it being promoted and offered, would offer to lease such council assets to small businesses and social enterprises.

There was submitted a Notice of Motion by Councillors Ann-Dowling and McCulloch in the following terms:

"Food Champion

Council agrees to prioritise food justice as part of its cost of living crisis response and commits to bring about change locally by appointing a Food Champion.

It’s unacceptable that in one of the richest countries in the world, many households across Renfrewshire struggle to put food on the table, before and during the Covid-19 crisis. Food poverty has become more acute due to a cost of living crisis that has hit many households hard.

Council notes that local authorities across the UK have appointed a food champion and a growing number are consolidating Covid Support Groups into formalised networks and partnerships. Council agrees to prepare for next meeting a comprehensive strategy on how to meaningfully develop a food partnership to help deliver food justice in Renfrewshire."

Councillor Ann-Dowling, seconded by Councillor McCulloch, then moved the motion.

Councillor Nicolson, seconded by Councillor Paterson, moved as amendment that the motion be amended by replacing the text after the word ‘partnership’ with:   

“Council agrees that a comprehensive strategy is required on developing and maintaining food/fuel partnerships. That an update/action plan outlining timescales and work to develop a strategy be brought to the next leadership board, that a senior lead officer be identified as ‘food champion’ to support the strategy and recommends that the Leadership Board has food/fuel insecurity as a standing item on the agenda”.

 

 

In terms of Standing Order 27, Councillors Ann-Dowling and McCulloch, being the mover and seconder of the motion agreed to accept the amendment to the motion, and the motion, as amended, was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: Council agreed to prioritise food justice as part of its cost of living crisis response and committed to bring about change locally by appointing a Food Champion.

It was unacceptable that in one of the richest countries in the world, many households across Renfrewshire struggled to put food on the table, before and during the Covid-19 crisis. Food poverty had become more acute due to a cost of living crisis that had hit many households hard.

Council noted that local authorities across the UK had appointed a food champion and a growing number were consolidating Covid Support Groups into formalised networks and partnerships. 

Council agreed that a comprehensive strategy was required on developing and maintaining food/fuel partnerships. That an update/action plan outlining timescales and work to develop a strategy be brought to the next leadership board, that a senior lead officer be identified as ‘food champion’ to support the strategy and recommended that the Leadership Board has food/fuel insecurity as a standing item on the agenda.

There was submitted a Notice of Motion from Councillors McNaughtan and M MacLaren in the following terms:

"Renfrewshire’s Historic Graveyards

That Council agrees that officers should undertake a review of the historic graveyards within Renfrewshire, identifying ownership and maintenance requirements and report back with recommendations to enhance the valuable contribution these can make for tourism and future generations."

Councillor McNaughtan, seconded by Councillor K MacLaren, then moved the motion which was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That Council agreed that officers should undertake a review of the historic graveyards within Renfrewshire, identifying ownership and maintenance requirements and report back with recommendations to enhance the valuable contribution these could make for tourism and future generations.

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

"Council recognises the pressure on public finances due to Brexit and the Covid pandemic and recognise the need for an open and transparent tax raising system; Council calls on the UK Government to seriously tackle tax evasion within the UK and ensure that tax fraud is treated with the same determination and focus that the UK Government applies to benefit fraud."

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

DECIDED: Council recognised the pressure on public finances due to Brexit and the Covid pandemic and recognised the need for an open and transparent tax raising system; Council called on the UK Government to seriously tackle tax evasion within the UK and ensure that tax fraud was treated with the same determination and focus that the UK Government applied to benefit fraud.

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

"Consultation on Swimming Pool Facility for Johnstone Town Centre

“Council recognises that the concept of the Johnstone Sports Hub was initiated in good faith, but notes that Covid restrictions have led to reduced accessibility for the swimming public in Johnstone and the Villages due to the amenity being part of the school estate, compared to other One Ren amenities in Renfrewshire. Council regrets this has led to a reduced service for the swimming public.

Council further notes with concern the continued corporate pull away from Johnstone town centre towards the Paton’s Mill Retail Park and Morrisons, and therefore resolves to carry out a wide ranging consultation with the people of Johnstone, Johnstone Community Council, Johnstone Business Consortium, all local Tenants and Residents Associations, One Ren, and other interested parties, about restoring a swimming pool facility in Johnstone town centre.”

 

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

Councillor Bibby, seconded by Councillor Davidson, moved as a first amendment that the motion be amended by adding the following:

“Meantime the council will work with its partner agency One Ren to make immediate arrangements for increased public access to the swimming pool in the hub, and will bring a report to the new council at its June meeting detailing proposed measures to address the current concerns of the public, and how increased access will be facilitated.”

Councillor Nicolson, seconded by Councillor Paterson, moved as a second amendment that the motion be deleted and replaced with the following:

“Council recognises that all our swimming pools are important to our local communities and that all may need varying levels of investment. Council agrees that an Asset Improvement Plan (AIP) specific to Swimming Pools be developed to inform an investment strategy for all pools across Renfrewshire. These being Renfrew Victory Baths, Paisley Lagoon, Erskine Pool, Johnstone Sports Hub and the Linwood ON-X.

The AIP will provide elected members and the public with a clear strategy which will ensure that all our pools will continue to be part of our leisure offer well into the future.”

In terms of Standing Order 27, Councillors Andy Doig and Hood, being the mover and seconder of the motion, agreed to accept the first amendment to the motion from Councillors Bibby and Davidson, as an addition to the motion.

On the roll being called, the following members voted for the amendment: Councillors Adam-McGregor, Begg, Burns, J Cameron, Provost Cameron, Councillors Campbell, Audrey Doig, Hughes, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, McCartin, McEwan, McGurk, McNaughtan, Mylet, Nicolson, Paterson, Rodden, Shaw and Steel.

The following members voted for the motion, as amended: Councillors Ann-Dowling, Bibby, Binks, Brown, Davidson, Devine, Andy Doig, Graham, Harte, Hood, Kerr, Mackay, J MacLaren, McCulloch, McIntyre, Montgomery and Strang.

20 members having voted for the amendment and 17 members having voted for the motion, the amendment was accordingly declared carried.

DECIDED: Council recognised that all our swimming pools were important to our local communities and that all might need varying levels of investment. Council agreed that an Asset Improvement Plan (AIP) specific to Swimming Pools be developed to inform an investment strategy for all pools across Renfrewshire. These being Renfrew Victory Baths, Paisley Lagoon, Erskine Pool, Johnstone Sports Hub and the Linwood ON-X.

The AIP would provide elected members and the public with a clear strategy which would ensure that all our pools would continue to be part of our leisure offer well into the future.

 

 

There was submitted a Notice of Motion by Provost Cameron and Councillor Nicolson in the following terms:

"Council agrees to fly the Pride Rainbow flag during Pride Month, which takes place annually in June, with exception of the flag raising days already previously agreed by Council.”

Provost Cameron, seconded by Councillor Nicolson, then moved the motion which was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: Council agreed to fly the Pride Rainbow flag during Pride Month, which took place annually in June, with exception of the flag raising days already previously agreed by Council.