TO: Provost Fletcher; Depute Provost Cunningham; and Councillors Aitken, Bamforth, Buchanan, Convery, Devlin, Gilbert, Grant, Ireland, Lafferty, Macdonald, McLean, Merrick, Miller, O’Kane, Swift and Wallace.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL

A meeting of the East Renfrewshire Council will be held within the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Eastwood Park, Giffnock,

on Thursday 27 February 2020 at 10.00 am.

The agenda of business is as listed below.

Yours faithfully
Caroline Innes
C INNES
DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Provost will make a statement that the meeting will be webcast live and recorded for later publicly accessible archive viewing.

PROGRAMME OF BUSINESS

1. Report apologies for absence.

2. Declarations of Interest.

3. Submit for approval as a correct record and signature the Minute of meeting of the Council held on 18 December 2019.

4.Submit for approval as a correct record the Minutes of meetings for the period 19 December 2019 to 26 February 2020.

5. Items Remitted to the Council:-

(i) Local Policing Plan 2020-2023 (copy attached, pages 5 - 16)(Cabinet (Police & Fire) – 13 February 2020).

Cabinet (Police & Fire) Recommendation

That the 2020-2023 Local Policing Plan be approved.

(ii) Treasury Management Strategy – Report by Head of Accountancy (Chief Financial Officer)(copy attached, pages 17 - 68)(Audit & Scrutiny Committee – 20 February 2020).

Audit & Scrutiny Committee Recommendation

Chair to report.

6. Statements by Conveners/Representatives on Joint Boards/Committees.

7. Provost’s Engagements – Report by Deputy Chief Executive (copy attached, pages 69 - 70).

8. Vision for the Future – Report by Chief Executive (copy attached, pages 71 - 126).

9. Financial Planning 2020-2026 - Report by Head of Accountancy (Chief Financial Officer)(copy attached, pages 127 - 146).

10. East Renfrewshire Council Revenue Estimates 2020/21 – Report by Head of Accountancy (Chief Financial Officer) (copy attached, pages 147 - 280).

11. Capital Investment Strategy – Report by Report by Head of Accountancy (Chief Financial Officer) (copy attached, pages 281 - 372).

12. General Fund Capital Plan 2020/21 to 2029/30 – Report by Head of Accountancy (Chief Financial Officer) (copy attached, pages 373 - 392).

13. HRA Budget 2020/21 – Report by Director of Environment (copy attached, pages 393 - 402).

14. Housing Capital Programme 2020/21 to 2024/25 – Report by Director of Environment (copy attached, pages 403 - 408).

15.Changes to Pre-Determination Hearing Procedures – Report by Deputy Chief Executive (copy attached, pages 409 - 412).

16. Post of Director of Education – Report by Deputy Chief Executive (copy attached, pages 413 - 416).

17. Traffic Orders – Reports (3) by Director of Environment

(i) The East Renfrewshire Council (Disabled Persons’ Parking Places)(On-Street) Order 2020 (copy attached, pages 417 - 434).

(ii) The East Renfrewshire Council (Electric Vehicle Charging Place)(On-Street and Off-Street Car Parks) Order (copy attached, pages 435 - 450).

(iii) The East Renfrewshire Council (C9 Aurs Road, Barrhead to Newton Mearns)(30mph & 40mph Speed Limits) Order 2020 (copy attached, pages 451 - 456).

18.East Renfrewshire HSCP Integration Scheme – Report by Chief Officer – HSCP (copy attached, pages 457 - 502).

You can read the full agenda/papers here -

www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=25987&p=0


You can read all the minutes here -

www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=26008&p=0

I also notice that it is proposed that the full council no longer deal with council applications to alter speed limits.

This should be removed from them and passed onto the Cabinet only.

ie. The Cartel.

Also proposed is that Pre - Application meetings (Large Planning Applications) should be removed from the full council, and replaced with a number of other proposals.

Basically removing the ability of 18 Cllrs to make a decision and referring these to the Planning Applications Committee only.

Agenda Item No 10

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL
27 February 2020
Report by Head of Accountancy (Chief Financial Officer)
REVENUE ESTIMATES 2020/21

COUNCIL TAX

23.The Council may increase Council Tax by up to 4.84% in 2020/21.

In the 3 year budget plans prepared after public consultation in February 2018, a 3% council tax increase was included for each of the 3 years and in 2019/20 East Renfrewshire was one of a minority of Councils who limited their Council Tax increase to only 3%.

Due to the sustained financial challenges facing the Council, however, it is proposed that a 4.84% increase is agreed for 2020/21.

This will increase income by £2.722m per year and reduce the budget gap to £15.337m.

COUNCIL TAX 2020/21

49.The appended revenue estimates are based on a Band D Council Tax level of £1,289.96 being set for 2020/21.

This proposed Council Tax level represents a 4.84% increase when compared to the current year’s level.


Published Barrhead News On Line -

26/2/2020

News

2 hrs ago
By Drew Sandelands

£18m budget squeeze will lead to tax rise and cuts to public services

ALMOST £12million of savings have been identified by East Renfrewshire Council as it tries to plug a massive hole in its budget.

A host of services are set to have their spending squeezed, with plans in place to cut the level of support offered to some of the area’s “lowest-performing” schoolkids.

The proposals, which will go before councillors tomorrow, would also hit leisure services and see cuts made to devolved school management budgets.

Even hanging baskets are in line for the chop as the local authority attempts to cope with an £18m financial black hole.

Almost £3m is set to be raised by increasing council tax by 4.84 per cent – the maximum allowed by the Scottish Government.

This would see the average bill for local residents living in Band D properties rise by £60 to £1,289.

Those living in the top-rated Band H properties would pay a whopping £3,160 – almost £150 more than their current bill.

As well as the council tax hike, a total of £11.8m worth of savings have been outlined, with the remaining £3.5m shortfall to be met from the council’s reserves.

East Renfrewshire Council expects to receive a £189m settlement from the Scottish Government, which is its biggest source of funding.

Councillor Tony Buchanan, council leader, said imposing the maximum council tax increase was an “extremely difficult decision.”

He added: “It’s not a decision we’ve taken lightly because we know it does put an extra burden on our residents.

“Without generating the additional income, there would have to be further reductions in funding for our schools, to the public infrastructure services such as roads, parks and cleansing services. It’s about providing those services.”

Around £10.5m of savings have already been identified, with £6.8m previously agreed.

There would be £3.7m of new savings, with £1.3m to be found over the next year.

These “difficult” new savings include cutting support for the area’s lowest-performing pupils by £442,000, taking £360,000 from school management budgets and asking the East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure Trust to increase its savings target from £110,000 to £211,000.

There is £65,000 of savings outlined through removing recycling points and £15,000 from removing a hanging basket scheme.

Increasing income from parks and grounds maintenance could bring in £100,000.

Previously agreed savings include removing classroom assistants and bilingual support workers in schools.

There is £3.2m of targeted savings for the Integration Joint Board – a partnership between the council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Councillor Buchanan said the council “remains committed” to a “wide range of ambitious projects,” with almost £210m to be spent on capital plans over the next 10 years.

Two-thirds of that money will be spent in the next three years, he added.

This includes almost £25m on nurseries at Cross Arthurlie, Busby, Clarkston, Eaglesham, Newton Mearns and Thornliebank and around £30m on leisure and learning facilities in Neilston.

In addition, hundreds of new council houses are being built at locations in Barrhead and Newton Mearns.