How Good is Our Service - June 2025

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Voids performance in June is at 82%, down from 95% in May and is below our target of 85%. There has been an increase in the number of properties received in the month and previous months requiring high-cost repairs which has impacted on the turnaround times. Our focus remains on improving performance in this area 

Property Maintenance have achieved our target of 100% for Gas Servicing in June with 427 properties serviced in the month.  We continue to achieve our target each month, and we are confident this will continue throughout 2025/26 

Non-Emergency repairs performance in June exceeds our target of 12 days with an average turnaround of 11.9 days for the month, which is up from 12.7 days in May.  We continue to work towards improving and maintaining performance in this area going forward. 

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

A revised school lunch menu was implemented during October 2024 with feedback received which has been used to shape future menu changes.  Action plans continue to be reviewed, and recommendations implemented to improve uptake in lower performing schools.  The launch of a new menu is expected to go live after the summer holidays.

A revised school lunch menu was implemented during October 2024 with feedback received which has been used to shape the new menu due to be launched in August 2025 for the start of the new term.  Action plans continue to be reviewed, and recommendations implemented to improve uptake in lower performing schools.  

The uptake of Primary school free school meals increased between May and June to 74.44% which is over 10% higher compared with the same period last year.  The uptake in Secondary schools increased to 49.97%, which is consistent with the same period last year.  The 4th, 5th and 6th Years have been off on study leave which has resulted in lower uptake compared to previous winter months.  The service continues to focus on schools not achieving the set target with action plans implemented to improve the uptake in lower performing schools.  The Service continues to work with suppliers to source locally produced produce, with 53% of the school menus now using locally sourced produce.

Staff engagement with Catering and Cleaning staff has taken place with staff affected by the temporary closure of Milngavie Primary School while refurbishment works are undertaken.  Staff will be relocated to cover additional resource pressures at Torrance PS and St Nicholas’ PS as well as vacancies within the Milngavie area.  Additionally, staff engagement is ongoing with school crossing patrollers with a view of relocating patrollers currently at mechanised crossings to vacant crossing locations.  Recruitment of vacant locations will commence once existing patrollers have moved.

The service has robust measures in place to monitor performance with regards gas safety compliance across the Operational Estate.  Estates & Facilities are currently leading on obtaining new EICR’s for all educational properties over the coming months, which need updated every 5 years.  This will include any remedial works.

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.  Works to Bearsden PS roof above the ICT Suite were completed over the Easter holidays as well as internal decoration to the suite, however additional works are now required to replace an internal overflow pipe following further investigation which have been programmed in for the summer holidays. Works were completed at Castlehill PS in relation to brickwork repairs to the end gable as a result of the biomass flue being ripped from the wall during recent storms.  Works are now progressing to replace the biomass flue with the biomass being operational over the winter period.  

Negotiations are taking place with the neighbour of Bearsden Primary School to allow essential roof repairs to the dining hall roof.  Access to the private garden is required in order to complete the required roof repairs.Works to Colquhoun Park PS, senior corridor are planned for over the summer holiday following significant water ingress from the flat roof in May 2025.

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 marketing of Lenzie Public Hall is due to commence in June.
 
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. 

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

Design work continues to progress for the Westerhill Development Road project and the planning submission was made in March 2025.  The Stage 1 report for the project was considered and approved by Council in June 2025, with work on-going to finalise the next group of pre-construction contracts which will deliver a detailed design and tendered price for the project later in 2025. 

Works continue to progress at Bearsden Community Hub to remove and replace RAAC from the roof on the extension at the rear of the building.  Works are now complete at Bearsden Primary School, where the windows have been replaced and external stonework repaired.  Preparations for the refurbishment of Milngavie Primary School in Summer 2025 continue to progress, including the development of design proposals, tendering strategy for the project and decant arrangements for pupils at Torrance and St Nicholas’ Primary Schools.  Works are due to commence in July 2025.

The construction phase continues to progress well at Campsie Memorial Hall, with early works continuing to make good progress.  The project remains scheduled for completion in early 2026.

The development of design proposals for the new Lenzie Academy project at Whitegates Park remain underway, with the proposal of planning application notice submitted in May.  The first round of pre-application consultation events took place in June 2025, with a second round planned after the summer holiday period.  Some further survey work at both the Myrtle Avenue and Whitegates Park site is planned for during the school summer holiday period.

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 and next financial year.  

Works remain on-going to repair the render at the entrance to Kirkintilloch Leisure Centre and refurbishment works are also now underway at Torrance Community Centre.  Preparations are on-going for several projects planned in the Learning Estate over the school summer holiday periods, including accessibility adaptations where required for new pupils in August 2025.

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 next phase of energy efficiency measures across Council and mixed tenure stock including the installation of cavity wall insulation to reduce heat loss are now underway.

The revised Housing Capital Investment Plan was approved by Council in March 2025, which instructed officers to continue to progress design development on the pipeline of development sites; and to finalise revised construction tender costs for the Twechar Canalside development site.  Planning submissions have been submitted for sites at the former Merkland School and Main Street in Torrance, with the application for the former Auchinairn Primary School to follow shortly.  

A final report seeking approval to commence the construction phase of the Twechar Canalside development site was considered and approved by Council in June 2025.  Works to build the no.15 affordable houses at the site are due to commence in early August.

• Achieved 100% compliance for Gas Servicing with focus on this continuing going forward.
• Kitchen, Bathroom, Central Heating and Roofing upgrade programmes ongoing with positive feedback being received from tenants across all contracts.
• Continue to focus on enhancing voids operational processes with the objective being to increase and maintain performance in this are going forward. returned completed within target has dropped in the month  
• Improved functionality of Total Mobile and the integration with Servitor enables a more streamlined and efficient service.
• Continue to improve on non-emergency repairs turnaround times 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 July and August.
• 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 June 2025, 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 aimed to protect the community from environmental risks, and to support the development of responsible business. The work encompassed both proactive work such as routine inspections for food safety and reactive responses to complaints and service requests. In June the team submitted the Annual Progress Report for 2024/25 - the report, which provides the latest monitoring results and discusses air quality management in East Dunbartonshire. is undertaken to fulfil the Council's duty to annually review and assess local air quality.  

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. Some more new Community Wardens commenced employment with the authority.  The Wardens roles include the investigation of anti-social behaviour and noise, Decriminalised Parking Enforcement, response to dog fouling complaints and community engagement particularly with schools and younger people.

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. Throughout June Licensing Advisors were heavily involved with service provision in relation to licensed summer events across the council area.  Trading Standards engaged with the public through the deployment of the “scam van” as part of a co-production scam awareness and prevention event with Police Scotland.  Feedback from the joint event will inform our on-going approach to the tackling of scams within the East Dunbartonshire area. Legislation to prohibit the sale/supply of single use vapes was enacted at the beginning of June, Officers continue to build the local intelligence picture around supply of said products. Licensing Advisers and Trading Standards Officers in the team also continued to deliver proactive inspection work, along with reactive service request work and project activity at a range of business premises across the area (including age restricted product sales test purchasing and fair trading and civic / liquor licensing).  The gathering and dissemination of intelligence on subjects involved in sale and supply of age restricted products, high pressure selling and home improvements continued. 

Significant progress continues to be made in delivering inclusive, community-led initiatives that support long-term development and integration. The team has expanded its pockets places and prosperity programme of interactive workshops, family-oriented activities, and collaborative projects. These initiatives are designed to deepen community engagement and empower residents to actively shape a more resilient and cohesive local environment.

Planning is well underway for an ambitious 2025/26 calendar of events and sessions. Seasonal programming will include key projects such as Wellness Kitchens and Community First workshops. A continued focus on Community Grants Capacity Building and Health Issues in the Community (HIIC) will further support sustained community development.

Our Resettlement Team continues to deliver compassionate, tailored support across all resettlement and asylum programmes. With a human-centred approach, the team ensures that everyone’s needs and experiences are recognised, making the resettlement journey both respectful and empowering. This work plays a crucial role in supporting successful integration and strengthening community cohesion.  Reflecting national trends, the team has adapted to the increasing demand for support services, ensuring that the caseload is met with empathy and professionalism.

We remain committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion through close collaboration with local organisations and community partners. These partnerships are helping to foster welcoming, respectful environments across East Dunbartonshire. Preparations are underway for several key events in the coming months, including International Women’s Day celebrations and participation in the 16 Days of Action campaign, in partnership with the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) initiative, and Gaelic Harvest Festival.

In partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, our team continues to deliver a highly accessible and efficient community vaccination programme. Year-round clinics, based at Kirkintilloch Town Hall and Milngavie Town Hall, provide seasonal immunisations including shingles, pneumococcal, flu, and COVID vaccines. These services are helping to protect the health of residents while ensuring broad community access and uptake.

Housing manages 3886 social rented properties; 3800 of these are mainstream accommodation and 82 are used for Homeless Temporary Accommodation.  The service also manages 50 Lead Tenancies which are rented from either private landlords (29) or Housing Associations (21), to assist with accommodating homeless households.

At present, the Housing list for East Dunbartonshire has 3310 applications - made up of the following:

General Waiting list - 2454 applicants waiting (4 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 - 612 applicants (11 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 - 242 applicants (14 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, 13 properties were allocated.  12 general needs and 1 buyback (bought from the open market), 12 were mainstream type houses and 1 was a sheltered property.
They were let to the following queues:

• 4 to the priority homeless queue
• 5 to the transfer queue
• 5 to the general waiting list queue

Community Protection Service

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.
• Six local establishments were given a prestigious Eat Safe Award by East Dunbartonshire Council – highlighting their dedication and commitment to food hygiene and safety. The awards were presented to the businesses at a presentation arranged by Officers.
• The Annual Progress Report for 2024/25 was submitted - the report is undertaken to fulfil East Dunbartonshire Council's duty to annually review and assess local air quality.  The report provides the latest monitoring results and discusses air quality management in East Dunbartonshire.
• A mobile snack van on a local construction site was closed by officers due to food law contraventions including having no sink or running water.
• Correspondence was sent to all properties served by private water supply regarding water scarcity and the emergency assistance scheme available.
• 4 diffusion tubes used to take indictive measurement of ambient concentrations of NO2, SO2 and VOCs have been placed around a local business plant in response to odour complaints received.
• Officers investigated a case of ringworm thought to have been caused by the delivery of barber services at a local outlet.
• An Officer attended a national workshop in Dundee organised by Food Standards Scotland to discuss a digital system for food business registration.
• Delivery of dog fouling initiatives within various parks and open spaces within the local authority area, speaking to dog walkers and reminding them of their legal responsibilities.
• Delivery of a range of parking initiatives (particularly in and around the schools in Bishopbriggs at drop off and pick up times) in response to recent complaints.
• Community Warden assistance provided to several community projects including the Kirkintilloch Foodbank, engaging with vulnerable members of the community.
• Continued networking with partner agencies across local communities to develop engagement opportunities and to maximise opportunities for the effective delivery of local community safety services.
• Delivery of proactive inspection work along with reactive service request and targeted project work by the Trading Standards Team throughout the reporting period to maintain local compliance with consumer protection legislation with specific consideration to vaping products.
• 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.
• Deployment of the co-production “Scam Van” promoting awareness and scam prevention messaging.
• Delivery of work by the Licensing Advisers in the Team to assess local compliance with licensing conditions and make representations at Licensing Boards.
• Provision of tailored advice to businesses requiring Public Entertainment Licences and/or amendments to liquor licences for the summer period.

Community Planning and Partnerships

• 
  Delivering round 1 of the 2025-26 Community Grant Scheme, opening 1st July and closes 25th July.
• The team continue to deliver resettlement support across a range of programmes and are supporting Ukrainian Displaced Persons (UDP) awareness of The Ukrainian Permission Extension (UPE) Scheme which is now open for applications. The Resettlement team are supporting UDPs in ED to ensure they are aware of the new scheme and signposting to help and support available.
• Plans are progressing on delivering East Dunbartonshire Council’s 2nd Gaelic Harvest Festival on 31st August at Mugdock Country Park, supporting our corporate delivery of the priorities within the Gaelic Language Plan 2024-2029.
• Delivery of the successful pockets, places and prosperity programme within Hillhead Community.
• The delivery of a well-received series of wellness kitchens in collaboration with partners.
• Continued work in partnership with the front-line workers, collating progress on delivery of the priorities within the Locality Plans, including the establishment of locality forums.
• The Vaccination Programme in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has commenced its spring programme and the team continue to assist to ensure the smooth running of clinics at both Kirkintilloch and Milngavie Town Hall.
• The consultation on our Equality Outcomes is being promoted, with a wide-ranging coms and engagement plan agreed delivering a range of participatory consultation events.

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

Housing Estates

• The Estates team received 13 new Reports of anti-social behaviour during the month of June, and 11 open cases were resolved.
• 10 nominations from the Housing waiting list were 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 attendance 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.
• Half day training session at Macgregor House this month focused on Corporate Fraud with an overview and was well attended.
• 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.
• 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.

Homeless Team

• Project 101 - cooking lessons have been well attended at Rapid Access accommodation and a new block of cooking lessons is starting in Hillhead Community Centre.
• 18 applicants made a homeless application.
• 15 calls were made to the homeless out of hours service.
• 15 homeless applicants were made an offer of settled accommodation, none of which had been waiting longer than 3 years.
• 11 households were moved to temporary accommodation.
• Due to the high demand for temporary accommodation and void timescales for settled accommodation causing low turnover of temporary accommodation, the Council has used unsuitable accommodation on 4 occasions during June. There have been no breaches of the UAO however the Council is at immediate risk of breaches.
• Works now complete at new Rapid Access at Industry Street.  The tender for housing support was published.  Two bids were received, and these are currently being evaluated. 

Key areas of focus in June for the Communications & Engagement team included the announcement of pavement parking ban enforcement, Bearsden Primary refurbishment and the new Gruffalo Trail at Kilmardinny Loch. 

Media relations remained consistent this month with 14 releases issued (10 in May), eight photocalls, (1 in May) and 10 media enquiries dealt with (19 in May).

All releases are available on the Council website news section and the local coverage achieved equated to an equivalent advertising value of £5,630 (£10,600 in May).

Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn all saw increases in followers with the most popular posts this month relating to the Twechar Housing Development, Gruffalo Trail, pavement parking ban and Mosshead Primary inspection.

Across the Council’s four social media channels the average engagement rate was 3.11% (a good engagement rate is 0.5, anything above 1 is deemed great).

The Council website had 166,500 visits (excluding internal traffic) with the most popular page being Bins and Recycling with 26,985 views.

There were 5,000 call-to-action button clicks, 3773 of these were customers completing online forms.

The most watched video on Facebook was the new Gruffalo Trail, while on YouTube it was the Council meeting on 19 June.

Six videos were created this month with 60 design jobs completed overall.

In June 2025, 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.

June saw a reduction in the volume of Waste related enquiries as the change from a two week to a three week collection frequency beds in across the authority and also garden waste permits are purchased by most residents who want to access this service.  The Customer Service team handled 9,487 calls with a greatly improved average time to answer of just under 5 minutes. The team continue to meet demand for appointments and drop-ins at community hubs serving 160 appointments and 733 drop-in customers across all four locations. 

Work is underway with the Business & Digital Change team to develop hub appointment scheduling within the CRM system; this will include an online option providing customer with the flexibility to book appointments at their convenience trough the website. 

The Emergency Response Centre team progress with testing of Responder App, an element of the new Chubb alar receiving software now in place, which will facilitate a more efficient and robust electronic means of alerting responder teams when they are required to attend to a service user in need of assistance.  It is anticipated, following this testing, a pilot scheme will be undertaken in the coming weeks to ensure the system is configured to meet the needs of both Responder and ERC teams.  The project to replace town centre CCTV continues. 

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.

Throughout the month engagement with the Trade Unions on strategic and operation HR initiatives, including service reviews continued through regular JNG meetings. Support also continues for employees and managers from across the HR teams on HR policy and guidance, and Employee Relations case work.

The HCM project to replace the iTrent HR and payroll system continues with involvement from across HR teams required at all stages, working with Business & Digital Change and teams across the Council. Significant information gathering and workshops established the requirements for the new system with system build undertaken, moving into the testing phase to ensure the new system has the required functionality ahead of plans for roll out and training.

Communications & Engagement

• Delivered communications to inform residents of the EDLC summer activity programme including press release, website updates and promotion in what’s on guides.
• Co-ordinated communications to announce the new round of Community Grants are now open including press release, website updates, video, social media and posters.
• A range of design materials created for Mugdock Park including Bandstand signs, What’s on posters, booking forms and Junior Ranger Summer Camp promotions.
• Implementation of Search functionality improvements on the Council website with a new manual marking system actioned.
• Supported the Eat Safe Award presentations with speech writing, photography and social media.
• Promotion of key awareness days including Armed Forces Day and Volunteers Week.

Corporate Performance

• Signposting was introduced on the complaints webpage encouraging issues that could not be treated through our Complaints Handling Procedure to be reported via more appropriate channels. This resulted in a 33% reduction in non complaints related traffic coming in to the team
• Annual Business and Improvement Plans across all service areas and the Complaints Handling annual report were agreed at the June meeting of Council
• The Performance page of the Council website was updated to reflect year end HGIOS performance for 24/25 and to include the 25-28 Business Improvement Plans
• Preparation is underway for the annual Local Government Benchmarking Framework report to be submitted to the first meeting of Council following summer recess
• LGBF guidance for the 24/25 indicator submission was distributed to Executive Officers
• The annual SOURCE dataset in regards to Adult Social Care was collated and submitted to Public Health Scotland
• Continued assistance was provided to the change team in relation to the rollout of Oracle Fusion
• Preparation is underway for a review of Complaints handling guidance and training for officers with a view to this being presented for approval at the October meeting of Council.

Customer Services

• Customer service team continues to handle customer enquiries via all contact channels, building expertise and knowledge of functionality of the new CRM
• The Emergency Response Centre team progress with testing Responder App
• The team continues to provide ongoing support to the telecare customers and teams, providing out of hours emergency telephone response and CCTV monitoring.

Human Resources & Organisational Development

• Progressing through stages required to achieve accreditation to the Equally Safe at Work Campaign, as part of wider Safer Worplaces initiative
• 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
• Teams across HR and Payroll continue to undertake series of preparatory and development work as part of the HCM project to replace the iTrent HR and payroll system, whilst managing ongoing business-as-usual operational work
• In conjunction with services provided an update to June Council on the Workforce Action plans, building on discussions from the Leadership Forum in May 2025 and Budget decisions taken for 2025/26
• The People Development team delivered sessions across a number of topics including SMART Working, Induction, H&S, EDC Policy sessions & Leadership topics. In total 206 delegates received training across topics in June 2025.

Libraries and Museums both exceeded targets this month, with libraries achieving total usage of 104,041 against a target of 96,948 and Museums reaching a total of 5,831 against a target of 5,750.  In addition to the museum figures, Archives received 1,518 visitors and 320 enquiries. 

The library service, in partnership with East Dunbartonshire HSCP, launched the Health Information Hubs initiative, with a photocall at William Patrick Library.  The event, which was attended by Councillor Calum Smith - Chair of EDHSCP, Connie Williamson – Health Improvement Lead HSCP, Alan Wright – Vice Chair of EDLCT Board and Karin Jackson – General Manager EDLCT, marks the start of this new initiative which will provide information for library users about managing illness and supporting wellbeing. 

Also launched in libraries this month was “Conversation Café” aimed at supporting people for whom English is not their first language, to strengthen their skills in an enjoyable and friendly setting. Participants will learn about the area in which they live, meet new people and improve their confidence in using English in speaking, writing, reading and listening.

June marked the start of the popular Summer Reading Challenge, which coincides with the schools breaking up for the Summer.  In readiness, throughout June, the Children & Families team visited 17 schools to promote the Challenge which, this year, has the theme of “Story Gardens”.  365 children signed up in the first week. 

The team was also invited to participate in a celebration of schools working towards their Scottish Book Trust Reading Schools award. The award recognizes schools who engage with their local public libraries, and the team have forged good links with schools with regular outreach visits and a programme of schools visiting libraries.

The Lillie Art Gallery opened “City Building”, a new exhibition of work by artist Alistair Strachan. The opening event saw 327 visitors attending.  Diffusion Textile Artists, a group of textile and mixed media artists, returned to the Auld Kirk Museum with their exhibition “Permission to Create”. 
“Saturday Smart”, the popular programme of art classes, continued at the Lillie Art Gallery and Auld Kirk Museum with 139 participants in creative workshops. 

The Heritage & Arts team took part in Milngavie Week, contributing to this annual event with performances from Scottish Opera, held at Milngavie Town Hall in front of audiences of 349 people. The popular week also helped boost visitors to the Lillie Art Gallery during the week.  The Milngavie Week committee was delighted with events and turnout this year. They were also appreciative of the support from both the Libraries and the H&A services and the additional programming this partnership produced. 

The centre performed well financially being ahead of target for both period 3 and for the quarter overall. The Gym DD income remained strong again despite a greater number of membership cancellations which occur at this time of the year with some members freezing while they participate more in outdoor fitness activities.

Centre staff continued preparations for the upcoming NPLQ Lifeguard course taking place in early August, following the more recent course which was successfully completed.

The staff were almost literally all hands to the pump when very heavy rain cause a major leak in the buildings roof. Mops and buckets aplenty for several days in the main corridor, including the Operations Manager’s wastepaper bin which was commandeered for the bailout exercise! Roof repair was rapidly organised and all is now dry, and normal service has resumed.

The Leisuredrome main hall hosted Bishopbriggs Acro Gymnastics Annual show. The event was held on Sunday 15th June with many of our local gymnasts showcasing their athletic ability in many different forms of gymnastics.

Scottish Athletics SUPERteams introduces its youngest members (born in 2014, 2015 or 2016) to competition by taking part in running, jumping and throwing events. Five athletics club throughout Scotland host and run these events and Springburn Harriers delivered this for the region at Huntershill Sports Hub. The event attracted young athletes from all over the West of Scotland and the event was competitive but fun for the inexperienced participants. 

Active Schools My Sport Data

The team successfully completed the return for Term 3 and full year data in June. The final data will be released by sportscotland at the end of July, and the Active School Annual Review will be submitted in September. The initial data can be reported:

The data shows a small decrease in distinct participant figures for the full year compared to 2023-24, however the percentage of school participating is unchanged, with an increase of over 500 sessions. Any decrease is a direct result of the 1.5FTE vacancies the team carried from December until the end the academic year. To see such a small reduction when one cluster was vacant and another with only a part time ASC in post, is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team.  

The decrease of 7 deliverers comparted to 2023-24 is also a positive result for the team considering the impact of staff vacancies.

Secondary School Gymnastics Competition

This year we saw 96 participants take part in our annual schools competition in Kirkintilloch sports centre.  All secondary school within EDC took part, the competition seen pupils from S1 -S3 compete in floor and vault with overall winners being pupils from Bishpbriggs academy.  Next year we look to include different pieces of apparatus such as beam and bars.  We also had 14 pupils from Woodland View attend a gymnastics session on the back of the competition to give them an introduction to floor, beam, bars and vault.  Well done to all pupils that took part.

Bearsden & Milngavie Primary Schools Athletics Championships

Eleven primary schools attended the Bearsden and Milngavie Athletics Championships, at Bearsden Academy in June this year. 264 pupils took part in the event which included 60 metre sprints, 600 metres, standing long jump, shot putt and 4 x 200 metre relay heats. 
“Thank you for organising another great morning of athletics. All of our pupils loved it!”

Event finals took place, before medals were awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each event. The Active Schools team were assisted throughout the day by 14 secondary school pupils from Bearsden Academy.
East Dunbartonshire Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships
Our secondary schools track and field championships took place at Huntershill Sports Hub on Tuesday 10th June.

The event was organised and run in partnership between Active schools and Springburn Harriers Running and Athletics Club. All 8 secondary schools participated in this year’s competition which was open to S1-3 pupils. A total of 384 pupils took part in a range of running, throwing and jumping events.
Medals were awarded to the top 3 male and female athletes in each discipline and Lenzie Academy went home with the trophy for the overall winning school.

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The Service has made very good progress against priorities in the Business and Improvement Plan (BIP) 2025-2028. 

• The Education Leadership Team welcomed the Chief Executive from Education Scotland to discuss the positive work of the service, coupled with a very positive visit to our ASN school, Woodland View. She reported a very positive visit to the service and school
• Through attainment visits, all Quality Improvement Officers across early years, primary and secondary sectors have been working in collaboration with senior leadership teams to support the completion of annual transition planning, Achievement of a Level data upload, Standards & Qualities Reporting and Improvement Planning. This ensures that all schools and centres have clear priorities for improvement for the new academic session
• Almost all probationers shared their Practitioner Enquiry at a Celebration event recognising their commitment to Professional Learning during their Teacher Induction Scheme Year
• Almost all new probationers who have been allocated to the Local Authority attended an Induction event to prepare them for their Teacher Induction Scheme year
• 6 Depute Head Teachers across the Primary and Secondary sectors successfully completed the Into Headship qualification.

• Millersneuk Primary have achieved their Gold Rights Respecting Schools Award in recognition of the work they are doing to promote Children’s Rights
• Meadowburn Gaelic Nursery have achieved their Bronze Rights Respecting Schools Award in recognition of the work they are doing to promote Children’s Rights
• Craigdhu Primary School has been listed as a case study of good practice within the UNICEF Spotlight Resource – Exploring the Right to an Education. This has been distributed to all Rights Respecting School Award schools across the UK
• Primary 6 pupils from Baljaffray Primary represented East Dunbartonshire Council at the Euroquiz Finals in Edinburgh
• A team of HM Inspectors from Education Scotland visited Mosshead Primary School in March 2025. This was a very positive inspection with the inspection team recognising several key strengths which include the following:
  •  Senior leaders’ and teachers’ approaches to understanding how well children make progress with their literacy and English and numeracy and mathematics
  • Children are enthusiastic, motivated and maintain high levels of engagement in learning. They apply their learning very well across their learning experiences. As a result, children are developing skills for learning, life and work very well
  • Senior leaders and staff support children very well to sustain high levels of attainment and close any gaps in learning
  • Senior leaders and staff ensure equitable and inclusive approaches for children.

Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Supporting Families

• Information on the changes to PVG requirements as a result of the Disclosure (Scotland) have been shared with schools and Parent Council chairs.
  •    257 pupils from 10 primary school classes attended the virtual EDC Climate Ready Classrooms conference hosted by Keep Scotland Beautiful with teachers attending associated professional learning 
• Schools from across the Council came together in Kirkintilloch High School to celebrate and showcase their efforts in promoting and encouraging reading for pleasure throughout their establishments. Over 100 pupils, staff and librarians from primary, secondary and ASN schools represented their establishments to present on the work they have undertaken this year to engage learners, families and their local communities in activities to promote reading and literacy
• Over 200 Primary 6 pupils from primary schools in Bishopbriggs enjoyed a special visit from author Fidan Meikle, who spoke to pupils about her new debut novel ‘My Name is Samim’. Pupils from Balmuildy Primary, Meadowburn Primary, St Matthews Primary and Wester Cleddens Primary attended the in-person author event which was organised and funded by the Scottish Book Trust
• The central team held a Secondary Head Teacher collaborative event focused on curriculum structure, 21 hours and future planning to support young with Additional Support Needs
• Women in Engineering event at Turnbull High School was a huge success. All Secondary schools were involved working with partners to address the under-representation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) courses and careers, to ensure that Scotland's STEM sectors are diverse, equal and prosperous
• Douglas Academy Head Teacher, Michael Healy, was invited as a speaker at a symposium  organised by SCILT in The Ramshorn, Glasgow, where attendees participated in meaningful discussions to promote international collaboration through language learning.  The event was attended by delegates from across Scotland
• Pastoral Care staff across secondary schools shared practice in Health & Wellbeing curriculum in the Broad General Education. Feedback was positive and further work is planned through professional development groups
• Digital Leaders attended a Google Education event in Edinburgh as part of the Google Leaders Series. This will help to shape approaches within the Digital Strategy for Learning & Teaching and Professional Learning.

Additional Support Needs (ASN) and Children’s Services

• Four Child Protection and Safeguarding drop-in sessions were provided to provide additional support to Child Protection Coordinators to help ensure a shared understanding of the annual Child Protection training that is delivered to all staff. Those who attended rated the experience highly valuable
• A Career Long Professional Learning (CLPL) session was provided to all depute head teachers with responsibility for ASN. The focus was on promoting positive health and wellbeing, as well as updates in line with national and local key priorities; Dyslexia, Young Carers and Home Education. Almost all schools attended and all provided positive feedback
• The Home Education Guidance has been updated to reflect changes in the refreshed national guidance. A session was organised to deliver training to colleagues in Health to ensure a coherent, partnership approach and implementation of policy. The session was attended by all health visitors and school nursing team and evaluated highly
• Staff and pupils from two secondary schools attended the Action for Change: Gender-based Violence Youth Assembly at Paisley Town Hall with guest speaker Jackson Katz, the co-founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP). The event offered an opportunity for young people to engage in meaningful conversations about gender-based violence and share their experience of MVP in schools
• ASN Leads from across all primary and secondary schools attended a network meeting with a wide agenda including information on emotional-based school non-attendances (EBSNA), Mental Health Policy updates, Lifelink School Counselling service updates and Whole Family Wellbeing Fund (WFWF) updates
• The ‘My Voice My Choice’ pupil forum Showcase Event took place at Woodland View School with representation from primary and secondary school across the Council. The event highlighted some of the work schools have been involved in throughout the year within the priority areas including Cost of the School Day, Mobile Phones in Schools, Bullying and Equalities, and Child-Friendly School Improvement Planning
• Young Carers ID cards in schools is a pilot project with 4 secondary schools which completed the first phase in June. The work has involved raising awareness among school staff in relation to the increasing challenges faced by Young Carers. The second phase, beginning in August will see the roll out of the Young Carers ID Carers. Young Carers will use the cards to identify themselves to teaching and school staff to ensure they are fully supported and understood. This project has been a collaboration with EDC schools’ Young Carers groups, Education Scotland, Carers Trust and EDC Carerslink
• The Whole Family Wellbeing Team has begun group activities for Children, Young People and Families. This includes a parents Coffee and Chat Session, and a Young Person’s drop-in support session every Monday at Hillhead community Centre. The Youth Development Worker will be supporting a programme of summer activities and an Outdoor Education programme for identified Children & Young People requiring additional support through the summer. 3rd sector groups including Early Years Scotland, Creatovators, Ramekin & Rolling Pin and New Roots have worked with members of the Whole Family Wellbeing team to plan summer activities.

Educational Psychology Service (EPS)

• The EPS continues to contribute to working group for implementation of Education Strategic Trauma Plan 2024-2027.  Dates for early years leadership Trauma Informed (Level 1 training) are being offered through early years training calendar.
• Thirteen professionals across education and social work started their Level 3 Non Violence Resistance (NVR) training, and three began their Level 4 NVR training. The NVR strategic group hosted their second professional learning community, where professionals from educational psychology and the supporting families team shared their experiences of NVR Level 3 training. The structure of future PLC sessions was introduced - these will follow a ‘learning circle’ format - and dates for next session shared.
• The Nurture Evaluation Report 2024-2025 was presented to Education Committee.  The report sets out the very positive impact the early years, primary and secondary nurture programme has made to those children and young people who have participated in nurture (primary stage), and the difference for staff in terms of confidence and introducing nurture into their settings (early learning and childcare).  Also noted parent feedback outlining the positive impact on their young person from the nurture intervention Primary and secondary stages)
• Consultation on the new draft Dyslexia Guidance has taken place with parents (individual questionnaire 2), children (focus groups) and staff (individual questionnaires).
  School Planning and Improvement
• Lenzie Academy new build project continues to progress.  Consultation events held with the school community, including staff, parent councils and Community Councils.  Also supported the Major Assets team for the pre planning consultation event held in the school for members of public to come in and view the plans along with discussing the project with Council Officers
• Bearsden Primary project is now complete.  The school held an assembly for the Contractor and Project Team who have been involved in the project.  Snagging is taking place during the summer recess
• Milngavie Primary project decant has begun with the school performing their packing up during the in-service day.  The resources will be taken to St Nicholas Primary and Torrance Primary over the summer holidays
• Balmuildy Primary new build project has continued with authorisation to proceed granted at the Council meeting.  Met with the school staff prior to the end of session and discussed the plans for the summer break while the school will be closed
• Preparation for the new session continues, with the appointment of 24 Permanent Supply Pool Primary Teachers (PSP) performed.  This will support the wider workforce planning taking place.  Review of needs for secondary teachers is ongoing
• Attendance at 5 sessions for the Placing Request Appeal Board advising Board of reasons for refusal of Placing Requests.  Education Committee Report will follow after recess on this.

Skills for Life, Learning and Work

• Youth Services in partnership with Ty Ojo and Dexter Brady from the band Scratchcard Wednesday organised a Q&A event on the 18th June 2025 at Douglas Academy that over 200 secondary aged young people from 7 secondary schools attended.  Ty and Dexter who both previously attended Douglas Academy, took part in a Q&A session, performed live some of their songs, and stayed behind as almost every young person in attendance wanted an autograph and/or a photo with the band. Whilst answering questions Dexter spoke of his experience of being a young carer, discussed mental health and life during and after school life. Youth Services worked with East Dunbartonshire Young Carers to ensure that our Young Carers were supported to attend the event.  
• The band have been working with Young Scot to promote NEC, Young Carers Package, and the Aye Feel campaign (mental health) and have done work for BBC Social. They did this event for free as they were keen to do something for young people locally.  

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The month of June saw the Finance Team finalising year end tasks required for the collation of 2023/24 accounts and planning for the 2024/25 year end.   The closure of remaining 2024/25 financial periods are being progressed to support this process, with an accelerated timeline, alongside usual year end tasks.  There are timeline risks associated with these processes, with the team operating across three financial periods.  As the finance team moves into a critical period of demands on the team, an additional 1 FTE resource has been identified 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 2 less accountants.

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.  The final Treasury Management Report will be provided after recess.

The team has supported the budget process, with the Council’s budget being agreed in March, providing a balanced position in a highly challenging financial context and are now working towards the manual entry within the budgeting system and this is expected to be finalised by the end of June.

The Revenues and Benefits team have continued to progress Council Tax and Benefits services and administration of the Scottish Welfare Fund.  

The Council Tax Collection Rate at 28.20% is very slightly behind the target of 28.42% for the year.   The Council’s Recovery and Enforcement Procedures continue to be applied, and individuals being signposted to the exemptions and discounts available as appropriate.

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 Education Maintenance Allowance Team have updated the information on the Council’s website for academic year 25/26. The team have also tested the updated online application form in preparation for go live on July 1st.The Transport Team processed the first round of transport tenders in conjunction with Procurement colleagues. The team continue to update the transport requirements for Education and Social Work colleagues for the academic year 25/26 to produce Round 2 for tenders. The General Team processed applications for annual lets.This includes all school lets, allocation of lets to groups applying for 25/26, resolving conflict and entering the data on to the system.  Unsuccessful applicants were advised and offered alternatives where possible.

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 881 tickets in June and dealt with 254 telephone calls.  ICT continues to support the delivery of major projects in conjunction with the Business & Digital Change Team and Major Assets team.  The ICT Security team continues to monitor the estate and perimeter defences alongside ongoing improvements to ensure that our systems and data are protected.

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 . The Rents Team commitment to reducing active rent arrears has seen a decrease of £111,193.24 on same period as last year (week 12).
 
The Tenant Participation Team continues to provide direct ongoing support to active Tenants and Residents Associations.

During June 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 

Work continues towards completion of several audits on the 2024/25 plan as the team provides assurance over key areas of risk, making recommendations and following up on these to improve the control environment. Planning of the 2025/26 plan is underway with work being progressed in several areas.  Audits completed and agreed during the period include the Key Controls within Mugdock Park, Consultation & Engagement & School Funds.  Audits near completion include two Education audits in the form of Un-Notified Absences & Administration of Medication and Complaints Management.   
 
Work is progressing on the year end governance processes, such as the Annual Follow-Up for 24/25, which supports the completion of the Annual Audit Report and Audit Opinion for 2024/25. 

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.

As part of this effort, the team has received a total of 6,047 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 team has begun reviewing the high-risk and high-value matches, and this work is expected to continue throughout the remainder of the year.

In addition, a tailored training programme has been developed and delivered to staff within Housing Services. A similar training initiative is planned for employees in Revenues & Benefits. While the development of an in-house anti-fraud and bribery training package has been temporarily paused due to resource constraints, it will resume when capacity allows.

The Economic Crime and Transparency Act 2023 will from 01/09/2025 introduce 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. 

Finance 

• The 2023/24 year end is now complete with an agreed timetable for accounts production.  The timetable is a stretch target for the team, with multiple competing priorities ongoing.
• The team is reviewing timelines for the 2024/25 year end.
• Finance team is working with Mastek to upload budgets for 25/26.
• 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 is hoped to be followed 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 June, the team issued:
• 2,750 Council Tax bills and 7,000 Benefits notifications; and,
  •  220 Non-Domestic Rates bills
  • 335 crisis grants and community care grant applications were received.
• The team received and dealt with 1,265 documents for Council Tax queries and reduction and 630 for benefits.  In addition, the team received over 2,000 ATLAS notifications from DWP.
• The team dealt with 2,4600 telephone enquiries.

ICT Services 

• ICT Services are working closely with the Business and Digital Change Team to implement M365
• The Infrastructure Team:
  • Installed 20 Interactive Panels at Bishopbriggs Academy
  • Completed the ICT decant of Milngavie Primary to Torrance and St Nicholas Primaries
  • Completed the procurement of ICT equipment for new modular classes at Gartconner Primary
  • Appointed an ICT Officer to Balmuildy Primary rebuild.
  • Completed upgrades to key infrastructure servers.
    
    
• ICT Security have:
  • Monitored incident reporting through partners
  • Addressing remediations for the annual IT Health Check
  • Maintained the Council’s perimeter defences
  • Monitored the migration of devices onto newly configured hybrid platform.
  • Completed various remediations and investigations across the estate.

Shared Services

• The Residential Team added 82 service agreements to CareFirst for clients moving into care homes or for supported living services within their own homes
• The Homecare Team added 321 service agreements to CareFirst for clients receiving a homecare service or a direct payment
• Direct Payment Audit Team – 24 audits completed, 22 standard and 2 final audits finalised for clients receiving self-direct support.  

Housing Rent Arrears

• Active Tenant Rent Arrears were £921,771.83 which is a decrease of £111,193.24 on same period as last year (week 12)
• 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 

• The Business Systems Team have successfully upgraded 1 system in the period. They have also managed 9 incidents, supported 5 projects and remediated 1 PSN security vulnerability
• Functionality testing of the upgrade for the housing management solution has been successfully completed, with user acceptance testing by the Service now underway and progressing well
• The contract for the upgrade of our legacy telecare and sheltered housing equipment has been finalised and awarded. Work can now commence on the replacement of this hardware in all six sheltered housing sites as well as the wider authority
• User testing has begun for the replacement of the Mavis Valley waste booking system
• Development has begun with our supplier for the replacement of the Connect2/Lorensburg platform for public letting
• Launched a new interim annual lettings solution and added online payments deposit form to the CRM – a first for the authority
• System integration testing for the new Oracle HCM HR/Payroll system has been completed. The team continues to work on the schedule and delivery of user acceptance testing with the 3rd cycle of data migration cycle underway to support testing.

Internal Audit 

• The team is working on completing the revised 2024/25 Internal Audit Plan, in line with available resources
• 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
• Initial work has begun on the 2025/26 plan with audits such as Complaints Management being near completion.

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 initial review of NFI data matches was delayed due to vacancies within the team.  Recruitment interviews have been successful and new starts have started in April, which will allow for the sifting exercise to be undertaken
• The team also continues to undertake vetting on applications, from several services, in order to prevent to fraud 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 may 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 measure required to ensure compliance with The Economic Crime and Transparency Act 2023.

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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 main focus of this report with particular 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 of 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.

During June 2025, the HSCP has performed above target on all identified performance indicators.

Key Achievements:

• The HSCP Annual Performance Report 2024/25, setting out the Partnership’s performance and progress towards the final year of the Strategic Plan 2022-25, was approved by the Integration Joint Board.
  •    Promotional activity in support of:
  • Carers Week
  • Future Care Planning
  • Learning Disability Week
  • Police Scotland Partnership Event at KHCC
  • Whole Family Wellbeing Drop In Sessions

Areas of Focus:

HSCP Wide

• Improve quality and relevance of information on HSCP website and maximise the potential of HSCP website to enable people to manage their own health and care needs
• Implement year one of the East Dunbartonshire Public Health Framework
• Refresh Digital Strategy in line with the new Strategic Plan 2025-30
• Review and refresh the HSCP Medium-Term Financial Strategy
• Review of Business Support Function
• Review of HSCP Management Structure
• Develop the 2025-2030 HSCP Workforce Plan

Children and Criminal Justice Services:

• Implementation of Children's Social Work Services Review 
• Introduction of Just Enough Support (Fair Access, Transport, Eligibility Criteria). 

Adult Services:

• Review Care at Home services to focus on reablement expansion to mitigate demand growth 
• Continue with the work streams associated with the Learning Disability review and agreement obtained to take forward the John Street review 
• Explore potential of developing an all-age learning disability function
• Review and develop new commissioning strategy for Adult Commissioned Services 
• Review the model of delivery for HSCP clinical mental and learning disability health services across adult and older people care group
• Adult and Children & Families Services Commissioning Review 
• Review of adult Social Work delivery model.

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Land Planning & Development have progressed a number of significant work streams during June 2025 in line with the Business Improvement Plan commitments.  

• The Evidence Report for Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3) was approved by Council on 19 June 2025 for submission to the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division to undertake the Gate Check assessment.  Officers are undertaking final checks and administrative tasks before submitting the Evidence Report to the DPEA, which is expected in early July.  Work has also begun in preparing for a Call for Ideas and Sites consultation which is expected to commence in late July 2025 for a period of 8 weeks.
• Officers have been contributing to the National Planning Improvement Framework process, particularly through participation in a feedback exercise with the National Planning Improvement Team.
• Work is continuing on identifying priority projects for inclusion in the Council’s new Greenspace Strategy, which will replace the Green Network Strategy and Open Space Strategy.  Work is continuing on an updated Open Space Audit which will support the development of the strategy. 
• Work is ongoing to finalise a Food Growing Strategy for the area, with an engagement exercise expected in August 2025.
• Work is continuing on the development of a new Economic Development Strategy for the area.  Work on the monitoring and delivery of the Circular Economy Strategy is also ongoing.  

• Further progress was made on the development of the Draft Climate Action Plan (CAP) including additional updates being made to the Draft CAP to reflect feedback from Strategic Leadership Team
• External funding was secured to support a feasibility study for a heat network in central Kirkintilloch,  based on an opportunity identified in the Council’s Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) Delivery Plan.  Meetings are being organised with Zero Waste Scotland and colleagues in procurement to progress the feasibility study
• Data to estimate the Council’s carbon footprint was collected from colleagues in waste, assets, fleet, human resources and other teams to prepare the Public Bodies Climate Change Duty Report and Carbon Management Plan for 2024/25.  Estimated emissions from commuting have been made and estimated emissions from homeworking are being made.  Area-wide local authority emissions data has been published and the East Dunbartonshire Area data for 2023 has been analysed.  Scottish Government were contacted to clarify when the reporting template would be made available to allow the PBCCD Report to be drafted
• A Technical Note on the Scottish Government’s consultation on minimum energy efficiency standard regulations for domestic private rented sector under the Draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations is being prepared for internal feedback prior to distribution. The report contains an analysis and summary of the proposals in addition to proposed Council responses to the consultation.  The consultation closes on 29 August 2025
• Additional content on the Nature-Based Investment Study was developed to quantify the current greenhouse gas emission absorption potential of nature in East Dunbartonshire and set 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.  The study will likely need to be progressed in phases due to limited availability of funding
• Information on grid infrastructure upgrades in East Dunbartonshire were collated and submitted to NESO to help inform future energy needs to promote economic growth in Scotland.  Colleagues from across the Council have been contacted to ensure that all major work that is planned that would have implications for the grid - such as heat decarbonisation, transport decarbonisation and major developments - were incorporated into the Council’s response.  Further meetings are scheduled with NESO to provide input on the UK’s Strategic Spatial Energy Plan
• An initial Employee Travel Plan has been drafted to respond to input from the employee travel plan and support the targets set out in the CAP.  Internal feedback on the draft plan will be gathered from colleagues in summer 2025
• The Sustainability Team are piloting of an informal partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University’s Master’s in Urban Climate and Sustainability programme to give postgraduate students the opportunity to complete their dissertations in an area related to the Sustainability Team’s work while providing the students with an insight into local government’s role in sustainability policy.  Outputs from the three students are expected in summer 2025
• The paperwork required to take forward the recruitment of vacant posts in the team was prepared
•  A Strategic Environmental Assessment service continues to be provided to colleagues across the Council including for the Greenspace Strategy and Food Growing Strategy. Sustainability input has also been provided for various planning applications in addition to ad-hoc projects from other Council teams.

• The Team is currently working with colleagues in Business & Digital Change and ICT on a major update of our ArcGIS software which will ensure our software is up-to-date and which will introduce improved functionality.  We are experiencing issues with the dated version which we are currently running including server layers not loading. We anticipate that the update will be completed around the end of May/early June
• Uniform live 10.7.21 upgrade has been successfully completed
• The Team are currently working with a number of Teams across the Council on a range of GIS projects including Customer Relationship Management and RMMS (roads management system) Integration, Greenspace Strategy Mapping, Mapping support for FOI, The Team also continues to support the preparation of the LDP Evidence Report
• A new GIS Service & Error Reporting Action app: we have received multiple requests through this system. The team has resolved most of them. Examples include a request to transfer existing Supply teaching annual questionnaire MS word document to survey123, Shapefiles data requests, CAD format data requests, updating GIS data /Online Maps, Ordnance survey data requests
• The Team completed multiple address register/update requests and several address queries and new ArcGIS online accounts requests from Teams across the Council.

• Transition to the new IHMS system continues to be supported by the IHMS Project team. Officers are utilising both Test and Live environments until snagging is complete 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 IHMS and continue to monitor/escalate issues as they arise
• 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
• Systems and Performance Monitoring officers completed BOXI training and can now utilise bespoke reporting functionality within IHMS
• Policy officers continue to work on proposals to revise the Council’s Allocations Policy
• 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
• Procurement of a new Digital Telecare system provider is now complete. The project team are ensuring the successful transition of analogue telecare to digital telecare throughout the sheltered housing complexes and will deliver in-person briefings to tenants at each site. Asbestos surveys will be carried out at each site to ensure that operatives commissioned can access properties safely
• The Housing Estates Officer is working closely with sheltered housing Wardens to ensure a robust service is provided to tenants during the Telecare switchover to the new system and to minimise disruption to tenants as equipment is removed and replaced
• 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 & 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.
• Digital Boost will no longer be funded through Scottish Government although webinars will continue to be delivered by Business Gateway National.  The team are using currently available expertise to support companies on their digital journey, as well as developing further internal expertise. 
• 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 grant set to go live later this summer (2025).
• The team have started preparation for further green business and digital adoption support, enabled through Year 4 Shared Prosperity Fund allocation. This will provide an additional level of support which would not be available without additional funding, and sees a continuation from work undertaken with the first three years of SPF funding. 

• The team continues with a range of work to ensure the delivery of the Council’s City Deal project. The Outline Business Case (in-line with City Deal & HM Greenbook requirements) was approved at the Glasgow City Region November 2024. Work is underway on the Full Business Case (FBC) stage for the two project elements – Bishopbriggs Town Centre Civic Space and Westerhill Development Road.
• The Westerhill Regeneration Area (WRA) planning guidance and its associated delivery plan is now adopted under LDP2. Work is taking place to examine how different aspects of the WRA can be supported to a delivery stage, out with the current City Deal Projects.
• Work is ongoing on the Westerhill Development Road (WRA) which is currently at DMRB Stage 3. The planning application has been submitted. At Council in June, a report on the WRA was approved, and additional capital funding has been provided to enable the project to continue to progress through the FBC stage.
• Work continues on the next stages of the design process for Bishopbriggs Town Centre, including finalising the technical design package ahead of procurement of main works contractor to establish a construction cost.  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.
• 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, 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. 
    

• The Campsie Memorial Hall project in Lennoxtown secured funding from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, and is now on site
• The programme management of the Shared Prosperity Fund is ongoing to support services and projects across the Council. A range of projects have been identified and are being progressed for implementation up to end of March 2025. Work to prepare projects for a fourth year of SPF funding has also been undertaken over this period
• The Lennoxtown Main Street Improvement Project has concluded the development of technical designs. Progress to the construction phase will be subject to the tender process for a main works contractor with external funding from Transport Scotland for Tier 2 Active Travel Infrastructure Fund confirmed in June 2025. This will form the subject of a report to a future meeting of Place, Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets Committee
• 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). The VDLIP funding 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. Officers will finalise the design via further community consultation later in 2025
• Construction of the Twechar Canalside Outdoor Pursuits Centre is now complete, and work is ongoing in relation to finalising lease arrangement ahead of the centre opening later in 2025
• Work is ongoing with the Milngavie BID and Kirkintilloch BID as they move through year one of a five-year term
• An Events Guide has been published to provide advice to local event organisers. 

• The construction phase of Canniesburn Toll Improvement Project is now complete. The activation of the new traffic light system took place over October and November 2024. The project is now finished and in its defects stage. Monitoring of the new signals will be carried out in September 2025 with the findings being reported to Council. Detailed updates have been provided in various Technical Notes
• 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
• Work is progressing well on the A807 Active travel route, with construction completed for Phase 1a. The associated TROs for the project have been approved. Preparation is underway for design. Surveys and consultation work which be starting for the next phases through 2025/26
• 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. Lennoxtown Primary, Meadowburn Primary and Thomas Muir Primary are the chosen schools to pilot the scheme in the 2025/26 academic year
• 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 develop a delivery option to increase regional and local Electric Vehicle charging network provision. 

• During the reporting period the planning side of the team has determined 55 applications and validated 49 applications
• The Building Standards team have received 106 building warrants and approved 96 applications
• The Enforcement Team opened 4 new cases and closed 6 cases
• The Development Applications team have been busy preparing reports for the next forthcoming Planning Board Meeting
• The Team have been supporting the Councils Major Assets team with pre application technical advice in relation to the proposals for the WDR project
• Both Planning and Building Standards teams continue to offer support and informal advice to customers through our daily duty service Monday to Friday. 

• Council approval of the Evidence Report for Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3) Successful funding bids to support feasibility studies from the Scottish Government to support delivery against actions in the Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) Delivery Plan
• Phase 2 of IHMS
• Allocations Policy review
• Telecare provision in a dispersed environment.

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Throughout June, the Democratic Services Team continued to support the internal governance of the Council, in addition to certain regulatory functions.  Ten governance meetings took place during June, which included a larger than usual Council meeting agenda.  The Team issued meeting invites for the 2025/2026 cycle of meetings and uploaded the details to Mondern.gov.  Officers continued to support Members with paperless meetings and use of the Modern.gov App.  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 annual Primary and Secondary Schools Registration process, the Team made arrangements for the Placing Requests Appeals be held in June 2025.  There were significantly fewer appeals than usual this year and so a total of five Appeal Committee meetings took place and these were facilitated by Officers from Democratic Services.  Appointment Letters, Appellant Packs, Agendas and Decision Letters were all issued in accordance with the prescribed timescales.  Supporting the Appeals Committee represents a significant commitment from both Officers and Members.  A further Appeal Committee has been arranged for 4 August 2025 to deal with late appeals.

The Team continues to engage with the Electoral Commission, Electoral Management Board and Association of Electoral Administrators in preparation for future electoral events, particularly the Scottish Parliament elections scheduled for May 2026.  This is the most complex and demanding electoral event that the Team administers, and so detailed planning will commence immediately after the Council recess and will include officers from various services.  Regular update Technical Notes will be issued to Members as planning progresses.

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.  With regards to the Community Council annual grants, paperwork was issued to Community Councils for completion and submission to the Council.  These submissions are now being assessed by the team and annual grants will be processed.  The Team continues to participate in local and national resilience partnership meetings and training exercises.

The Council continued to deliver registration services during May and when able, supported colleagues in neighbouring authorities.  In addition, the service continued to engage with partners across Greater Glasgow as part of ongoing resilience planning for winter and other potential incidents, 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.

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• Registration & Customer Services completed 47 birth and 218 death registrations in May. 34 marriages were also registered in this period.  
• 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 & processed 150 FOI/EIRs and 18 SARs (Subject Access Requests)

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 June 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.

• During June, the Team processed 10 contract review forms and 4 contract award letters, 4 open market purchases, 26 taxi licence applications, and 2 housing repair grants.  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 advice and support including issuing of draft missives for land acquisition for the Westerhill Development Road Project, supporting the variation of business case consultant contract for the City Deal business case, and supporting the procurement process for variation of existing specimen design contract for the Westerhill Development Road Project
• Property and planning work included supporting Housing Capital with research into intermediate housing options, settlement of 4 open market purchases, providing advice on title queries and conclusion of a planning agreement for developer contributions for residential properties being developed at Stewart Street, Milngavie
• Contracts and procurement work in this period included contracts for tippers, variation of Oracle Fusion Post Live Support and Maintenance Contract, contract for pothole repair vehicle, variation of Wide Area Network contract, contract for Traffic Surveys, and executions of the design and build development agreement and ancillary documents for the new Balmuildy Primary School and Early Years centre
• Grants offers accepted included SPT Bike Maintenance, SPT Health Habits, SPT Cycle Storage, Play on Pedals, funding for Tier 2 Active Travel Infrastructure Fund Construction and East Dunbartonshire Council Investment Agreement.  In addition, 8 awards were issued for No One Left Behind employability funding
• 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. The Team continues to provide advice on a wide range of confidential matters including employment advice and support the Housing Service.  Additional work included supporting the high volume of Placing Request appeals, resolving an Employment Tribunal claim, processing a number of Public Entertainment Licences, often in short timescales, to support community events for the summer, and supporting the Non-Domestic Rates Appeal Board.

During June, the Procurement Team continued to support 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, 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 has placed a significant demand on the resources of the Team as it is responsible for four of the six ongoing workstreams.  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 also 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 May 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, Transport Contracts, 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.

• 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 upgrade , Fusion HCM Phase 2, IHMS, City Deal projects to support Westerhill Development Road, Capital projects such as  school estate Professional Fees, school new build contracts, and general budget projects such as school maintenance works, School Transport contracts 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
• Publication of the 2025-2026 Annual Procurement Strategy to include alignments with organisational Climate Action Planning, Circular Economy Strategy, Community Wealth Building & the City Region Community Wish List planning
• Processing and payment of Welfare Support Payments in line with Council support requirements
• 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
• Ongoing work on the review of Contract Standing Orders for alignment with organisational changes, financial management and Procurement governance
• 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 June
• Review of resourcing considerations to support Project workload and business as usual priorities.

During June,   the Strategic Commissioning Team supported the HSCP to progress transformation and budget related priorities whilst continuing to manage and lead the commissioned market. 

• Actively progressed  Option Appraisals aligned to transformation, redesign and budget priorities
• Progressed plans to support and integrate individuals with complex health needs who are currently in long stay hospital settings, into more appropriate / homely community settings
• Contributed to and supported the progression of several HSCP strategic and service reviews and provided added value by providing project management and budget management advice and expertise
• Continued to review & update financial frameworks underpinning strategic reviews to ensure accuracy, alignment with the HSCP’s medium term financial plan and respective commissioning delivery plans
• Led on discussions with providers with a view to bottoming out actual service costs, implementing spend control measures and mitigating and/or reducing projected deficits.   

•    Progressed strategic needs analysis of commissioned Children & Criminal Justice services to help inform strategic planning & development of related commissioning strategy. 

•    Collaborated with external commissioning colleagues to explore the potential to develop an integrated service model for complex needs.  If progressed, the model will help to alleviate discharge pressure whilst providing much needed additional capacity in the community. 

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The Roads and Neighbourhood Service continues 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 Service continues to work towards full resource capacity with some vacancies for operational posts. 

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 2025/26 Capital Programme with vacancies advertised and interviews planned for August to backfill lighting electricians’ posts. 

The Roads Network Operations Team are planning for the 2025/26 Roads Winter Maintenance Period for both carriageway and footway winter maintenance. The initial rock salt order has been delivered and is now in the salt dome at Broomhill.

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 geographical areas starting with Bearsden and Twechar.

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 team are progressing the various 20mph TRO’s for the remaining geographical areas following the approval of Bearsden and Twechar. 

The three geographical based teams are continuing with the spring and summer 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 Streetscene Operations Team were heavily involved in the work during and following Storm Éowyn ensuring roads and open spaces were cleared of flooding and storm damaged trees. It should be noted the some of this work is ongoing.

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 also currently overseeing the delivery of the remaining landscaping works to finish the Climate Ready Park Project in Etive Park, Bishopbriggs 

The team is also progressing several Play Area improvement and replacement projects throughout East Dunbartonshire and about to commence the 2025/26 play area redevelopment works. 

The Streetscene Operations Team were heavily involved in the work during and following Storm Éowyn ensuring roads and open spaces were cleared of flooding and storm damaged trees. It should be noted the some of this work is ongoing.

The team are continuing with the spring and summer 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 were heavily involved in the work during and following Storm Éowyn ensuring the Park was open for business shortly after the storm. It should be noted the some of this work is ongoing.

The Waste Team has continued the frontline service operations for the collection of over 400,000 assorted household bins over the month of May, 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 1762 tonnes of waste through this contract in June, ensuring our waste undergoes treatment for recycling extraction prior to being sent through an Energy from Waste process.

Summer holiday annual leave, sick absence and vacancies mean the Service is prioritising core service delivery based on the resources available. 

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.  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.  Inspections of depots and a secondary school also took place in June. During this period, the team have been working closely with Waste and Fleet in their H&S committee, Mugdock Park with reviewing the Gaelic Festival, Education, Early years Centres, HSCP John Street and School Improvement Team for minor projects. 

Various teams received assistance through workplace, manual handling and individual risk assessments in collaboration with HR colleagues, specifically for Mugdock Country Park and Education, as well as continuing to review First Aids needs assessments with HR People Development. 

H&S training in April focused on H&S inductions, Legionella and Control of Contractors and UFAS. Safety alerts were issued this month on “Safety through planning and PPE” and short training sessions were updated such as “Bloodborne viruses” and “the use of axle stands, and chassis stands” to support safe operations as a safety targeted approach. 

The focus continues for Construction Design and Management (CDM) 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.  Work has been ongoing for Baldernock and Cadder cemeteries, for D&I, Housing, Assets and Major Assets teams projects such as Twechar Housing, Bearsden PS, Torrance Community Centre, King George V Pavilion, Campsie Memorial Hall, Kilmadinny Loch and Milngavie Town Hall, among other construction projects.

To support Estates & Facilities team in their CDM works, reviews were undertaken for repair works in educational establishments such as St Helen’s PS, Gartconner PS, Castlehill PS, Milngavie PS, and other corporate buildings.

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 and offer expert advice. In June there was a focus on Housing sites and the review of the fire risk assessment process for domestic premises and buildings. 

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

Carriageway and Footway surface defects and service level agreements (SLA):

Between 01/06/2025 and 30/06/2025, we have identified 183 defects in East Dunbartonshire Council carriageways and footways. We have completed 128 repairs on time (approx. 69.95%), 16 repair late (approx. 8.75 %) and 39 repair (approx. 21.3 %) are in list for action and are still within SLA (incomplete).
Below chart compares our last three months performance:

Road Project & Maintenance Works February 2025: 

Below table indicate the list of footway and carriageway capital resurfacing projects, Minor work, Road pothole Repairs committed in June 2025 in East Dunbartonshire Council areas.

Between 01/06/2025 and 30/06/2025, East Dunbartonshire Council completed 15 scheduled safety inspections. Three of these inspections are related to Footway inspection and 12 of them related to carriageway inspections. All inspections were completed and comply with East Dunbartonshire Council tolerance between inspections. Details of these inspections are as below: 

Details of these inspections are as below: 

No action was taken in East Dunbartonshire Council between 01/06/2025 and 30/06/2025. 

Structures

• Review & response to abnormal load requests
• Assisting other departments in the assessment of non-council assets
• Emergency repair ongoing at Burnbrae Bridge, Calfmuir Road following a bridge strike
• Procurement process underway for FY25-27 structures framework contract.

Development

• The Persimmon Homes site at Whitegates Kirkintilloch is now adopted. This includes Gresham Drive
• Site visits to monitor progress on developments currently under construction
• Site meetings to inspect developments and identify remedial works prior to adoption by EDC
• Assist planning with development applications, distribute to officers for their comments on potential future developments
• Process road adoption enquiries from internal and external departments
• Process road opening permits and temporary traffic management permits
• Coordination of future works relating to development sites. 

Traffic

• Signs to support pavement parking exemptions have been procured
• 20mph signage is being installed for Twechar
• Responding to Lining Requests and refreshing faded road markings and street signs
• Commenting on various licences i.e. street trader licences, public entertainment licences and occasional licences
• Commenting on planning applications
• Disabled Bays TRO public consultation closed, and a report will be submitted to Council.

Flooding and Drainage

• River Glazert Restoration Project, Lennoxtown – Planning Application to Board
• Kelvin Tributaries River Restoration & NFM Project – Consultants are progressing with works and Green Action Trust are Project Managing on behalf of EDC.  Ongoing
• Held meetings with contractors for the flood bund at Castle Circle, Lennoxtown to close out section 75 agreement. Ongoing
• Further survey investigation works for City Deal Team
• Providing advice to customers about ponding and flooding issues.

Streetscene Operations

• Summer cyclical works ongoing
• Street cleansing and mechanical sweeping; removal of fly posting and uplifting of fly tipping, mechanical street sweeping and installing replacement or additional bins. Includes cleaning of precinct areas
• Graffiti removal
• Ongoing cemetery operations, digging and carrying out interments, installing headstone foundations, benches including verti-draining of areas to improve percolation
• Checking and clearance of culverts
• Play park inspection 
• Herbicide works in open spaces, including Japanese knotweed treatment
• Roads herbicide works commenced
• Education and Leisure Trust pitch maintenance ongoing; School sports marking
• Housing tidy-ups, on request
• Responding to Customer Service Requests and complaints
• Removal of dead animals and excess waste at recycling centres
• Recruitment for vacant positions
• Mask face fit tests for operatives

Streetscene Technical Support

• Bishopbriggs Park – brief complete and with procurement – framework now being progressed 
• Play Areas – Westerton – brief complete with procurement - framework now being progressed
• Play Areas – Kincaid (MOC)  - brief complete and with procurement - framework now being progressed
• Play Areas – annual external safety inspection complete – repairs ongoing
• Twechar Pump Track – consultation complete for potential pump track adjacent to Healthy Living Centre – available online
• Cemetery Management Rules – internal review ongoing noting recent wider Scottish Govt consultation – Scottish Govt regs now being finalised and implemented
• Headstones/Memorials Inspection – inspections complete at Old Aisle Cemetery  – ‘make safe’ arrangements now progressing – inspections ongoing at Campsie Cemetery 
• Cadder Cemetery Extension – works ongoing with consultant – Pre Planning POAN now complete
• Langfaulds Cemetery - pre start undertaken with consultants to finalise design works for next phase
• Ash Dieback Survey on Roadside – further survey to progress this July which will assess level of deterioration across roadside trees2
• Schools Estate – tree survey findings now being analysed – orders raised for any priority works over the next 3 months
• Sorm Eowyn – significant damage as a consequence of the recent storm with hundreds of trees impacted – all emergency works complete however clear up will continues across the district for a number of months – this remains ongoing
• Climate Ready Park – nearing completing – final works and reinstatement works now progressing to completion
• Community Growing Facilities – progressing improvement works via Shared Prosperity Fund – programme being finalised for 25/26  
• Nature Restoration Fund – projects identified for 25/26 and works now progressing  
• Management Plans – Lenzie Moss, Whitefield Pond, Cairnhill Woods and Heather Avenue – now complete and shared with community groups for progressing to actions
• TCV Partnership – environmental improvement works have commenced on the John Muir Way  - 3 year programme in total
• Clyde Valley Green Network – liaison re EDC Wetland Strategy
• Merkland – Scottish Water undertaking infrastructure works to site – now complete  - reinstatement progressing
• Glazert Project – team input into overall project re trees and biodiversity aspects
• 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.

As part of our contribution to the How Good Is Our Service report, we are pleased to provide data on routine annual gully cleaning.

• There are a total of 5,428 gullies on primary and key routes within East Dunbartonshire. Between 01 April 2025 and 30 June 2025, a total of 2,996 gullies on these routes were attended for cleaning
• On secondary routes, there are 20,699 gullies in total. During the same reporting period, we successfully cleaned 4,163 gullies on these routes.
  This data reflects our ongoing commitment to maintaining drainage infrastructure and minimising flood risk across the road network. Please see below table. 

Mugdock Country Park

Events:

• Wildlife Weans x 1 
• Forest Families x 4
• Forest School x 2
• Pond Dipping sessions x 2 (in conjunction with Milngavie Week)
• In addition, there was the monthly Mugdock Market and two days of Music at the Bandstand. 

N.B.: June events were considerably less well attended than previous events. 

• School Sessions - there were 6 Forest School sessions between, Mosshead Primary, Balfron High School and Blairdardie Primary School
• There was also one Sunday session for a local Cubs group
• Warden tasks - June warden events have been a combination of the regular, project, reactive maintenance and event activities including;
• Regular work: herbicide spraying, litter picking, emptying bins, dog bins, cleaning toilets, weekly courtyard deep clean, bin housings, tables etc., playpark, toadstool trail, car park checks, grass cutting and edging, strimming of visitor areas and weeding of beds around Visitor Courtyard, and weeding of Walled Garden
• Project work has included undertaking dead hedging project with Conservation Volunteers at the new Gallowhill BBQ Site, making a new gate for Gallowhill, clearing of vegetation at Mugdock Castle bellmouth and working with Scottish Water Team on clearing the Reservoir entrance
• Reactive site maintenance has included addressing further damage to Quarry fence, ongoing repairs to the fence in play area
• Income generation activities include undertaking summer themed decoration of the Courtyard, setting up of set up of monthly market, setting up power and seating for musical performances in the Bandstand, setting up of BBQ bookings. 
  
  Ranger tasks include:
• Launch of new Ranger schools workshop brochure and booking form
• Bracken and Birch seedling removal sessions with two corporate volunteering groups on Drumclog Moor
• Bracken control & birch seedling removal with conservation volunteers on Pietches Moor
•  Bat survey in Visitor Courtyard
• Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary surveys
• Working with volunteers on bamboo control. 

Visitor Centre

• Stock orders amounted to £368
• The total Retail takings for June 2025 were £1,828 inc VAT
• The largest sellers were Toys followed by Homeware. 

• Non-retail income comprised of donations: £200, Room/BBQ lets £350 and Ranger school bookings paid directly rather than by budget transfer £2,304.

Marketing / Communications

• Marketing focus included paid for boosts for the Music at the bandstand which reached 16,354 views and The Mugdock Market which reached 15,761 views.
• The social communication campaign was centred on volunteering at Mugdock over the decades and National Insect Week.

Projects

• BBQ shelter – Completion certificate visit is scheduled for the first week in July. The fire officer has attended prior to completion certificate and made recommendations.
• Walled Garden Volunteer Project Team member has started in the Walled Garden.
• Initial designs have been received for the decorative boundary. 

• The Clyde Valley Residual Waste contract accepted 1762 tonnes of general waste throughput in May from our households and Street Cleansing for recycling pre-sort, and then ongoing production of energy from waste.  This was a reduction of 10% compared to May last year
• The implementation of the 3 weekly residual collection started on Sunday 30th March 2025 and the team have continued to busy throughout May with the second/third cycle of the new service
• The Waste Advisors have continued visiting residents to provide waste management support to those who have been struggling with the changes to the collection frequency and providing additional capacity to those requiring space for medical reasons
• There was 25 waste diaries distributed in May to residents who requested additional capacity for their waste generated, the diaries are aimed at supporting residents in analysing the household waste and consider other means for recycling
• The changes to the frontline collections have encouraged residents to utilise the food recycling available at the kerbside, with 258 tonnes of food collected in May, and increase of 10.42% against the May last year.
  Early signs in May are showing an increase in tonnage within the blue recycling bin with a 2.64% increase compared to May last year.
  The Garden Waste Permits continue to roll out, with 2516 being purchased in May.  This brought the total figures at this time to over 29,000
• The waste operational team continue to utilise the new digital technology in the creation of new and efficient frontline collection routes.  The team have been working throughout May to create efficiencies within both our rural and flatted property collection rounds which have been well received by our residents
• Waste Technical team have been soft testing a new in-house solution for the Mavis Valley booking system, utilising the new Citizen Hub, and working with our colleagues in IT and Business Change
• Both Waste and Recycling bins were supplied to support waste management at various local events in May including the Lenzie Beer Festival
• Waste Officers have been out in the schools, attending a session with Baljaffray Primary School Eco-committee to educate and update the pupils on the changes in waste services and material streams.

• During the period 01/06/2025 to 30/06/2025 there were 247vehicles/plant inspected/repaired in line with the servicing schedule and defect procedure
• 87% of jobs were completed within 2 days of being booked in
• We currently have a variety of vehicles/plant on order to replace an aging fleet in line with the vehicle replacement programme
• Support Council services in the delivery of ASN Transport including the distribution of essential supplies for vulnerable individuals throughout the period including meals for early year’s facilities and lunch clubs etc
• Continued work on the management of Capital programme for the replacement of fleet assets through the financial year
• Continued work on the CPC training programme, to ensure all drivers that require CPC training achieve this before the deadline to remain compliant
• Continued support to front line service operations through the provision of in-house fleet maintenance function including work on horticultural and construction plant equipment
• Management of Fleet Operations in compliance with Operator Licencing legislation with a DVSA Operator Compliance Risk Score of Green for both Traffic and Compliance
• The team carried out a variety of gate checks, any issues that were identified were reported to the relevant management team
• Monthly audits have been implemented to ensure MOT station compliance
• We continue to monitor external hires
• The team worked extremely hard during this period to ensure the frontline services had enough vehicles/plant during the period to carry out their duties
• Work is ongoing to replace the fleet management system
• The recruitment process has been completed for the workshop team; this team is now fully staffed. We are recruiting for 3 additional drivers for the internal transport team to reduce the costs associated with private hire taxis
• Training is ongoing for the mechanics to ensure we stay up to date with best practices and technological advancements
• Work is ongoing to replace the fleet management system.