How Good is Our Service - April 2026

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Voids performance has dropped in April to 63% and is well below or target of 85%.  The service has been working through a significant backlog of properties over the past few months with a large number of these properties requiring high-cost repairs.  This has had a significant impact on turnaround times; however, we are progressing well with these and are close to the point of returning these properties.  We have implemented operational changes within the section, and we are confident that performance will improve and be maintained in the coming months.

Property Maintenance have achieved our target of 100% Gas Servicing in April with 355 properties serviced in the month.  We continue to manage this contract robustly to ensure compliance each month and continually throughout the year.

The average number of days to complete non-emergency repairs in April is 9.94 days and exceeds our target of 12 days.  Our focus remains on maintaining a high level of performance in this area throughout 2026/27 and we will continue to review operational process with a view to achieving our targets  

Kitchen, Bathroom Heating and Fencing upgrade programmes are ongoing, and progress continues in carrying out reactive works across the education and non-housing stock, with decoration works ongoing across the school estate. 

Cyclical maintenance gutter cleaning and close painting programmes are ongoing and will continue throughout 2026/27.

Work had started in preparation for the new menu change in 2026 which reflected the feedback we had received from pupils and schools this year.  However, given recent discussions with Food for Life, an application for reaccreditation is being pursued based on the menu meeting their criteria.  As a result, the current menu will run until the end of this school term.

The service has experienced an issue with our cashless catering system this month, with the figures being reported significantly below expectation.  Officers are engaging with the provider to rectify the position and to ensure that the information is accurate.  Estimated uptake figures have been used for April until such times as actual figured are available.  The service continues to work with suppliers to source locally produced produce, with 54% of the school menus now using locally sourced produce.

Thirteen of the first fifteen new mechanised crossing points have now been installed with school crossing patrollers previously located at 4 of the 13 locations now relocated to alternative locations.  The recruitment exercise for additional school crossing patrollers is ongoing with a view to staffing all vacant crossing points which are not currently or due to be mechanised.  Following the recruitment drive in March, a number of applications were received, with one new school crossing patroller starting in May at Millersneuk Primary School with a further 3 more interviews scheduled for May. 

Following the 20% reduction in cleaning across the Council’s Corporate estate, a new cleaning model has now been agreed and is currently being implemented.  The service is progressing the recruitment of 900+ weekly cleaning hours across the East, West and Central locations.  Over 600 hours have now been filled with further interviews scheduled following a very successful recruitment open day at Auchinairn Community and Early Years Centre.

The service has robust measures in place to monitor performance with regards gas safety compliance across the Operational Estate.  EICR’s are being progressed across all educational properties over the coming months, with Harestanes Primary School, Colquhoun Park Primary School and Auld Kirk Museum completed this month.
Officers continue to progress reactive repairs across the operational estate, although currently focusing on H&S related repairs and ensuring assets remain wind and watertight.  

Estates Management continue to market vacant premises within the non-operational estate.  At present the non-operational estate is over 94% occupied, with vacant suites in Southbank Marina being actively marketed by agents, DM Hall.  The closing date for offers for of Lenzie Public Hall was Friday 30th January 2026.  Two applications for Community Asset Transfers were received and are being progressed in line with the Council’s CAT Policy.
 
Officers continue to progress disposals with colleagues in Legal Services to ensure that capital receipts are delivered and ongoing liabilities i.e. non-domestic rates, utilities, security etc are reduced.  Kelvinbank Nursery has now been vacated by Streetscene and officers are now progressing the disconnection of services and demolition, with discussions ongoing with Housing around the transfer of the site to the HRA.

The Service continues to progress a wide range of capital projects both in pre-construction and construction phases.  

The construction delivery agreement for the Westerhill Development Road project was agreed in March 2026 and preparations are now underway for the contractor’s mobilisation and works commencing in May 2026.

The refurbishment of Milngavie Primary School (completion July 2026) continues to progress well, with the roofs now replaced in full and the tented scaffold now removed.  The construction of a replacement Balmuildy Primary School also continues to make good progress, with superstructure works now well progressed.  The refurbishment of Torrance Community Centre has now completed and the building will be re-opened to the public in early May 2026.

Council approved the Stage 1 report for the Lenzie Academy project in December 2025.  The project planning application was submitted in February 2026 and has now been validated.  A separate planning application for proposals at the existing school site at Myrtle Avenue, Lenzie is now in preparation.  Pre-application consultation events were held at the end of February and at end March ahead of the submission of the planning application, now expected in early June.  

The Stage 1 report for the Milngavie Early Years project was also approved by Council in December 2025 and the project planning application has now been submitted, with a determination expected in June 2026.  The project Stage 2 report will also be submitted to Council for approval in June 2026.

Feasibility design continues to progress in support of the Accommodation Strategy and for proposals to introduce all-weather sports provision and upgraded changing pavilions at Oakburn Park, Milngavie.  An initial public consultation event on proposals for Oakburn will be undertaken in early June 2026.

The Service continues to develop the next phase of a building decarbonisation strategy for the school estate, operational estate and for the existing affordable housing stock, with a variety of surveys, pilot projects and further feasibility reviews planned throughout the remainder of this financial year.  The revised Learning Estate and Corporate Property Asset Management Plans were approved within the Council’s revised Asset Management Plan and include proposals for the decarbonisation of the Council’s learning and corporate estates, including Phase 1 priority sites which will form the basis of activity in the coming financial year.

The delivery of several areas of on-going capital investment across the Council’s existing affordable housing stock continue, including several significant measures to improve housing quality and energy efficiency.  The tender has now been issued for the next round of the Council’s energy efficiency improvements to its housing stock with works expected to start in mid-2026 and the next phase of the Mixed Tenure roofing programme is now underway.

The pre-construction phase of the next stage of the Council’s new-build affordable housing programme continues to progress.  Planning consent has now been achieved for the site of the former Auchinairn Primary School and for Cleddans, Kirkintilloch.  The demolition of the former Auchinairn Primary School is now complete and the demolition of the remaining flats at Nithsdale Crescent, Bearsden is underway. 

At Twechar Canalside, the construction of 15no. affordable Passivhaus houses continues to make good progress and continues to be on schedule for completion in September 2026.

• Achieved 100% compliance for Gas Servicing with focus on this continuing going forward.
• Kitchen, Bathroom and Central Heating upgrade programmes ongoing with positive feedback being received from tenants across all contracts.
• Cyclical maintenance gutter cleaning and close painting programmes are ongoing and are being well received.
• Positive level of performance in non-emergency repairs turnaround times with our focus being on maintaining and improving further in this area moving forward.
• Full decoration in void properties from 1st April providing a significantly enhanced standard of property for new tenants.
• Continue to focus on enhancing voids operational processes with the objective being to improve and maintain performance in this area going forward. 
• Improved functionality of Total Mobile and the integration with Servitor enables a more streamlined and efficient service. We continue to explore alternative options for enhanced efficiencies moving forward
• Improve communications with customers and stakeholders to ensure the highest level of service delivery.
• Continue to utilise robust reporting mechanisms for enhanced performance and service delivery.
• Progress decoration works across the school estate.
• 100% of Operational Assets requiring a Gas Safety check within the year’s anniversary of the previous check are completed.
• Schedule in the upcoming Gas Safety Checks with contractors which are required during May and June
• Improve uptake of nutritious school meals.
• Improve communications with customers and stakeholders to ensure the highest level of service delivery.
• Reduce FM overtime.

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The Community Protection Service delivers on a broad statutory remit, with delivery measures centred on protecting public health and safety, well-being and consumer protection. During April 2026, the service continued to engage in the local Co-Production arrangement with Police Scotland, with regular community harm and risk meetings being held to provide the focus for joint work and activity to protect local communities across the East Dunbartonshire area. The service also continued to develop intelligence led approaches for all areas of work to target local public health, community safety and consumer protection activity towards the areas of greatest need, risk and priority.

Throughout the reporting period, Environmental Health played a key role in delivering essential public health services, fulfilling a wide range of statutory responsibilities with a view to protecting the community from environmental risks and supporting the development of responsible business.  The work included both proactive work such as routine inspections for food safety and reactive responses to environmental public health complaints and service requests.  April was a busy month for the team carrying out several inspections and investigations including out of hours work.

The Community Safety Team continued to deliver a broad range of front-line work for the benefit of local communities during the reporting period, working closely with a range of colleagues and key partners to successfully deliver appropriate interventions and to make our local communities safer. Officers from the team were engaged in the delivery of services in relation to community engagement/support, antisocial behaviour, neighbour disputes, environmental incivilities, dog control, decriminalised parking enforcement, fly-tipping, pest control, and mobile CCTV. The team continued to deliver enforcement work in relation to the new Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 parking prohibitions relating to pavement, double and dropped kerb parking recently introduced across the Council area. ASB patrol activity by the Community Wardens, with particular emphasis on several areas in and around Bishopbriggs, was also prevalent during the month. 
 
The Trading Standards and Licensing Enforcement team were engaged in the delivery of essential consumer protection and licensing services to local consumers and businesses to maintain and protect a fair-trading environment in East Dunbartonshire. During April, Trading Standards concluded visits to GP Practices testing and assessing compliance of medical weighing devices.  Increasing numbers of service requests relating to nicotine vaping products were serviced. Trading Standards Officers and Police Scotland continued to liaise to build intelligence around the supply of illicit tobacco and officers also attended the SCOTSS/HMRC training on illicit tobacco. Integrity Challenge 25 test purchasing was carried out by the Licensing Advisors at off-sales premises.  In response to significant motor fuel prices, Trading Standards visited all local petrol retailers to assess the requirement to update fuel prices on Government approved websites.  Compliance was 100%.  

Work has continued to strengthen support for families and new arrivals across East Dunbartonshire. This includes ongoing work with Ukrainian families, asylum seekers and other households arriving through humanitarian routes, as well as continued partnership activity with East Dunbartonshire Welcomes Refugees. Community connection work is also helping build relationships and support integration.

Health and wellbeing support remains in place through the community vaccination programme, with weekly clinics operating in Milngavie and Kirkintilloch in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Round 2 of the Community grant funding were approved by the Community Planning Partnership Board.  This continues investment in local groups and the wider third sector.

Work is also progressing to widen community influence over local assets, with ongoing collaboration between Asset Management and Legal Services to support Community Asset Transfer and increase community control of buildings and spaces.

A programme of activity for International Women’s Day 2026 was delivered successfully, alongside continued partnership work focused on improving women’s safety through the Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership and building upon brain health for women in Auchinairn.

Community development activity remains inclusive, with wellbeing focused learning opportunities being planned to better reach quieter voices and support families identified through child poverty work.

In parallel, equality work is being further embedded across services, including preparation for the first Equality Action Planning Forum to strengthen coordination and delivery of equality outcomes.

Workforce development within CLD continues to move forward, including a well-received practitioner workshop at the West Alliance Learning Festival, which supported reflective practice and shared learning across teams.  Plans are progressing to deliver future session in collaboration with Centre for Good Relations

Housing manages 3,909 social rented properties; 3,816 of these are mainstream accommodation and 84 are used for Homeless Temporary Accommodation.  The service also manages 48 Lead Tenancies which are rented from either private landlords (27) or Housing Associations (21), to assist with accommodating homeless households.

At present, the Housing list for East Dunbartonshire has 3,493 applications - made up of the following:

General Waiting list     2,627 applicants waiting (2 of which are on offer)
(Applicants who have somewhere to stay i.e., they are owner occupiers, a tenant of a private let, stay care of family etc. This queue allows the applicant to choose which area, house type etc they would like to move to).

Transfer waiting list    607 applicants (16 of which are on offer)
(Council or Housing Association tenants who are looking to move to another Council or Housing Association property, either for a different size, or, for a different area. This queue allows the tenant to choose which area, house type etc. they would like to move to).

Priority waiting list        257 applicants (18 of which are on offer) 
(Homeless)
(Applicants who have no accommodation or will have nowhere to stay within the next 2 months. This queue does not allow the applicant to choose area or house type).

Priority waiting list        2 applicants (0 of which are on offer)
(Urgent medical)
(Applicants who are unable to remain in their current home due to their medical condition. This queue allows the applicant to choose which area, house type etc. they would like to move to).

Within the last month, 21 properties were allocated, 18 of which were general needs mainstream and 3 was sheltered.

They were let to the following queues:

• 10 to the priority homeless queue
• 3 to the transfer queue
• 8 to the general waiting list queue

Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Community Safety Teams

• Delivery of effective services on a flexible basis to meet all statutory requirements and duties in relation to public health, community safety, consumer protection and licensing enforcement matters.
• Delivery of local Co-Production activity between Community Protection and Police Scotland, with particular focus on effective tasking processes and the delivery of joint action plans and work to protect the communities of East Dunbartonshire.
• Delivery of Business Improvement Plan activity relating to Community Protection - actions being implemented in accordance with set targets to deliver effective services in line with relevant corporate outcomes and with positive performance being reported.
• Delivery of regulatory services that assist with economic recovery and that are designed to support local businesses and communities.
• Proactive inspections have to susceptible waterbodies began as part of annual monitoring under the blue-green algae plan.
• Officers liaised with colleagues in Roads and Scottish Water after identifying two drainage defects at Auchenhowie Road in Milngavie.
• Implementation of a new food sampling plan for the 2026-2027 period.
• Officers have been investigating potential water contamination at a local dentist practice following the premises notifying us of a failed water sample test. Water samples highlighted bacteria within the water indicating contamination, however it was not pathogenic. The dentist is now in the process of employing a competent body to undertake Legionella treatment and risk assessments. 
• Delivery of parking enforcement activity to support the traffic free schools’ pilot and all other school areas.
• Delivery of decriminalised parking enforcement activity in relation to recently introduced parking restrictions across the authority relating to pavement, double and dropped kerb parking. 
• On-going Community Warden activity under the MCR Pathways national programme, with several officers actively mentoring local school children.
• Delivery of targeted ASB patrols and deployment of mobile CCTV, with particular emphasis on several areas in and around Bishopbriggs, in response to reports of youth disorder, graffiti and vandalism.
• Continued programme of Junior Wardens presentation at various primary schools across the council area.
• On-going promotion of the East Dunbartonshire Trusted Trader scheme through relevant channels, with the aim of attracting further local traders to join the scheme.
• Integrity test purchasing carried out in relation to alcohol products at retail level.
• Training attended for upskilling in relation to petroleum storage.
• Submission of logs to the National Intelligence Database for Trading Standards with contribution to the wider national and cross authority picture.
• Price checks of petrol retailers against requirement to publish online. 

Community Planning and Partnerships Team

• A series of wellbeing-focused kitchen sessions has been delivered for young tenants and families, helping to build confidence, practical skills and stronger social connections. Further opportunities are being explored with third sector partners to extend this approach and strengthen community wellbeing.
• Round 2 of the community grant scheme successfully delivered.
• Community vaccination clinics continue to run locally in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, improving access for residents and supporting wider public health.
• Work is progressing across priority neighbourhoods, where community development staff are supporting local people to develop sustainable organisations and take forward action on poverty and inequality. 
• The Resettlement Team continue to build up on the range of welcome and connection activities for asylum seekers, helping people to better understand local support and build stronger links within their communities.
• Delivery of the CLD Plan 2025–27 is well underway, including actions linked to the Local Child Poverty Action Report, with a continued focus on reducing inequality and improving outcomes for families.
• Learning from the well-received programme of activity for International Women’s Day to inform ongoing activity around violence against women and girls, including planning for future 16 Days of Action campaigns.

Housing Services - Operations & Estates Team and Homelessness & Prevention Teams

• There were 6 nominations from the Housing waiting list sent to a Registered Social Landlord operating in East Dunbartonshire to be considered for allocation to their housing stock. Discussions are ongoing with Clyde Valley Housing Association to agree new Nominations Agreement.
• Ongoing regular attended this month included Housing Liaison meetings where cases of relevance to Social Work, Community Safety and Police Scotland are discussed, MARAC meeting with other agencies, CPC MISE group to discuss Child Protection issues, Safe and Together forums,  2-weekly meetings of the Community Harm and Risk Meeting (CHARM) with Police Scotland, Community Protection, Trading Standards and Licensing and regular meetings with Legal Services regarding dispute over title deeds in the housing estate, NOP’s and other legal matters.
• Housing continues to review processes and make changes to them where possible to allow for a more customer, person centred approach. 
• The new on-line CRM system training has been issued for Housing staff using the system and now up and running.
• The team is part of new Steering Group to re-establish and implement new procedures for processing and issuing Tenant Recharges.
• Attendance at new 2-weekly Community Harm and Risk Meeting (CHARM) with Police Scotland, Community Safety, Trading Standards and Licensing officers continues. Attendance at East Dunbartonshire Safe and Together steering group is ongoing. 
• Hold monthly budget meetings with HRA accountant to keep abreast of costs. Weekly meetings with Void Team at Property Maintenance to focus on improving performance. Monthly attendance at new Housing/Social Work liaison meeting to discuss Throughcare cases and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children.
• Monthly void property meetings with Property Maintenance to endeavour to improve performance.
• Work to reduce the Voids, - liaising with the property maintenance department to streamline this process. 
• Ensuring all ASB cases are actioned 
• Ensuring turnaround times on void properties falls and offers are out with applicants on these properties. 
• All team PDR’s for end of year 2025/6 and 2026/7 completed 
• 23 homeless applications taken 
• Of the 27 appointments arranged x4 failed to attend 
• 12 households booked into temporary accommodation 
• 5 calls to homeless out of hours service 
• 142 application requests to landlord registration 
  
  • 14 cancelled
  • 14 new
  • 51 renewals 
  • 63 updates 

Key areas of focus in March for the Communications & Engagement team included the Council budget, City Deal updates and changes to Waste services.

Media relations increased this month with 14 releases issued (7 in February), two photocalls, (three in February) and 23 media enquiries dealt with (22 in February.)

All releases are on the Council website news section and the local coverage achieved equated to an equivalent advertising value of £8,808 (£4,768 in February).

Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn again all saw increases in followers with the most popular posts this month relating to the 200th anniversary of the Monklands and Kirkintilloch Railway, progress on the Bishopbriggs town centre project and the completion of Campsie Memorial Hall’s refurbishment.

Across the Council’s four social media channels the average engagement rate was 2.8% (a good engagement rate is 0.5, anything above 1 is deemed great).

The Council website had 216,300 visits (excluding internal traffic). The most popular page was the Bin collection schedule tool with 33,379 views.

There were 10,000 call-to-action button clicks. 

The most watched video on Facebook was a sneak peek of Campsie Memorial Hall with 29,800 views and on YouTube it was the meeting of the Council on Thursday 5 March with 462 views.

Six videos were created this month with 51 design jobs completed overall.

In March 2026, the Corporate Performance and Research team continued to fulfil required duties in relation to reporting of performance and risk management at a corporate level and provision of service level data and statistical support as well as continuing to ensure the Council has adequate insurance arrangements in place, providing advice and support in relation to insurance related queries and acting as a point of escalation in regards to any claims. All business as usual work was completed within agreed timescales. 

The team also continues to undertake complaints handling at a corporate level, coordinating responses to complaints across all service areas, ensuring they are addressed appropriately, and that adequate responses are provided within statutory timescales.

Throughout March the Customer Service team handled a variety of enquiries and requests for service including 10,085 telephone calls, the team also served 206 appointments and 1023 drop-in customers in Community Hubs. This represents an increase on the previous month across all contact channels. 

With essential repairs completed, Bearsden Hub re-opened in March, a most welcome return for all services delivered from the Hub including Council Customer Services as well as Library Services and hall bookings. 

The Emergency Response Centre team continued to provide support to both East and West Dunbartonshire’s analogue to digital programmes, this will be ongoing until the telecom infrastructure suppliers make the final switchover in January 2027. Development of the digital call handling platform, Chubb Sky Response, is ongoing with productive collaboration between Local Authority users of the system and the Scottish Digital Office, sharing best practice and knowledge ensuring the system functionality is continually improving. The team handled 21,204 community alarm activations and 528 out of hours calls across March, an increase on the previous month. 

The project to replace analogue community alarm telecare equipment in the Council’s sheltered housing properties progresses with work completed in the third of six sites and work begun on the remaining two sites; the ERC team ensures data is accurately input to the system and newly installed community alarm equipment is tested and working providing a seamless transition to a digital service for our vulnerable sheltered housing residents. It is anticipated this project will be concluded in April.

Recruitment for both Customer Service and Emergency Response Centre Agents was completed in March with the successful candidates joining their teams when all recruitment requirements are in place. 

The Human Resources & Organisational Teams lead on workforce centred activities including, policy development, resourcing, workforce and succession plannning, workforce analytics, people development, Job Evaluation, attendance and wellbeing improvement as well as providing strategic and operational employee relations support including case management and partnership working.

Communications & Engagement

• Delivered communications to make residents aware of the decommissioning of bring sites with website updates, social media, press release, telephone message and internal messaging
• Supported the Scottish Parliamentary Elections for the Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency with key messaging on social media and website updates including Notice of Election. Promotion of Welcome to Vote Week was also carried out
• Co-ordination of two key recruitment campaigns for personal carers and school crossing patrollers including design, social media, print advertising and telephone messaging
• Work carried out for Mugdock Park includes the development of a new logo, car park signage and red squirrel video
• Continued promotion of consultation events for the Lenzie Academy project including signage, posters, online survey, website updates and social media
• Promotion of key awareness days including Scottish Apprenticeship Week, No Smoking Day, World Autism Acceptance Day, Brain Tumour Awareness Week, Earth Hour and lighting of buildings for International Epilepsy Awareness Day.

Corporate Performance

• A report on Local Government benchmarking performance was prepared for scrutiny at April Council alongside 6 monthly HGIOS reports for 2025/26
• Work commenced for the preparation of Business Improvement Plans 2026-29 and related performance management guidance for 2026/27
• Submission papers were completed for the annual renewal of the Council’s insurance arrangements
• Continued assistance was provided to the change team in relation to the rollout of Oracle Fusion
• Data support and assistance continued to be provided in the ongoing service reviews in the Health and Social Care Partnership.

Customer Services

• Bearsden Hub re-opened following the completion of essential repairs
• Recruitment is concluded to fill vacancies in both Customer Services and Emergency Response Centre
• Work continues in sheltered housing complexes to replace analogue community alarm equipment

Human Resources & Organisational 

• Continued engagement with the Trade Unions on strategic and operation HR initiatives, including service reviews and policy development.
• Continued support for employees and managers on HR policy based and guidance noted, with support in attendance on ER case work
• Within Payroll Services, the team have maintained and processed the payover of the various payruns within timescales, with the completion of a series of statutory
• Payroll continue to support the Year End cycle
• In preparation of new pay rates for Local Government Workers from April, preparatory work undertaken by HR & Payroll teams
• The HCM Project Board, continues to provide oversight and governance in support of moving to the new HR/Payroll system.
• Teams across HR and Payroll continue to undertake series of milestones and output required as part of the HCM project, whilst managing operational work
• The People Development team delivered sessions across a number of topics including SMART Working, Induction, EDC policy sessions & Leadership Topics
• Continued support by team in the facilitation of statutory training in a number of services areas to ensure continued compliance and certification
• In March, 199 delegates received training across a range of topics
• Working with services to develop next iteration of Training Needs Analysis.

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The Leisuredrome held the annual Glasgow Triathlon on 26th April, and the event was a huge success.  Staff at the centre received praise from course organisers and competitors on the day, for there hard work and dedication to ensuring the event ran to schedule. 

Charlies Soft Play area underwent a refurbishment of it’s air handling system. The new installation will enhance the customer experience, as we have now installed additional heating/cooling units to regulate changing temperatures.  We also had our Easter Party on Friday 3rd April, which was sold out and all the kids involved had a great day of fun, games and even a visit from the Easter Bunny!

Kirkintilloch Leisure Centre

The Centre has started the reporting year strongly compared with the same period last year. Overall usage is up 4%, Gym usage up 7.6% and wetside activity up 10%. Planning discussions in partnership with the EDC Major Assets Team continued in respect to the first phase of infrastructure work, beginning with one of the main pool plant pumps in the pit being disconnected and inspected for repair or replacement. A full in-depth condition survey of the Centre was agreed and specialist consultants were brought in by the Council to help draw up a plan of action.

A recruitment exercise has been successful in identifying a replacement for the recently departed Maintenance Assistant. 

Construction work commenced at Oakburn Pavilion with recladding of the roof and a full re-wire of the pavilion electrics. A handover is scheduled for 5th June 2026. The upgrading of Huntershill Sports Hub commenced two weeks ahead of schedule on Monday 20th April.

The Allander held an organised swim meet on Saturday 25th April hosted by M&B Swimming Club. Swimmers travelled from various areas across the West of Scotland to participate in the event.

A marketing campaign was pushed through the Health & Fitness team to increase attendances at indoor spin classes held at the Allander and Leisuredrome. This type of activity is not as popular as it was when the new bikes were purchased in 2019 and this downward trend is not just local but global. The Group Fitness programme continues to be reviewed on a period-by-period basis to ensure that we are delivering the right classes at the right times.

Period 1 saw Bearsden Library in its second month of re-opening.  Engagement with local schools and nurseries, resulted in 6 visits from 135 children during the period. Overall footfall for Bearsden Library was 18% higher than the same period before it’s closure in October 2023. The combined footfall for Bearsden Library, as well as Westerton and Milngavie libraries, where most displaced Bearsden users went, is up 54% compared to last year. 

Digital usage is 9% down on the same period last year. This can be attributed to a change in e-magazine supplier which requires the borrower to actively request new issues of periodicals, whereas the previous supplier did this automatically. 

During the April school holidays, the Children & Families team held 26 activities across 10 venues, including all eight libraries plus Hillhead and Auchinairn community centres, with 194 children attending. The team also piloted “pop up libraries” in leisure centres, kicking off with a Bookbug session and leaving books for parents and children to borrow.

All libraries continued to develop their programmes for Tackling Loneliness, Lifelong Learning and community support, with events ranging from family quiz nights, craft sessions, Silver Surfer sessions – an intergenerational partnership project with Douglas Academy,  Conversation Cafes – providing English language support for people for whom English is not their first language; and learn-to-crochet sessions.  
Archives & Local Studies received 2,347 visitors and 266 enquiries during period 1. 

The service received 4,955 digital visitors to Museum, Archive and Local Studies online collections, exceeding target for the month.  This is believed to be due to the popularity of the Monklands and Kirkintilloch Railway Exhibition which has encouraged people to explore the online collections. This exhibition has also had positive impact on our physical footfall. The Museum delivered a railway family fun day where children dressed up as train drivers and took part in various activities. 

The Lillie Art Gallery hosted its annual Bearsden Art Club exhibition and Agnes Owens, curated by Sorcha Dallas. The opening had 120 attendees. 

The Heritage & Arts Team provided Easter fun for families through a family friendly Bubble Event. 550 people attended Kirkintilloch Town Hall over 3 sellout shows. Kirkintilloch Town Hall & Kilmardinny House supported an additional 65 events and meetings during period 1.

Community Sport Easter Programme
We had another successful Easter programme run across the 3 leisure centres.  There was a 9 day programme which saw 466 children attend our sports camps including Multi sports, gymnastics, football and our swimming lessons.  From last year we had a huge increase in attendees on our multi sports camps, with 116 this year compared with 40 last year.  We also seen an increase in our football and swimming programmes.

Kirkintilloch Schools Rugby Festival
The Active Schools team organised a primary school rugby festival for the Kirkintilloch cluster schools which was hosted at Kirkintilloch High School. Delivered in partnership with Lenzie Rugby Club, the event provided an opportunity for approximately 100 pupils, including both boys and girls, to take part in a fun and inclusive rugby experience. A key focus of the event was to support the development of sustainable participation pathways, encouraging young people to transition from school-based activity into Lenzie Rugby Club.

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The Service has made very good progress against priorities in the Business and Improvement Plan (BIP) 2024-2027. 

• All Schools and Early Years Centres have been issued with an updated School or Centre Improvement Plan Format and Guidance.  All schools and centres will have include Pedagogy, Skills Development and Wellbeing as priorities.  This will allow greater consistency in preparation for the Education Service strategic role out of Curriculum Improvement Cycle.
• The Snack and Play service successfully delivered an enjoyable holiday experience for primary aged children during the Easter school holiday. Almost all of the 230 children offered a place are growing up experiencing poverty; and the service ensured children attending enjoyed a hot meal and nutritious snacks in a safe and fun environment, with nurturing Playworkers and Hub Managers. Around 55% of the children allocated a place have additional support needs, including: care experienced children, young carers, neurodiverse children and children growing up with adverse childhood experiences. Recruitment of an additional 27 Playworkers included young people in S5 and S6 in EDC high schools, enabling them to gain valuable work experience; as well as existing EDC employees across Education Services that work term time. To ensure all Playworkers and Hub Managers have a good understanding of how to support the children attending, the Early Years and Supporting Families Team delivered a training morning in February with 48 attendees, at which the Depute Principal Educational Psychologist led a comprehensive session on nurture, de-escalation and co-regulation; and the EDLC team led a ‘mini fit’ training session. 

• Craighead Primary School have achieved their Bronze Rights Respecting Schools Award in recognition of the work they are doing to promote Children’s Rights. 
• Bearsden Academy Senior String Ensemble were a finalist in the Scottish Young Ensemble of the Year
• East Dunbartonshire Pipe Quartets led by Andrew Wallace, placed 1st and 5th in the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships.
• East Dunbartonshire Primary Orchestras weekend, 84 pupils attended the Primary Orchestra and 141pupils attended the Primary Training Orchestra.
• Duke of Edinburgh Award has a total of 23 planned expeditions, including 23 young people from Woodland View school.

Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Supporting Families

• 13 Early Years Teachers attended a session focused on developing their understanding of meta skills in early years. A Senior Educational Psychologist led this session with background, theory and examples. Bearsden Early Years Centre and Primary school presented to share their collaborative approach to embedding meta skills across early level. The session was highly evaluated by attendees.
• Most Early Years Centres attended the Local Partnership Groups (LPG) session focused on self-evaluation, evaluative writing and improvement planning. The leaders were provided with an overview of the curriculum improvement cycle; new templates were discussed and two deputes presented on how to use Sway to report. There is a further support session planned for centres who plan to use Sway Standard and Quality reporting. The session was well received by all. 
• 18 primary and secondary schools were represented at an information session hosted by the Learning and Teaching Development Officer, to launch the new Learning and Teaching Self-evaluation Toolkits. These toolkits support self-evaluation and the development of different pedagogical approaches to learning and teaching, ensuring consistency of approach relating to identified key features of highly effective practice.
• Staff from Millersneuk Primary and Oxgang Primary presented their individual enquiry-based projects, centred on the Learning to Read in the Early Years framework, to a national audience at the final event of a year-long professional learning programme. This framework promotes a research-informed approach to literacy, with a particular emphasis on creating literacy-rich environments through engaging, play-based learning experiences.
• Young people preparing for Qualifications Scotland exams were given additional support through organised programmes of supported study classes held in secondary schools during the Easter holiday period. These sessions provided structured opportunities to revise key subjects and receive support from subject teachers to consolidate learning and practise exam techniques.
• A professional learning session was held in Boclair Academy and attended by over 50 Senior and Middle Leaders from secondary. Douglas Brown, Boclair Academy Head Teacher, led the session. The session focused on practical guidance to support schools in understanding current priorities, evidence impact and strengthen their overall readiness for inspection. Feedback on the event was positive. 
• A final session for the year was held for Nurture in Early Years. The event saw most participating early years centres presenting on their nurture provision, sharing ideas and evidence they had gathered to showcase the improvements they had made. This followed two days of open sessions on nurture hosted by five settings in East Dunbartonshire.
• A final session in collaboration with the library services was offered to 15 participants from early years. The sessions focus on songs, rhymes and stories for our youngest children. Across the year 45 places have been offered to practitioners.
• The fourth and final session provided by Senior Early Years Workers took place on supporting early language development, built on the previous years train the trainer Leading Language sessions. The training sessions have been very well attended and have provided an opportunity for Seniors to take on a role in leading professional learning.
• One of our Quality Improvement Officers represented the West Partnership, West Froebel Friends by presenting at the Froebel Networks Annual gathering in the University of Roehampton to share how they were able to reach four hundred practitioners across the West Partnership, delivering twilight sessions on Froebelian Occupations, utilising a Froebel Trust Grant Award. The Annual Gathering is attended by practitioners across the United Kingdom and online across the World. 

Additional Support Needs (ASN) and Children’s Services

• Members of the ASN and Children’s Service team took part in the ASN Code of Practice consultation, led by Education Scotland. The updated ASN Code of Practice will published later this year. 
• The annual Support for Learning Assistant (SLA) Audit was concluded this month and letters will be sent to schools in early May.  
• The Pupil Forum, “My Voice, My Choice” met remotely on Thursday 30th April 2026 for the third meeting of this session. Almost all pupil representatives attended and actively engaged with key priorities in line with the Education Service Plan. Theme for this meeting was Mental Health and Wellbeing, with focus on Mental Health Week 2026 and input from Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH).
• The fourth Head Teacher Induction took place on Wednesday 22nd April, with six attendees receiving ASN updates including the Additional Support or Learning Review, Including Every Learning update, and attendance.

Educational Psychology Service (EPS)

• Input to Early Years’ teachers on meta-skills was positively evaluated by practitioners.  A range of implementation documents have been developed to support embedding this in practice and evaluation.  Progress was made within Curriculum Imagine group on meta skills pilot and Professional Learning Communities (PLC) delivered to Early Level practitioners on play pedagogy and ASN.  
• Early Years practice sharing visits took place in April hosted by Local Authority and Partnership Early Years Centres (EYC).  Early Years Nurture forum allowed for practice sharing, evaluation of the years’ PLCs and co-creation for next year.  
• Primary Head Teachers’ Nurture and Family Learning Network took place.  The core nurture group children’s basic data has been collated and will be shared.  Discussions around planning for Core Nurture and an evaluation was completed by HTs.  
• Secondary Year 3 Trainee Educational Psychologist has begun collaborating with young people from 2 secondary schools to complete an evaluation of the wellbeing bases. 
• 3 professionals have recently started their local supervisor training, which will qualify them to provide supervision to others within the authority delivering New Vision on Relationships (NVR) parent groups or individual NVR programmes. Another three professionals have started their Level 4a training this month, which involves planning and delivering Level 1 training. The Level 1 training is due to take place in June with capacity for up to 15 professionals to attend. 
• Suicide and Self Harm Multi-Agency Guidance Consultation with young people on the proposed new safe plans has now been completed. The safe plans will be updated in accordance with the feedback and then the guidance can be sent to corporate comms. The draft guidance has also been circulated for comments to the Suicide Prevention Group. 
• An offer was given to all schools in Attendance PLC group for visits to support initial or revisited completion of self-evaluation to inform planning. Linked with EDC statistician and QIM secondary re planning input for summer PLC to support schools with attendance data management.  West Partnership Network is no longer in operation. 2 EPs now linked in with national network and attending to support understanding and dissemination of national work where appropriate. 

School Planning and Improvement

• Placing request allocations were complete and parents/carers were advised if successful or not.  The stats for on time Placing Requests were Primary 84% accepted and Secondary 57% accepted.

Skills for Life, Learning and Work

• Bikeability programmes are on track to completing participation in L2 training with all schools for P7 pupils 
• 102 young people have successfully engaged with Outdoor Education through the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund. 

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Finance 

The month of March saw the Finance Team continuing to respond to audit queries on the 2023/24 accounts as this audit progresses towards finalisation, however the Mugdock and Charitable accounts are now signed as finalised. The 2024/25 audit for Charitable are now concluded with Mugdock nearing conclusion.  

As the finance team works through a critical period of demands on the team, an additional 1 FTE resource continues to temporarily supplement existing teams and to help manage the external audit process and timeline risks.  Movement into Phase 2 of the ledger system with HCM is also in progress and this has been staffed with an additional 0.5 full time equivalent within the Finance team as a further temporary resource.  However, the Service is currently working with fewer accountants, and some absence within the team.  An internal training process has begun to remedy this long term.

The team has started year end and uploaded period 10 reports for committees.

The Council continues to deliver against an ambitious capital programme supported largely by borrowing. 
Treasury Management Reporting continues to highlight the increasing revenue costs associated with the current programme with ongoing affordability being challenged within a tight funding settlement.  Reports to Council have provided updates on the programme, the associated costs and any mitigations required.  

Revenues & Benefits

The Revenues and Benefits team have continued to progress Council Tax and Benefits services and administration of the Scottish Welfare Fund.  The team completed Non-Domestic Rates billing in April, issuing 2615 bills.

The Council Tax Collection Rate at 10.07% is marginally behind the target of 10.08% for this point in the year.    The number of accounts which pay over twelve months rather than ten has been steadily increasing over the past few years.  This may be because of the cost-of-living issues and residents spreading the costs.   The Council’s Recovery and Enforcement Procedures continue to be applied, and individuals being signposted to the exemptions and discounts available as appropriate.

Shared Services

The Shared Services Team continues to provide support across all Council services.  The Homecare Team continues to support an initiative from the Planning & Commissioning Team, processing variations in addition to their normal workload.  The Transport Team continue to manage the day-to-day contracts and procure any ad-hoc contracts as required.  

ICT Services 

The ICT Services team continues to support the Council’s information technology systems and services to ensure high availability and performance in line with agreed service levels.  The Team resolved 1,034 tickets in April and dealt with 173 telephone calls.  ICT Support have implemented a satisfaction survey for incidents resolved, 88.9%% of respondents were happy with the service provided.  

ICT Infrastructure continues to support the delivery of major projects in conjunction with the Business & Digital Change Team and Major Assets team.    The team continues to review telephony services across the estate in preparation for the PSTN switch off.   The team continues to monitor the underlying infrastructure to ensure maximum performance.   The ICT Security team continues to monitor the estate and perimeter defences alongside ongoing improvements to ensure that our systems and data are protected. Patching compliance is at 92.1% for April. 
Housing Rent and Tenant Participation 

The maximisation of housing rental income and pursuit of rent arrears continues to be a priority for the service, to safeguard income. This is achieved by a dedicated team of Officers, whose role is to actively pursue rent arrears and provide advice and support to tenants struggling to pay their rent. This includes issuing letters, home visits, telephone calls, emails, etc, which begin as soon as arrears are accrued on a rent account; pre tenancy advice on rent charges, payment options and discussing rent affordability to new tenants at the time of offer acceptance of their new tenancy; signposting tenants struggling financially to relevant support services to ensure household incomes are maximised; having a weekly presence at Kirkintilloch Job Centre to provide additional support for tenants in receipt of the housing element of Universal Credit; and escalating arrears actions to include court action or eviction for serious rent arrears cases. Active rent arrears of £662,402.89 are £24,473.64 lower than at the same period as last year with the team committed to working with tenants to reduce arrears further.
 
The Tenant Participation Team continues to provide direct ongoing support to active Tenants and Residents Associations.

Business & Digital Change Team

During April the Business & Digital Change Team continued to support services across the Council in the delivery of key strategic digital development projects.

The Team also continues to support our corporate business systems, ensuring incidents are resolved promptly and that all systems remain supported and upgraded in line with an agreed plan.  We also ensure our systems are reliable, resilient, scalable, standardised, value for money and secure.

Internal Audit 

Current focus is on delivering the budget option to share the Chief Internal Auditor post with two other Councils.  A Service Level Agreement has been drafted and work is ongoing with regards to IT arrangements and Data Protection Impact Assessments.

Work continues towards completion of several audits on the 2025/26 plan as the team provides assurance over key areas of risk, making recommendations and following up on these to improve the control environment.  Audits near completion include Green Waste Permits, a review of the Supply Teacher Database and a review of Winter Planning arrangements.  A focus in the coming weeks will be on planning, year-end deliverables and implementing the shared post. 

Corporate Fraud 

The Corporate Fraud Team continues to prioritise the investigation of referrals and the proactive vetting of applications across key service areas, including Housing, Education, Licensing, and Estates. This work is essential to safeguarding access points and preventing fraud or error from entering council systems.

The team received in excess of 6,000 data matches from the National Fraud Initiative (NFI)—a data matching exercise led by Audit Scotland to detect fraud and error. These matches were released in phases and have now all been received.  The exercise is now nearing completion, with only a small number of cases still being finalised.  The savings identified from matching of Council Tax records, to identify potentially fraudulent Council Tax discount claims has resulted in higher than anticipated savings of £0.55M.  This highlights both the scale of the issue and the effectiveness of the targeted approach.  A report on the outcomes achieved from the NFI exercise will be presented to a future Audit & Risk Committee. 

The Economic Crime and Transparency Act 2023 has, from 01 September 2025, introduced a new criminal offence applicable to public bodies who fail to prevent fraud by employees or agents.  The team have attended briefing sessions held by CIFAS on the measures required to be taken to ensure compliance.   A briefing document for SLT and fraud risk assessment templates have been developed and issued to SLT for consideration.

The team continue to experience difficulties in obtaining information from certain external data holders, who can now only release information under the provisions of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.  Policy is required to be developed and committee approval obtained to ensure that the investigatory process is not compromised and to ensure our compliance with legal requirements.    

Finance 

• Responding to audit queries on the 2023/24 draft accounts as the audit progresses towards finalisation.  Charitable Trust final accounts for 2023/24 have now been signed by Trustees and Auditors. Mugdock accounts for 2023/24 are also now finalised.
• General Fund in final weeks of finalising unaudited position which can be finalised on the completion of the 23/24 audit.
• The Oracle Fusion General Ledger system project has now been signed off as green status with a few legacy tickets to be completed.  Phase 2 with HCM and PBCS/Fusion has now commenced and likely to last for 18 months.
• Staff development is a key focus and given a challenging external recruitment market, the service is continuing to upskill existing staff where possible.  A practice of grow your own has begun and is hoped to be see benefits over the next few years.
• The Treasury team continues to monitor cash flow closely, ensuring that there is liquidity for all Council activities.  Additional borrowing continues to be taken in line with the Council's capital programme expenditure. 
  Revenues and Benefits 
• In the month of April, the team issued:
  
  • 6,640 Council Tax bills and 14,250 Benefits notifications; and,
  • 440 crisis grants and community care grant applications were received.
• The team received and dealt with 1,290 documents for Council Tax queries and reduction and 315 for benefits.  In addition, the team received 2,100 ATLAS notifications from DWP.
• The team dealt with 3,275 telephone enquiries.

ICT Services

• ICT Services are working closely with the Business and Digital Change Team across several projects including HCM and Fusion.  
• The Infrastructure Team:
  
  • Completed the installation of 103 new wireless access points across the 8 secondary schools estate.  
  • Worked with Information Management on the rollout of new Xerox devices resolving issues with scanning and taxi plate printing.
  • Completed the upgrade of perimeter security equipment.
• ICT Security have:
  
  • Upgraded perimeter security devices for AOVPN
  • Planning and designing refreshed patching strategy for Education.
  • Reviewed 26 alerts, remediation action required for 9 of the notifications.
  • Completed risk assessment for the migration to a new Income Management system.
    Shared Services 
• The Residential Team added 86 service agreements to CareFirst for clients moving into care homes or for supported living services within their own homes.  
• The Homecare Team added 335 service agreements to CareFirst for clients receiving a homecare service or a direct payment.  
• Direct Payment Audit Team – 21 (16 standard, 5 final) audits completed for clients receiving self-direct support.  
  Housing Rent and Tenant Participation
• Active Tenant Rent Arrears were £662,402.89 which is a decrease of 3.56 % on same period as last year (week 4).
• Housing Officers continue to utilise all avenues to maximise rental income and reduce rent arrears, apply a firm but fair approach when escalating actions against tenants whose rent arrears are increasing, and also provide advice and assistance to tenants who engage and need additional support. 
• Weekly Tuesday morning appointments for tenants at Kirkintilloch Job Centre with Housing Officers and Work Coaches to assist those in receipt of the Universal Credit housing element.

Business & Digital Change

• During this period, the Business Systems team upgraded 4 system environments, resolved 8 incidents, assisted with 6 projects including supporting the validation exercise for Uniform Public Access.
• HCM Data Migration is 80% complete with delays due detailed validation uncovering additional errors taking time to fix and resourcing issues.  Work initiated to implement improvements for the Final Data Migration. Preparation for UAT2 and regression testing continues but is competing with Data Migration resource demands. MFA deployment remains on schedule: prerequisite upgrades will complete by end of June, with full rollout to Fusion Phase 1 users after the school holidays
• Five sheltered housing complexes have now been completed and fully upgraded to digital alarms. The final site will commence upgrading in late May.
• The analogue to digital transition nears completion, with 98.3% of all residents now equipped with a digital alarm.
• The replacement booking system for Mavis Valley recycling has been launched to Customer Services and the public.
• The replacement platform for Annual Lettings is in final stages of testing and will be available to deploy for school staff next month.
• The business case for the Social Work and Social Care Case Management System was reviewed and updated during the reporting period.
• The team supported the recent election process, including enabling the scanning and processing of postal votes.
• Recruitment activity for the Integrated Housing Management team, including advertising vacancies and participating in candidate interviews.

Internal Audit

• The Team is working on completing the 2025/26 Internal Audit Plan, in line with available resources. There is a vacancy at the Audit & Risk Manager level, with a transition period in place and a vacancy in the Audit Senior post from November onwards.  Advice is continuing to be provided by Internal Audit in line with the Internal Audit Charter to support the enhancement of governance arrangements, risk management and controls.  
• Work on the 2025/26 plan continues with audits such as Green Waste Permits, the Supply Teacher Database and Winter Planning Maintenance being near completion. 
• Work has been completed in the form of a gap analysis & action plan for the new Global Internal Audit Standards.   Audits recently completed include Complaints, Property Maintenance – Supplier Management and HSCP Performance Management.
  Corporate Fraud 
• Corporate Fraud is investigating allegations received, focusing on suspected fraud or error within Education, Housing and Revenues Services and on the remaining cases resulting from the NFI.   The team also continues to undertake vetting on applications, from several services, to prevent fraud, error and any potential reputational damage.
• The team is focused on maximising its value adding activity through prioritising large value cases, which in some instances are challenging to resolve and require an update of the policy base to support action – specifically the creation of a Communications Data Policy.
• The team will also be focussing on the measures required to ensure compliance with The Economic Crime and Transparency Act 2023. 
• The team will commence preparatory work for the forthcoming 2026/2027 NFI Exercise and ensure we remain compliant with the Code of Data Matching Practice regarding the retention of personal information.

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The HSCP and its staff continue to work hard to ensure quality delivery of the Council’s operational delivery of statutory social work services, which are integrated with NHS services under the strategic governance of the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) Board. Service quality and outcomes associated with these specific social work services are the focus of this report with reference to three identified performance indicators in accordance with the Council’s strategic approach to business improvement planning.

The wider objective is that improved customer and organisational outcomes can be achieved through successful integrated planning and collaborative delivery of health and social care functions, under single management, with a combined budget, working to a single set of outcomes and operating to a single Strategic Plan. The impact and performance of all these integrated health and social care services overall are reported on a quarterly and annual basis to the HSCP Board and through agreed representation and reporting arrangements, to the Council.

In April 2026, the HSCP performed above target on all identified performance indicators. 

Key Achievements:

• Continued improvement in MAT Standards: East Dunbartonshire achieved Blue ratings for MAT Standards 1–5 and Green for 6–10, reflecting sustained progress and strong performance in implementing national standards, with a clear trajectory towards full “blue” ratings across all standards.

Areas of Focus:

HSCP Wide:

• Deliver year two of the East Dunbartonshire Public Health Framework, including alignment to national priorities and a whole-systems approach to prevention
• Embed the Empowering People and Communities service grouping through realignment of functions and development of an integrated workplan
• Develop and implement a new Carers Strategy, aligned to national policy and supported by partnership working
• Establish and expand the use of AI and digital tools to improve service efficiency and delivery, in line with the EDC AI Policy
• Implement year one of the HSCP Digital Strategy to strengthen digital capability and service integration
• Improve quality and relevance of information on HSCP webpages to enhance access, signposting and self-management
• Implement year two actions of the HSCP Workforce Plan, including strengthened recruitment and increased apprenticeship opportunities
• Promote and enhance staff wellbeing through increased awareness of support mechanisms, peer support and return-to-work arrangements

Children’s Services:

• Improve access to early intervention and prevention support for families at risk of or experiencing poverty
• Progress self-evaluation activity to inform the national review and public inquiry on Group Based Child Sexual exploitation and Group based child criminal exploitation, with an agreed improvement plan led by Public Protection Chief Officers
• Write the 2024-2026 report on The United Nations Convention on the Rights of The Child
• Write the Integrated Children’s Services Plan 2026-2029

Adult Services:

• Review Care at Home services to strengthen reablement and optimise service delivery, staffing and leadership models
• Conclude the Learning Disabilities Supported Accommodation review to support development of local Learning Disability provision
• Implement Learning Disability review recommendations to reduce reliance on high-cost care packages through expansion of supported accommodation
• Implement outcomes of the Clinical Service Review for CMHT and OPMH, including development of an integrated leadership model
• Develop core and cluster accommodation models for individuals with complex and challenging needs, supported by increased local capacity
• Progress commissioning of a centralised specialist service model for complex needs, supported by collaborative contracts and financial frameworks
• Implement the East Dunbartonshire Frailty Hospital at Home within care homes and the community, including establishment of bed capacity and pathways
• Implement the outcomes of the Adult Social Work Service Review, including reconfigured staffing models and modernised service delivery

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Land Planning & Development have progressed a number of significant work streams during April 2026 in line with the Business Improvement Plan commitments.  

• Work on the next Local Development Plan (LDP3) for the area is ongoing.  A revised Evidence Report for LDP3 was approved at Council on 02 April 2026.  Subject to final administrative tasks and stakeholder confirmation, the revised Evidence Report will be submitted to the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division of the Scottish Government (DPEA) to undergo a further Gate Check assessment.
• Officers from the Land Planning Policy Team attended the National Planning Hub: Local Development Plan Workshop in Edinburgh on 21 April 2026.  The workshop provided an opportunity for local authority planners to hear from representatives from the DPEA, Scottish Government and key agencies on key issues regarding the role out of the new development planning process, and take part in workshops on exploring best practice examples and solutions to overcoming challenges in the delivery of LDPs.
• Work with consultants on the preparation of an Urban Greening Factor to support the development of LDP3 is continuing.
• Following the approval of a Tree Preservation Order at Whitegates Park in Lenzie at Policy and Resources Committee on 03 February 2026, a period for making representations to the order ran until 10 April 2026.  Officers are currently analysing the responses received and it is expected that confirmation of the order will be taken to committee for approval in late May.
• Officers have been preparing a new Greenspace Strategy, which will replace the current Green Network Strategy and current Open Space Strategy.  It is expected that a draft version of the strategy for public consultation will be presented to committee for approval in late May.

• Following the public consultation on the draft Climate Action Plan (CAP), the updated Climate Action Plan, Report of Consultation and MOG Report were shared at pre-agenda for the Climate Change Member Officer Group (MOG). MOG has been scheduled in May to allow the CAP to progress to June Council.
• A feasibility study for a heat network in central Kirkintilloch is now complete.   Scottish Government funding of £50,000 was secured for the study based upon an opportunity identified in the Council’s Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) Delivery Plan. 
• The eight Active Travel Strategy evidence reports that were taken to by PNCA in January 2023 have been reviewed and updated to reflect more recent local, regional, and national developments. Initial internal engagements on the draft Active Travel Strategy and their accompanying delivery plans has been undertaken in advance of the updated reports being taken to Transport Officers Group, in May 2025 and Transport Working Group in June 2026.
• Updates were made to the Council’s School Travel Plans based on engagement with colleagues across the Council. An update will be taken to Transport Working Group on the travel plans in June 2026.
• £15,000 has been secured towards the Nature-Based Investment Study from Climate Ready Clyde and Scottish Government. The study will involve quantifying the current greenhouse gas emission absorption potential of nature in East Dunbartonshire and setting out options to leverage additional public and private investment to support environmental outcomes, contribute towards the Council’s net zero targets and deliver meaningful action to preserve and bolster flourishing biodiversity. 
• A Strategic Environmental Assessment service continues to be provided to colleagues across the Council.  Sustainability input has also been provided for various planning applications in addition to ad-hoc projects from other Council teams.

• The Council’s three-year contract with ESRI is due for renewal and the process has been initiated by ICT to ensure continuity of GIS services. 
• The school placement requests work on distances is under way with officers are working with colleagues in the Education Service. 
• The Team are currently working with a number of Teams across the Council on a range of GIS projects including Greenspace Strategy Mapping, Secondary Gritting zone maps, Mapping support for FOI.  The Team also continues to provide support in the preparation of LDP 3, Kirkintilloch heat network study and the Council’s Open Space Audit 
• A GIS Service & Error Reporting Action app continues to work well with service users utilising the software.
• The Team completed multiple address register/update requests and several address queries and new ArcGIS online accounts requests from Teams across the Council.
• The GIS server and Maps are fully operational and running.
• Idox system is fully operational. Users can access Uniform live/Enterprise, Unimap web, DMS, Stamper and Planning Application. Support has been provided on a range of Idox requests including Data extracts from Uniform database, Stamper fault reports/solutions, Uniform Enterprise Task manage workload and Microsoft access reports.
• The daily One Scotland Gazetteer Improvement service file is currently processing successfully with no data quality adjustments necessary.
• Planning for a forthcoming upgrade of Uniform, Unimap web and the Public access platform later this year has commenced. 

• Transition to the new IHMS system continues to be supported by the IHMS Project team. Officers are utilising both Test and Live environments and are configuring enhancements following regular upgrades of the NEC system in preparation for moving on to Phase 2.  
• Systems officers are assisting with day-to-day processing of direct debits and the set-up of rent accounts in both Test and Live environments and continue to monitor/escalate issues as they arise. Officers can now utilise bespoke reporting functionality within IHMS. 
• Performance Monitoring officers continue to complete monthly statistics and dashboards that inform the HGIOS Report and Annual Return on the Charter. In addition, a Quarterly Return is voluntarily submitted to Scotland’s Housing Network that informs an annual benchmarking analysis against other social landlords. 
• Performance Monitoring officers are completing a monthly Voids Return for Scotland’s Housing Network who are actively monitoring voids timescales nationally on behalf of ALACHO. 
• Policy officers continue to review the Council's Allocations Policy in line with phasing in of IHMS. Further policy work supports development of the IHMS ensuring that governance sits behind features and enhancements to the NEC system.
• Policy officers will consider the implications of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 on the Housing service while waiting on secondary legislation being passed and will deliver training to staff on emerging changes to policy or practice. 
• Both Policy and Housing Estates teams are preparing to progress a feasibility study into the cost effectiveness and viability of lock up garages and garage ground sites. 
• The Chubb project team are working closely with Housing and B&DC teams to ensure the successful transition of analogue telecare to digital telecare throughout the sheltered housing estate. Five in-person briefings to tenants have been delivered to answer queries and help plan on site activities. Five of the six complexes are complete to date with positive feedback from tenants. 
• Sheltered Housing Wardens are working closely with tenants to ensure a robust service is provided during the Telecare switchover to the new system and to minimise disruption to tenants as equipment is removed and replaced. Wardens will receive training from ERC staff to programme pendant devices should any be lost or broken that will streamline the process and provide tenants a more immediate response. 
• The Housing Estates officer is delivering health and safety training to Concierge officers and Wardens and is responsible for delivery of Toolbox talks on various topics to maintain knowledge of standards and procedures when carrying out duties in relation to their respective roles. 

• Working with numerous public sector agencies to ensure all support mechanisms to help business and create jobs are fully utilised, including development of new skills and technologies.  Cost of doing business continues to be a concern and resources to help and inform businesses continue to be priority with combined support materials available through the Find Business Support website.  A range of support is provided via the team and the Business Gateway contract to new emerging and existing businesses. This includes provision of local business support grants to support start up and growth SMEs. 
• The team are currently processing the final green business and digital adoption support, enabled through Year 4 Shared Prosperity Fund allocation. The grants have proved very popular and now fully subscribed. With SPF ending 2025/26, work is now underway to examine business support programmes that can be funded through the Local Growth Fund and the ‘transition’ revenue allocation for 2026/27, confirmed at the Glasgow City Region Cabinet in March. 
• Increased Start Up Support - the team are currently working on mentorship programmes for start-up businesses to help them with marketing, finance and digital requirements, as better preparation at start-up can help businesses to be sustainable longer term. BG Business Start-ups showed a marked increase in 2025/2026 from with the achievement of 140 new start-ups and 220 planning to start enquiries completed.  This provides a solid pipeline of potential start-ups for the coming year. The annual ongoing Business Grants (start up and growth) are ongoing and now fully subscribed. 
• Growth and inward investment enquiries are being supported and coordinated by the team, directing them primarily to masterplan locations (Kirkintilloch Gateway, and the emerging Westerhill masterplan area).  The team are working with City Deal team looking at promotional methods and opportunities to encourage investment at Westerhill. The Site Enabling and Regeneration Fund is now open, offering grant support to parties interested in developing proposals for regeneration and commercial development. 
• Business Gateway (BG) Advisors in the team were nominated by business clients for Business Gateway Impact Awards, which recognises excellence in supporting businesses in the delivering direct support to local business through the BG Programme. 

• The team continues with a range of work to ensure the delivery of the Council’s City Deal project. Full Business Cases (FBC) for the two project elements – Bishopbriggs Town Centre Civic Space and Westerhill Development Road – were approved at a meeting of Council in Dec 2025 and subsequently approved at Glasgow City Region (GCR) Chief Executives Group 16th February. 
• The Westerhill Regeneration Area (WRA) planning guidance and its associated delivery plan is now adopted under LDP2. Work is taking place to promote the location and examine how different aspects of the WRA can be supported to a delivery stage, out with the current City Deal Projects. 
• Bishopbriggs Town Centre Civic Space and Westerhill Development Road (WDR). Contracts are finalised and in place for construction following the FBC approval. Work ongoing to mobile and prepare for construction. 
• The A803 project is now out with the scope of City Deal, but work continues to look at how this can be funded and delivered through other means. Bus Infrastructure Fund funding has been confirmed that will be allocated to the A803. This will support further design work and construction to for improvements to Balmuildy junction.
• The team are working with the Glasgow City Region Programme Management Office on the proposed use of additional City Deal funding that has been allocated to all eight-member local authorities for the Enabling Commercial Space programme. At P&R in May 2025, approval was given to utilise the funding to help deliver commercial floorspace in the Southbank area, linked to the Councils asset strategy for this location.  Work ongoing at a GCR in relation to the Local Growth Fund has identified potential additional capital funding which is proposed to be redirected to the Enabling Commercial Space programme. Officers continue to engage with GCR, and discuss this potential allocation in relation to the SBH Project. 

• The Campsie Memorial Hall project in Lennoxtown secured funding from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, the construction stage is complete and the building will now be handed over the Trust who will continue to operate from the facility.
• The programme management of the Shared Prosperity Fund is ongoing to support services and projects across the Council as the programme closes, with all expenditure required by September 2026. Work is underway with the Glasgow City Region to understand how the new Local Growth Fund allocation will be distributed. 
• The Lennoxtown Main Street Improvement Project is in the construction phase and will complete summer 2026. This will see major enhancement to the village centre environment improving the Main Street as a trading environment, somewhere to access local services, and to visit. Work is ongoing with external funders to try establish further capital to support the progression of phases of the Lennoxtown Main Street project. 
• The Lennoxtown Greenspace Project aims to repurpose disused red blaes pitches at Station Road and Ferguson Parks to provide outdoor recreation spaces, enhance biodiversity, and improved active travel routes. The project has secured funding from the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP). It will deliver improvements to Station Road Park where it’s anticipated works will begin in 2026. The designs have been developed in partnership with the local community. The contractor has been procured and the designs will be finalised before work starts on site later in the year.    
• Work is ongoing with the Milngavie BID and Kirkintilloch BID as they move through year one of a five-year term. 
• Work is taking place to develop a follow up business case to set out more details on what is required to prepare a Visitor Levy and how a Visitor Levy could operate in East Dunbartonshire. The work will set out options for consideration at the relevant Council committee. 

• Feasibility and design works are progressing on a range of active travel infrastructure projects included in the Local Transport and Active Travel Strategies, including works to improve various active travel paths throughout the area.  
• Working is progressing with the A807 Active travel route, with construction completed for Phase 1a. The associated TROs for the next stage of the project were agreed at November 2025 PNCA Committee. Preparation is underway for detailed design and programme setting of Stage 1b. The Capital Paths programme is on site across different locations.
• The BetterPoints East Dunbartonshire App has been launched to promote sustainable transport and active travel. The app allows users to track their sustainable travel journeys and earn rewards for travelling in such a way.
• The Traffic Free Schools project continues, and approval has been received (at May 2025 PNCA Committee) to deliver the initiative in a second phase of schools to enhance accessibility and sustainable modes of transport for children and school communities. Monitoring and evaluation work is taking place. Requests for new schools to be considered have been submitted to the team. A report will be presented to PNCA Committee later in 2026 advising of the outcomes of the project and viability of a third phase.
• Work is progressing on key functions of the team including: working on a range of Traffic Regulation Orders at various stages of the statutory process, liaising with the network operator and maintenance contractors of the public electric vehicle charging network and continuing to assist in resolving access issues
• Work is ongoing in partnership with the Glasgow City Region to increase regional and local Electric Vehicle charging network provision. Stage one tenders have been received from Charge Point Operators, and these are being assessed to confirm what CPOs will move forward into the full tender stage. Work is ongoing to maintain existing EV charge points working within available budgets

• planning side of the team has determined 53 applications and validated 52 applications.
• The Building Standards team have received 94 building warrants and approved 98 applications. 
• The Planning Enforcement team have opened6 new cases and closed 7 cases.
• Preparations are underway for the next forthcoming Planning Board meeting and LRB.
• The Team have been supporting the Council’s Housing and Major Assets teams with pre application technical advice for the next round of projects.
• Both Planning and Building Standards teams continue to offer support and informal advice to customers through our daily duty service Monday to Friday.

• Approval of the revised LDP Evidence Report
• Preparation of the new Greenapace Strategy
• Improvement in Business Start-Ups
• IHMS 2.  
• Telecare provision in a dispersed environment. 

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Overview of Progress

Throughout April, the Democratic Services Team continued to support the internal governance of the Council, in addition to certain regulatory functions.  Three governance meetings took place during April.  Preparations are well advanced for the use of Modern.gov to support the maintenance and publication of Members’ Registers of Interest.  In addition, work is underway to develop the system for use in the preparation, approval, and publication of Technical Notes and Contract Standing Orders waiver forms.  In time, it will also be used to support public engagement and consultation, and a petitions function.

As part of the Primary and Secondary Schools Registration process, the Team continues to deal with mid-term applications and appeals for placing requests in relation to the 2025/2026 school year and has commenced arrangements for the annual placing request appeals.  The deadline for placing requests was 15 March2026, and appeals are scheduled for June 2026.

The Team continued to engage with the Electoral Registration Officer, Electoral Commission, Electoral Management Board, Association of Electoral Administrators, Regional Returning Officer and contractors in preparation for the Scottish Parliament elections on 7 May 2026 and count scheduled for 8 May 2026.  This is the most complex and demanding electoral event that the Team administers.  Detailed planning commenced in 2025 and includes officers from various services.  In addition, the Team has liaised with colleagues in West Dunbartonshire Council as the Scottish Parliamentary constituency is cross-boundary.  Regular update Technical Notes will continue to be issued to Members as planning progresses.  Work also continued, locally and nationally, in preparation for the Local Government Elections in 2027.

The Team continues to support Children’s Hearings Scotland as part of the North Strathclyde Area Support Team.  Ongoing support was also provided to Community Councils.  The Team continues to participate in local and national resilience partnership meetings and training exercises.

The Council continued to deliver registration services April and supported colleagues in neighbouring authorities.  In addition, the service continued to engage with partners across Greater Glasgow as part of ongoing resilience planning for potential incidents which may impact on demand for services, in relation to both storage and registration in the event of a mass casualty event or periods of excess deaths.

The service continued to support Members and the Strategic Leadership Team.  Officers from SLT Support and Members Support participated in the Civic Committee and delivered many of the decisions of that Committee.  The Information Management Team continued to provide important support and advice to the MS365 implementation team, in addition to business-as-usual support in relation to freedom of information and data protection.

Key Achievements / Areas of Focus

• Registration & Customer Services completed 79 birth and 203 death registrations in April.  22 marriages and no civil partnerships were also registered in this period.  
• Citizenship Ceremonies were held to welcome 12 new citizens.
• Continued development of the new committee administration system, which included further support for report writers, elected members and development of additional functionality.
• Information Management received and processed 138 FOI/EIRs, 12 internal review requests and 27 SARs (Subject Access Requests).  

Overview of Progress

The indicators chosen for monthly reporting represent transactions where Legal Services involvement is nearer the end of the process.  Each indicator relates to services which are important to individuals and Council Services, but that also have an impact on the local economy.  They also represent areas where performance was not previously as good as it might have been, which resulted in the introduction of the PIs.  Whilst performance is consistently high, the continued application of the PIs ensures that this remains the case.  It also ensures that any change in performance is identified and addressed early.

Performance against all indicators for Legal Services for April is 100% 

Legal Services continues to support services across the Council in the delivery of projects, contracts and otherwise to manage legal risk.  This includes advice and work on confidential matters that cannot be included in a public report.

Key Achievements / Areas of Focus

• During April, the Team processed 6 contract review forms and 3 contract award letters, 1 open market purchase offer, 37 taxi licence applications processed and 5 housing repair grants.  All were processed within the timescales.  Considering this, it is not proposed to take any steps currently other than to continue to monitor progress against the set PIs.
• The Team continued to provide support to the wider City Deal team with legal support to the City Deal Team in the lead in to the start of construction including providing support on land matters.  In addition, the long lease of the Civic Space was completed and negotiation with neighbouring landowners on city projects continued.
• Property and planning work included conveyancing support for the AHIP2 project; concluding lease for Milngavie Bowling Club car park to the Club; wayleaves agreed with utility companies for new Balmuildy Primary School.
• Contracts and procurement work in this period included award of contracts for Damp and Mould Eradication, Reinstatement and Prevention works for the Council’s East and West areas; extension of Lifelink counselling in schools contract; contract awarded for Lenzie Academy Roof Work; award for Fire Safety Installation; and Alcohol and Drug Recovery Contracts; negotiating a conclusion to a dispute over the termination of a contract by the Council following poor performance of the provider. 
• The Litigation and Licensing Team continued to provide support to Social Work in relation to adults with incapacity and permanence planning and to Education on a variety of matters including a significant number of cases in the Additional Support Needs Tribunal.  The Team continues to provide advice on a wide range of confidential matters including employment advice and support the Housing Service.  Additional work included assisting social work in successfully obtaining an emergency order to project a vulnerable adult and intervening, in short notice, where the Court had concerns about an adult with incapacity application made by third parties and wished the Council to intervene.
• The team also supported the development of the Council’s new Digital Service Acceptable Use Policy, advice of three ongoing CAT applications and supporting the election team with the Scottish Parliamentary Election.
• The team has also coordinated the response to a notice from the Scottish Covid Inquiry which asked for a signification amount of information

Overview of Progress

During April, the Procurement Service continued to support other services across the Council in the delivery of various projects, including ongoing support to several strategic procurements/projects, particularly in relation to City Deal, ICT, Business & Digital Change, Key System renewals and upgrades, and various Capital projects.  In particular, the Team continued to be heavily involved in data cleansing, Solution redesign, Communication planning, Key User training and support, Data Reconciliation and Supplier data correction as part of the ongoing management of the new Fusion Financial system.  This continues to place a significant demand on the resources of the Team.  In addition to the above, the Team is now testing for a major upgrade to the Fusion system and the implementation of the Supplier Portal model.  The upgrade is of such magnitude that it requires to be managed as a project in its own right and will require support from other Council services.  

The Team continuously works to manage and support the operational activity in terms of the buyers work centre, Fusion catalogue management, supplier management and payment processing, and in April remained focussed on delivering against the increased demand from Services around queries in relation to Fusion, whilst managing the ongoing implementation, remodelling and updating of the System.

The Team was also heavily involved with multiple Capital programme requirements, system software renewals, Grant funded projects, Council Building planned maintenance and Housing New Build Maintenance support.

The team has been co-ordinating the actions instructed by SLT regarding additional authorisations and prioritisations around spend controls, and the contract requirements against budgets, through newly implemented governance procedures and controls.

Key Achievements / Areas of Focus

• Providing ongoing support to the City Deal team in relation to Contract requirements and alternative procurement route options.
• Supported key Capital, Business & Digital Change projects such as Oracle Fusion Redwood upgrade , Fusion HCM Phase 2, IHMS, City Deal projects to support Westerhill Development Road, Capital projects such as school estate Professional Fees, Itrent extension options, Oracle Support updates, school new build contracts, and general budget projects such as school maintenance works, Systems Support whilst supporting workforce of the future planning and Business as Usual workstreams.
• Participation in extensive meetings and workshops to train, test, reconcile data transfer and solution implementation for the Oracle Fusion Redwood upgrade.
• Completed renewals for support and maintenance of business-critical systems to facilitate workforce of the future.
• Ongoing support to the /implementation of Fusion to support the technical requirements for Payment integrations, Managed Stores, and e-invoicing. 
• Commenced preparation for the 2025-2026 Annual Procurement Report to include alignments with organisational Climate Action Planning, Circular Economy Strategy, Community Wealth Building & the City Region Community Wish List planning.
• Preparation of Annual Procurement Strategy 2026-2027
• Processing invoices, payments, and Fusion housekeeping actions.
• Continued efforts to improve payment KPI’s, planning and communications for Oracle Fusion.
• Continued Business Critical expenditure considerations within Buyers Work Centre for spend in excess of £16,500.
• Ongoing work on the review of Contract Standing Orders for alignment with organisational changes, financial management and Procurement governance for reporting to Council in September 2026.
• Continued Fusion Redwood upgrade actions and communications in alignment with the quarterly Oracle schedules, managing the backlog resulting from the system downtime and managing business as usual.
• Continued workstreams for the Oracle Fusion upgrade to Redwood Self Service Procurement, including testing and revisiting personalisation to consider business impacts.
• Continued workstreams for the implementation of the Oracle Fusion Supplier Portal, including testing and revisiting system set up prior to roll out in September 2026.
• Implemented Fusion electronic feeder payment files for Fortnightly payment processing.
• Review of resourcing considerations to support Project workload and business as usual priorities.
• Supporting Scottish Parliamentary election planning.

Overview of Progress

During April, the Strategic Commissioning team supported the progression of the HSCP’s Transformation and Budget programme, whilst d continuing to direct and guide the commissioned market daily, intervening if/where necessary to support sustainability and/or other related pressures.    

Key Achievements / Areas of Focus

• Explored opportunities for additional budget savings across commissioned services via collaborative commissioning and contracting approaches.  
• Successfully supported an individual to transition from an out of area placement back to the local community.  The collaborative efforts were formally acknowledged and praised by the individual’s parent/guardian. 
• Aligned to national policy, commenced implementation of Scottish Living Wage uplifts Continued to support and progress several key review workstreams relating to commissioned and in-house services and provided added value via the provision of technical commissioning, project management and budget management expertise.   
• Supported finance colleagues with year-end financial arrangements. 
• Continued to progress transitional planning arrangements for 2026/2027. 
• Continued to monitor and report on financial frameworks underpinning strategic reviews to ensure accuracy, alignment with the HSCP’s medium term financial plan and respective commissioning delivery plans.   
• Contributed to and supported progression of multi-agency collaborative inpatient redesign approaches geared towards alleviating acute and community pressures.  
• Continued discussions with external HSCPs to explore the potential to co-produce & co-design a service model capable of providing cross boundary generic support to meet identified needs & outcomes & deliver value for money.
• Explored alternative and more bespoke commissioning models to meet current and future demand including a model specifically geared towards alleviating discharge pressures. 
• Continued to support and guide the HSCP with operational pressures related to commissioned services.  

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The Roads and Neighbourhood Service continue to oversee the maintenance function and safe operation of the adopted public carriageway/footway network, adopted open spaces (including trees), cemeteries, domestic, commercial waste & recycling collection, fleet, and transportation within East Dunbartonshire. In addition, the Service also oversees the management and operations of Mugdock Country Park.

This Service area is divided into eight portfolio groupings:

• Roads Network Operations
• Roads Technical & Engineering 
• Streetscene Technical Support (including Bereavement and Arboriculture)
• Streetscene Operations (including grounds maintenance, street cleansing and cemetery operations)
• Waste Services (including domestic & commercial waste & recycling collections)
• Fleet Services (including fleet operations, maintenance, and transportation)
• Mugdock Country Park
• Corporate Health & Safety Team 

Each team has specific areas of responsibility; however, they all operate, and function collectively as required. Within their own areas, each team has several service accountabilities contributing to local outcomes.

The various sections within the portfolio groups continue to progress both revenue operation/maintenance work and internally and externally funded capital projects with colleagues in Procurement, Finance and Health & Safety. Several projects are time specific due to the external funding conditions to it is very important to make best use of the time available to bring these projects to fruition for the benefit of local communities.

The team continue to deliver both planned and reactive maintenance to both carriageways, footways, and street lighting assets. 

The Roads Network Team Leader and Senior Roads Technician continue to oversee the cyclical Safety Inspections and responses to ad-hoc enquiries. 

The Streetlighting Team are also working on their 2026/27 Capital Programme 

The Winter Maintenance period was completed in early April.   

The Roads Development, Structures, Traffic, Flood Risk and Drainage Teams continue to work on and contribute to multiple projects including Road Coring, Flood Defence Maintenance, Bridge Inspection/Replacement and Signalisation/TRO Projects across various area. 

The Team also continues to work with Legal colleague to oversee the TRO process associated with the potential implementation of 20mph speed limits across various the remaining geographical areas.

The Team is also coordinating with external contractors to delivery multiple traffic surveys with the information used to determine the next steps for various proposals. This information is used as evidence to either support the need for action or validate the decision not to take forward a proposal if it is not supported by evidence. 

The Traffic Officer also liaise with Police Scotland colleagues to monitor any road related incidents.

The three geographical based teams are completing the autumn/winter grounds maintenance tasks. The teams are also undertaking street cleansing of all adopted council roads and pavements including litter collection, leaf clearance, mechanical sweeping, and servicing of street litter bins. 

The team also continue to manage the Councils tree stock. The team manages burials in the eight operational cemeteries. 

The team also continue to support roads with footway gritting when additional resources are required. 

The team continue to work with community groups regarding Environmental Improvement Projects including path improvement, play area renovations, amenity planting, cemetery, and allotment development. 

The team continues to analyse the results of the first Ash Dieback Surveys which will inform the actions that need to be prioritised to address this important issue. Ash Dieback Information will be communicated over the coming months as this is an issue that will become more prominent, and it is important to update elected members and communities on potential tree work resulting from the completed surveys.

The team are continuing with the autumn/winter grounds maintenance tasks. The monthly visitor number continue to exceed expectation, and the team area focused on enhancing the visitor experience to the country park with various improvements planned to key attractions in line with the Mugdock Country Park Strategy. 

The Mugdock Country Park Team continue to work with Striling Council to explore the possibility of Car Parking charges within the five car parks in the park. 

The Waste Team has continued the frontline service operations for the collection of over 400,000 assorted household bins over the month of April, providing residual, recycling, food, garden and special waste collections on behalf of the Authority. The team has also managed the waste and recycling collections from over 400 of our local commercial premises and provides recycling disposal provision at the Mavis Valley Recycling Centre.

The Waste service have continued to work with our Clyde Valley partners through the period on the treatment and disposal contract for all residual household waste.  The Council processed 1630 tonnes of waste through this contract in April 2026, ensuring our waste undergoes treatment for recycling extraction prior to being sent through an Energy from Waste process.

The Fleet team continue to manage the transport operations including the Councils Goods Vehicle Operator Licence and compliance across all services. This includes provision and management of the maintenance workshops, annual testing, statutory inspections, and management of Drivers in line with obligations and conditions laid out in the Councils commitment to the Scottish Traffic Commissioner. 

Fleet Management has worked in partnership with services and officers from procurement in order to specify, tender and procure further vehicles and associated items of specialist plant, suitable for service users’ needs and to coincide with contracts terminating through the financial year. Tenders are currently out for the replacement of specialist vehicles, plant & equipment for Greenspace and Streetscene, Waste Management and other front-line services. 

Replacement vehicles continue to filter through from suppliers for Roads and Environment, Property Maintenance and Social Services. The team at Fleet Management continue working to transfer systems and equipment and arrange the de-fleeting and disposal of the outgoing vehicles. 

The fleet service continues to support and manage Transport Operations for the provision of Additional Support Needs Transport service for Education and Integrated Health and Social Care, including delivery of school meals on behalf of the authority. This service has provided additional support for other services throughout the period.

The Corporate Health and Safety team provides a range of occupational safety and health services, including advice on statutory guidance, safety action notices, safe working and training, incident reporting and investigation, including RIDDOR and support for services when requesting statistics under Freedom of Information requests as well as personal injury claims incident reports.  The H&S Team continues to work cooperatively with Trade Union colleagues to review incidents statistics and other health and safety activities.

Ongoing and comprehensive health and safety assistance is provided to services throughout the council, HSCP and EDLC, conducting multiple site visits to offer expert guidance, address emerging issues, and assist with the completion of risk assessments and safe systems of work.  During this period, the team have been working closely with the Education service, Estates & Facilities, Mugdock country park, EDLC and HSCP.  This included reviewing safe systems of work and risk assessments, COSHH assessments, document review and other health and safety enquiries. 

The H&S Team reported at the 1st Tier EDLC Committee meeting and were present at 3rd Tier (service level) meetings for Property Maintenance, Streetscene, Fleet and Waste.  

The team also participated in the Equally Safe at Work working group meeting to contribute to ongoing discussions and collaborative action supporting safer and more inclusive working practices.

Workplace assessments and individual risk assessments, in collaboration with HR colleagues, continue to be reviewed and assessed, as well as continuing to review First Aids needs assessments with HR People Development.  Display Screen Equipment assessments continue to be reviewed alongside line managers.

The focus continues for Construction Design and Management compliance with site visits, inspections, reviewing construction phase plans, risk assessments and method statements for refurbishment, general estate repairs, new builds, paths, roads and greenspace projects for various teams.  Specific site visits during this period include Huntershill Sports Hub, Milngavie Primary School, Balmuildy Primary School, Broomhill Depot Gutter Clean, Mugdock Park Play Area, as well as the Bishopbriggs City Deal Project.

The team attended meetings to support the re-establishment of the health surveillance programme and coordinate the next steps for its implementation.

Fire Risk Assessments are conducted in accordance with the predetermined schedule.  Officers undertake routine inspections and continue to carry out site visits to address any fire safety concerns, assess fire documentation where required and support with personal emergency evacuation plans, offering expert advice.
Fire Safety training has also been delivered by the team including fire extinguisher training and fire safety awareness training.

The team continue to promote reporting of health and safety incidents throughout the council and programme health and safety inspections of council workplaces. 

Roads Network Operations Teams (including Street Lighting)

Carriageway & Footway Defects (April 2026)

Between 1- 30 April 2026, 247 defects were identified across East Dunbartonshire. Of these, 184 repairs were completed within SLA (74.49 %), 37 were late (14.98 %), and 26 (10.53 %) remain outstanding but are still within SLA. 

Road Works Delivery (April 2026)

A wide programme of carriageway and footway works was delivered, predominantly minor excavation repairs addressing surface defects and potholes across Lenzie, Kirkintilloch, Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, and surrounding areas. Other works included drainage upgrades, gully repairs, lining works, and installation of new traffic signals. The majority of projects were completed on schedule as advised on technical notes. For road work and road closure please see - Technical Notes 2026, Issue 70 - Roads & Neighbourhood Services 2026/27 Carriageway and Footway Resurfacing Programme - East Dunbartonshire Council

Gully Cleaning Performance (April 2026)

A total of 22,011 gullies is maintained across the network. During the reporting period, 1,427 gullies were cleaned (10.7%). This includes 1243 of 6,221 gullies on primary routes (24.3%) and 168 of 14,448 on secondary routes (2.3%). This reflects strong delivery in drainage maintenance and contributes to reducing flood risk.

Safety Inspections (April 2026)

A total of 12 scheduled carriageway safety inspections were completed, all within required inspection intervals. 

Winter Maintenance (April 2026)

A total of 67 gritting actions were carried out, using 275.66 tonnes of salt to maintain network safety during winter conditions.

Roads Technical & Engineering Teams 

Structures

• Actions from internal audit closed out

Drainage

• Glenorchard Road, Balmore - new manhole for root cutting completed. 
• Camstradden Dr East, Bearsden – installed new manhole, carrier pipe and replaced two road drains causing flooding. 

Traffic

• Evaluation of 20mph in Bearsden underway
• Evaluation of pavement parking underway

Development

• Fees and charges for 26/27 live on website.

Streetscene, Greenspace & Mugdock Country Park Teams 

Streetscene Operations

• Commencement of the Summer cyclical works.
• Street cleansing and mechanical sweeping; removal of fly posting and uplifting of fly tipping, mechanical street sweeping and installing replacement or additional bins.
• Graffiti removal.
• Ongoing cemetery operations, digging and carrying out interments, installing headstone foundations, benches etc
• Countryside verge de-littering started.
• Invasive non native species spraying.
• Checking and clearance of culverts
• Play park inspection 
• Herbicide works in open spaces/schools
• Education and Leisure Trust pitch maintenance, athletic and football initial lining for schools.
• Replacement of damaged bins.
• Responding to Customer Service Requests and complaints.
• Supply and fitting of no dog fouling signs in EDC Cemeteries.
• Removal of dead animals and excess waste at recycling centres.

Streetscene Technical Support

• Play Area Bishopbriggs Park – contract awarded  - complete
• Play Area at Stanley Drive – contract awarded – complete 
• Play Area Eastside  - contract will be awarded imminently for replacement equipment  - awaiting a start date
• Play Areas – annual external safety inspection complete – reports received – review ongoing
• Merkland Play Area – contractor appointed to remove all equipment as per Technical Note – now complete – consultation to begin re opportunities in area
• Twechar Pump Track – award now made – start date to be confirmed – likely July 2026
• Cemetery Management Rules – Scottish Govt regs now being finalised and implemented prior to March 2026 – EDC rules will now be updated for submission to committee probably for May 2026
• Headstones/Memorials Inspection – inspections complete at Campsie Cemetery and New Kilpatrick Churchyard  – make safe progressing at Campsie and thereafter to New Kilpatrick
• Cadder Cemetery Extension – Planning application submitted – likely date for determination Autumn 26
• Langfaulds Cemetery - consultants working to finalise design works for next phase
• Etive Park Allotments – now fully up and running – Officers working with Allotment Holders to progress an Allotment Association
• Community Growing Facilities – progressing improvement works via Shared Prosperity Fund – programme now largely complete  
• Rosebank Allotments – Officers continue to liaise with Allotment holders and committee
• Ash Dieback Survey on Roadside – further survey complete – analysis ongoing of trees identified – EDC or private and next steps
• Schools Estate – tree survey findings analysed – orders being raised for any priority works – largely complete 
• Tree Planting – complete for this growing season – works predominantly in Bishopbriggs due to low canopy coverage in this area
• Lenzie Moss – various works progressing across the site – dam works, access management, dead hedging etc – this will continue into the late spring/early summer
• Carved Benches – 5 installed across the district in April
• Nature Restoration Fund – projects identified for 25/26 largely complete – awaiting clarification for funding award for 26/27  
• Management Plans – Lenzie Moss, Whitefield Pond, Cairnhill Woods and Heather Avenue – 1st year actions largely complete – now progressing to 2nd year actions
• Bishopbriggs Park Management Plan – now in draft will be shared with community groups in May/June this year for further comment 
• TCV Partnership – environmental improvement works are progressing on the John Muir Way  - 3 year programme in total – 2nd year to commence in May 26
• Clyde Valley Green Network – liaison re EDC Wetland Strategy.
• Merkland LNR – wayfinding signage now delivered – will be installed in May 
• Glazert Project – team input into overall project re trees and biodiversity aspects – planning consent and construction both approved
• The team continues to respond to high volume of open space, tree and bereavement enquires, along with planning application consultations and complaints. 
• Team working with City Deal Team and Consultants in relation to Masterplan of Bishopbriggs Relief Road/Westerhill
• Planning application responses and support to Planning Team ongoing 
• Open Space audit work for input into the Grounds Maintenance System ongoing for Milngavie & Bearsden.
• Assisted a number of Community Groups with Litter Picking resources across EDC

Mugdock Country Park – April 2026 footfall – 77,252

• Completion of upgraded play park
• Working with conservation volunteers and walled garden volunteers
• Ranger sessions for this month were:
• Part of our Eggsplore Easter Weekend & school holidays - The Big Egg Hunt x 3,
• Forest Families x 2, Three Day Ranger Camp x 1, Muddy Mischief Makers x 2, Day Ranger
• Camp x 3. Additionally, there were 3 family cinema screenings and 2 x family magic show.
• Forest Families x 1, Wild at Mugdock x 1
• School Sessions: Bishopton PS x 1, Killermont PS x 3, Westerton PS x 2, Kelvindale PS x 1

• The Clyde Valley Residual Waste contract accepted 1630 tonnes of general waste throughout April.  The team attended the quarterly contract technical liaison meeting in April alongside the other four partner Councils to discuss recycling pre-sort, and ongoing production of energy from waste. 
• The Garden Waste service has had a busy start to the season.  In April 2719 permits were purchased, making a total of 28186 permits purchased for the 2026 season.
• The team have worked with colleagues in Business Change to bring the Mavis Valley booking system in-house.  The new system was successfully launched at the end of April 2026.
• The team are continuing with supporting the implementation of the commercial route review.  There has been a focus around optimising the routes, ensuring all contracted agreements are adhered to and creating new procedures.  Waste Services Officers have been working closely with our customers and assisting the frontline crews with contractual agreements.
• The team are working on a recycling route review, making efficiencies through the use of the new digital routing software implemented last year.
  The Waste Technical and Compliance Team dealt with 92
• Corporate Complaints in April.
• The Waste Technical and Compliance Team dealt with 1048 general enquiries in April.

Fleet Services

• Between 1st to 30th April 2026, the team inspected and repaired 202 vehicles and items of plant, all in accordance with our servicing schedules and defect procedures. 
• We are currently awaiting delivery of several new vehicles and plant assets to replace older equipment as part of our scheduled fleet replacement programme.
• We continue to support Council services by delivering ASN transport and distributing essential supplies to vulnerable residents, including meals for early years facilities and lunch clubs.
• Work is progressing on managing the capital programme for fleet asset replacements throughout the financial year.
• We are maintaining our CPC training schedule to ensure all relevant drivers meet their requirements before the deadline. Furthermore, we continue to manage our fleet operations in full compliance with operator licensing legislation, maintaining a 'Green' DVSA Operator Compliance Risk Score for both Traffic and Compliance.
• Our in-house maintenance team continues to support front-line operations, covering everything from standard vehicle repairs to the upkeep of horticultural and construction plant equipment.
• We are currently in the process of replacing our Fleet Management and Telematics systems, as well as undertaking a full update of our Fleet Policy.
• We have implemented a data-led approach to fleet management, evidenced by our recent utilisation report. By using telematics data to identify under-utilised assets, we can refine our vehicle replacement programme, ensuring resources are focused on high-demand service areas while driving down the overall fleet size. 
• We are actively monitoring external hires.