How Good is Our Service - October 2025

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Voids performance in October is at 91%, down from 97.3% in September and is above our target of 85%.  We continue to assess and enhance operational processes with a view to improving and maintaining performance in this area moving forward. 

Property Maintenance have achieved our target of 100% for Gas Servicing in October with 378 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 October exceeds our target of 12 days with an average turnaround of 11.4 days for the month, which is down from 10.21 days in September.  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 at the start of the new term in August.  The Service has received positive feedback from pupils and schools in relation to the school lunch menu.  Following discussions with Education, a new coloured band process was implemented at Craigdhu PS ensuring pupils are provided with the meal choice chosen by parents. 

The uptake in school meals within the Secondary schools was 55% which is substantially higher than the months prior to the summer holiday period.  The Primary School uptake in school meals for September was 70%.  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 61% of the school menus now using locally sourced produce.

Eight of the first 15 new mechanised crossing points have now been installed with school crossing patrollers previously located at four of the eight locations now relocated to alternative locations.  The recruitment exercise for additional school crossing patrollers is being progressed with a view to staffing all vacant crossing points which are not currently or due to be mechanised.

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.  

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 Colquhoun Park PS (senior area) and Balmuildy PS (infant area) have been addressed following substantial water ingress as a result of recent bad weather.  Works are still progressing to replace the biomass flue to ensure the biomass remains operational over the winter period at Castlehill PS.  

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 has commenced with the deadline for offers extended following requests from two local Community Groups who have shown an interest in the building
 
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.  

Good progress continues to be made through the detailed design and construction tender process for the Westerhill Development Road project.  The Stage two report for the project, seeking approval for the final total development cost, will be considered by Council in December 2025 ahead of a target construction phase start in Easter 2026.

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 (completion expected in January 2026) and refurbishments of Milngavie Primary School (completion July 2026); Campsie Memorial Hall (February 2026); and through the construction of a replacement Balmuildy Primary School.  Works are also progressing at Torrance Community Centre, which now has a revised opening date of April 2026 due to a series of unforeseen issues arising with the condition of the existing building.

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 second round of pre-application consultation events were successfully completed before the end of October 2025 and will be followed by the submission of the planning application in December 2025.  The Stage one report for the project is due for submission to Council in December 2025 also.

Feasibility design continues to progress in support of the Accommodation Strategy and for proposals to introduce all-weather sports provision and upgraded changing pavilions at Oakburn Park, Milngavie.  A Stage one report for the Milngavie Early Years project, including an update on design proposals, costs and development programme will be submitted for consideration by Council in December 2025 with the project planning application also due for submission.

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.  

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.  Preparations are underway for the next round of the Council’s energy efficiency improvements to its housing stock with works expected to start in mid-2026.

Planning applications for the development of affordable housing by the Council at the site of the former Merkland School, Kirkintilloch and the site of the former Campsie View School, Lenzie were approved by Planning Board in October 2025.  Planning submissions have been submitted for sites at the former Main Street in Torrance and the site of the former Auchinairn Primary School.

At Twechar Canalside, the construction of 15no. affordable Passivhaus houses is underway and continues to make good progress.  The neighbouring Outdoor Pursuits Centre was officially opened during October.

• 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
• Positive level of performance in non-emergency repairs turnaround times with our focus being on maintaining and improving further in this area moving forward
• Continue to focus on enhancing voids operational processes with the objective being to increase and maintain performance in this are going forward
• Improved functionality of Total Mobile and the integration with Servitor enables a more streamlined and efficient service. Further upgrades are due to take place in the coming weeks
• 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 October and November
• 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 October 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. Officers also responded to internal consultations such as licence applications and planning applications. 

The Community Safety Team continued to deliver a broad range of front-line work for the benefit of local communities during the reporting period, working closely with a range of colleagues and key partners to successfully deliver appropriate interventions and to make our local communities safer. Officers from the team were engaged in the delivery of services in relation to community engagement/support, antisocial behaviour, neighbour disputes, environmental incivilities, dog control, decriminalised parking enforcement, fly-tipping, pest control and mobile CCTV. The team continued to deliver enforcement work in relation to the new Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 parking prohibitions relating to pavement, double and dropped kerb parking recently introduced across the Council area. Parking enforcement activity to support the traffic free schools’ pilot and all other school areas was also prevalent during the month.    

The Trading Standards and Licensing Enforcement team were engaged in the delivery of essential consumer protection and licensing services to local consumers and businesses to maintain and protect a fair-trading environment in East Dunbartonshire. Throughout October, Licensing Advisors were involved with service provision in relation to civic licensed events and liquor licensing across the council area including festive events.  Trading Standards continued to liaise with partner organisations to carry out inspections of premises storing and selling fireworks for 2025.  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 directed at a range of business premises across the area (including age restricted product sales test purchase programming, fair trading and civic / liquor licensing).   

After a successful summer consultation period then the results of the Equalities Outcomes consultation exercise is being coded and analysed in preparation of a report to Policy & Resources Committee highlighting the broad reach of voices who informed and influenced our Equality Outcomes.

The team have been raising awareness of the Community Grant Scheme Round two, which opens on 24 November and closes on 9 January 2026.

The community development workers have been proactively delivering a series of targeted community capacity building workshops in our most deprived communities and supporting connections across communities and community organisations.

Working in partnership with Project 101, officers have delivered a series of wellness kitchen activities, supporting social connection and peer support.

The Vaccination clinics in Kirkintilloch Town Hall and Milngavie Town Hall are preparing to deliver the winter programme increasing to two days per week at each location from October and continuing to work in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Board.

The team have successfully delivered ‘Health Issues in the Community Course’ over a six week period in Lennoxtown, which provides participants an opportunity to celebrate and highlight the impact of community projects.

The Resettlement Team provides compassionate, individually tailored support to people and families taking part in humanitarian programmes.  The team also collaborates closely with both local and national partners involved in asylum accommodation and community sponsorship.  The team are preparing to host a low-key welcome community connection event.

Housing manages 3,894 social rented properties; 3,811 of these are mainstream accommodation and 84 are used for Homeless Temporary Accommodation.  The service also manages 49 Lead Tenancies which are rented from either private landlords (28) or Housing Associations (21), to assist with accommodating homeless households.

At present, the Housing list for East Dunbartonshire has 3,392 applications - made up of the following:

General Waiting list 2,534 applicants waiting (three 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 (eight 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 244 applicants (15 of which are on offer) 
(Homeless)
(Applicants who have no accommodation or will have nowhere to stay within the next two months. This queue does not allow the applicant to choose area or house type).

Priority waiting list two applicants (zero 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, nine properties were allocated. All of which were general needs.  Eight were Mainstream and one was given to homeless team to use as temp accommodation.

They were let to the following queues:

• One to the priority homeless queue
• Two to the transfer queue
• Five to the general waiting list queue.

Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Community Safety Teams

• Delivery of effective services on a flexible basis to meet all statutory requirements and duties in relation to public health, community safety, consumer protection and licensing enforcement matters
• Delivery of local Co-Production activity between Community Protection and Police Scotland, with particular focus on effective tasking processes and the delivery of joint action plans and work to protect the communities of East Dunbartonshire
• Delivery of Business Improvement Plan activity relating to Community Protection - actions being implemented in accordance with set targets to deliver effective services in line with relevant corporate outcomes and with positive performance being reported
• Delivery of regulatory services that assist with economic recovery and that are designed to support local businesses and communities
• Health and Safety contraventions were found at a builder’s merchant in Milngavie, following a visit from Officers responding to a complaint.  Follow-up inspection will be undertaken
• Annual accompanied visits by the Team Leader and Development Lead Officer have been undertaken this month for Officers conducting food law inspections 
• With the colder weather coming in Officers have observed wood burning complaints on the rise with some requiring visits out with working hours.
• The team are currently reviewing a variety of planning applications from an environmental health perspective
• Officers attended the Society of Chief Environmental Health Officers annual congress in Stirling with the theme of “Delivering a future for Environmental Health in Scotland”
• Delivery of parking enforcement activity to support the traffic free schools’ pilot and all other school areas
• Delivery of decriminalised parking enforcement activity in relation to recently introduced parking restrictions across the authority relating to pavement, double and dropped kerb parking
• On-going Community Warden activity under the MCR Pathways national programme
• Community Warden engagement to develop links on community safety matters at several local forums (e.g., including first Community Warden drop-in session at Milngavie Library)
• Delivery of targeted dog fouling patrols and initiatives across a range of parks, open spaces and other known issue areas within East Dunbartonshire
• Delivery of anti-social behaviour patrols at a range of hot spot locations across the neighbourhood with an increased visible presence across local communities
• Inspections, reactive service request visits 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 the home improvement sector and age restricted sales
• 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
• Provision of tailored advice to businesses requiring Public Entertainment Licences and/or amendments to liquor licences
• Significant seizure of multiple fashion items believed to be infringing registered trademarks, investigation ongoing
• Signing over for destruction of potentially unsafe toys which infringe registered trademarks
• Increased submission of logs to the National Intelligence Database for Trading Standards with contribution to the wiser national and cross authority picture.

Community Planning and Partnerships Team

• The team continue to work collaboratively in partnership with Project 101, delivering a series of community based participative opportunities

• Auchinairn community centre users were supported to identify, and agree a collaborative way forward for redeveloping the community garden

• CPP Board approved GAC recommendations for funding awards in Round one 2025-26

• A successful and well received Health Issues in the Community course was delivered, with participants showcasing community projects

•  A range of wellness kitchens session were hosted engaging young people, young tenants and pupils

• The resettlement team continue to work closely with local and national organisations to deliver a tailored humanitarian integration programme

• Following a broad engagement, a comprehensive analysis of the data gathered as part of our consultation on our Equality Outcomes and will be presented to Committee

• The team agreed a collaborative team plan, supporting delivery of the key priorities of the community planning partnership team.

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

• The Estates team received 16 new Reports of significant anti-social behaviour cases during the month of October, and four open cases were resolved.
• There was one nomination from the Housing waiting list sent to a Registered Social Landlord operating in East Dunbartonshire to be considered for allocation to their housing stock. Discussions are ongoing with Clyde Valley Housing Association to agree new Nominations Agreement
• Ongoing regular attended this month included Housing Liaison meetings where cases of relevance to Social Work, Community Safety and Police Scotland are discussed, MARAC meeting with other agencies, CPC MISE group to discuss Child Protection issues, Safe and Together forums, two 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 updates from each area of housing including Rents, Policy, Estates and Homelessness with an overview and was well attended
• Housing continues to review processes and make changes to them where possible to allow for a more customer, person centred approach
• The new on-line CRM system training has been issued for Housing staff using the system and now up and running
• The team is part of new Steering Group to re-establish and implement new procedures for processing and issuing Tenant Recharges
• Attendance at new two-weekly Community Harm and Risk Meeting (CHARM) with Police Scotland, Community Safety, Trading Standards and Licensing officers continues. Attendance at East Dunbartonshire Safe and Together steering group is ongoing.
• Hold monthly budget meetings with HRA accountant to keep abreast of costs. Weekly meetings with Void Team at Property Maintenance to focus on improving performance. Monthly attendance at new Housing/Social Work liaison meeting to discuss Throughcare cases and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children
• Monthly void property meetings with Property Maintenance to endeavour to improve performance
• Work to reduce the Voids, - liaising with the property maintenance department to streamline this process
• Ensuring all reported ASB cases are actioned 
• Ensuring turn around times on void properties falls and offers are out with applicants on these properties
• X23 Increase in homeless applications compared to September (21 applications).  Of the 32 appointments arranged this month nine (28%) of applicants failed to attend appointments without giving good reason.  This will be monitored to identify any key trends etc
• Nine households were supported by the Homelessness Out of Hours Service (decrease since last month – 12)
• 17 homeless applicants were made an offer of settled accommodation.  None of which had been waiting longer than three years
• Six households were moved to temporary accommodation
• One household was referred to the Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme and x one households assisted with RSL/HA rent in advance to move to settled accommodation 
• Three households were placed within unsuitable accommodation during October.  No  breaches of the UAO however the Council is at immediate risk of breaches. All placements were applicants who were not suitable for Rapid Access accommodation due to potential risk to others
• Three EDC tenants with arrears were referred for Prevention Advice. To date 13 EDC tenants with arrears have been referred for Prevention advice
• Three Households were given SIM cards as part of the ‘Good Things Foundation’ referral scheme
• Introduction meeting took place with Blue Triangle and comprehensive project plan in place.  Service will open 5 January 2026
• The Council’s Landlord Registration Officer received 100 application; eight new registrations, 41 renewals and 51 updates. The council collected £4,256 income during October
• Project 101 settling into new Townhead premises and had a successful open day for customers on 27 October 2025.  

Key areas of focus in September for the Communications & Engagement team included launch of pavement parking enforcement, graffiti reporting and Trading Standards messaging.

Media relations remained consistent this month with 11 releases issued (10 in August), three photocalls (three in August) and 14 media enquiries dealt with (30 in August.)

All releases are on the news section and the local coverage achieved equated to an equivalent advertising value of £7,304 (£7,032 in August).

Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn all saw increases in followers with the most popular posts this month relating to pavement parking enforcement, new Lenzie Academy consultation and Balmuildy Primary school sod cutting.

Across the Council’s four social media channels the average engagement rate was 2.6% (a good engagement rate is 0.5, anything above 1 is deemed great).

The Council website had 155,400 visits (excluding internal traffic) with the most popular page Bins and Recycling receiving 21,280 views.

There were 4,270 call-to-action button clicks, 2,883 of these were customers completing online forms.

The most watched video on Facebook was Save Time, Report it Online with 2,353 views and on YouTube it was LDP3 Call for Sites and Ideas with 376 views.

One video was created this month with 57 design jobs completed overall.

In September 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.

The Customer Services team handled a variety of customer enquiries and requests including 9,019 phone calls, 110 Community Hub appointments and 748 Community Hub drop-ins, these figures are broadly similar to the previous month. Throughout September the team focussed on improving enquiry response times, it is essential the team provides a prompt and efficient service to customers across all contact channels, this targeted approach significantly reduced the number of enquiries awaiting action and improved call answer time. Work will continue to maintain and improve overall response times. 

Final configuration and testing of Community Hub appointment functionality within the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system took place this month. This will enable customers to make an appointment online when they need to come in to see the Customer Services team. Currently appointments can be arranged via telephone only, this new option provides customers with greater choice and will enable them to make appointments themselves outwith office hours. This is part of our approach to increasing digital access to services and it is anticipated this will be live in November 2025.  

Interviews were held for an Emergency Response Centre Agent vacancy; the successful candidate will join the team in early November when all requirements of the recruitment process have been completed.

Progress continues to be made in the analogue to digital change programme, work has begun to replace analogue telecare equipment in the sheltered housing complexes across East Dunbartonshire, the Emergency Response Centre team continue to carry out essential admin tasks on the call handling platform as well as undertaking the testing of equipment. 

The CCTV replacement project has faced technical challenges; however, it is anticipated that progress will be made as these various technical issues are resolved. 

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.

A key focus for the team in 2025/26 is the implementation of the new Oracle Fusion HR & Payroll system to replace the iTrent system which is over 10 years old. The implementation of the new system is incredibly resource intensive involving many of the HR & OD teams and wider teams across the Council.

Communications & Engagement

• Continued to promote the Gambling and LDP3 consultations
• Completed design work to promote Mugdock Park’s upcoming event programme including Halloween map, what’s on brochure and Plain Bob event
• Supported Civil Contingencies during Storm Amy with key messaging related to flood reporting
• Proofed, designed and online publication of the Strategic Housing Investment Programme 2025 for issuing to Scottish Government
• Supported the Winter Service Policy launch with design and website publication as well as planning of Name a Gritter competition
• Promotion of key awareness days including 999 Emergency Services Day, Suicide Prevention Week and National Fitness Day.

Corporate Performance

• The comprehensive annual Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) overview was finalised for reporting to the October meeting of Council
• The development of revised complaints handling procedures, including a Complaints Handling Toolkit and training materials for introduction in Q3 2025/26 continued
• The CRM system was updated to include further categories of complaints for enhanced complaints reporting from Q3 2025/26
• Continued assistance was provided to the change team in relation to the rollout of Oracle Fusion particularly on the Data Migration requirements from the old to new system
• Data support and assistance provided in the ongoing reviews of disability services in the Health and Social Care Partnership.

Customer Services

• Targeted action was  taken to improve customer enquiry phone response times, balanced with digital and social media online demands and face to face service delivery in the Community Hubs
• Progress continues to be made developing and implementing additional functionality across the primary systems used across the Customer Services team
• The team continues to provide support and assistance to teams across the Council as well as residents and customers, particularly in relation to service delivery change and in response to emergency and civil contingency situations. 

Human Resources & Organisational Development    

• Continued engagement with the Trade Unions on strategic and operation HR initiatives, including service reviews and policy development
• Continued support for employees and managers on HR policy based and guidance noted, with support in attendance on ER case work
• Within Payroll Services, the team have maintained and processed the payover of the various payruns within timescales, with the completion of a series of statutory
• Following implementation of the new rates of Local Government Pay Award in August, HR and Payroll implemented the back pay due in September payrun
• The HCM Project Board, continues to provide oversight and governance in support of moving to the new HR/Payroll system
• Teams across HR and Payroll continue to undertake series of milestones and output required as part of the HCM project, whilst managing ongoing operational work
• With multiple HCM project workstreams continuing, in September the service worked on Data Migration processes to refine these ahead of the live cutover from old to new HR & Payroll system
• The People Development team delivered sessions across a number of topics including SMART Working, H&S, Induction and EDC policy sessions. In total 211 delegates received training across topics in September 2025
• People Development have been supporting/facilitating sessions in First Aid, REHIS & Education Leadership Programme administration, plus Oracle HCM testing.

For the October school holiday week activities were programmed across the library service, including literary character treasure hunts and family quiz nights. Lennoxtown Library held a Creative Crafting drawing event and 45 people attended a talk about the Auchengeich Mining disaster.
Milngavie Library hosted its first community warden drop in event, which provided members of the local community with the opportunity to come along and discuss or highlight particular areas of concern within their local community.  This was a pilot project with a view to rolling out the initiative across East Dunbartonshire libraries. 

Bishopbriggs library hosted a community event on the new Bishopbriggs Playpark with many locals coming in to view the information boards and engage in the consultation process.  
The Children & Families team, in partnership with EDC Education, ran a CPD session for Nursery Staff designed to increase confidence in using songs and stories in their Early Years settings.
The Heritage & Arts service received 5,477 digital visitors across the range of online platforms highlighting services and showcasing online collections.  

For Black History Month the service highlighted significant figures with an East Dunbartonshire connection. This included acclaimed poet, author and playwright, Jackie Kay who grew up in Bishopbriggs.  Jackie has won countless awards and, from 2016 to 2021 was Makar, the poet laureate of Scotland.
Archives & Local Studies received 1,254 visitors and 294 enquiries. Archive volunteers dedicated 36 hours of their time to support collections work.  

Charlies Big Adventure Soft Play held two Halloween Parties for our young customers on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October. Both parties were fully booked and the feedback from parents/guardians was very positive.

The party room within CBA soft play was redecorated and new furniture installed to make this area more comfortable and attractive for bookers.

During the October holiday the flume operated every day to entertain young families and the pools were fairly busy, albeit, the dry weather made this week slightly quieter than usual.

The Leisuredrome and Kirkintilloch Leisure Centre both delivered RLSS National Pool Lifeguard Courses during October. Over 20 candidates successfully passed the qualification and will be encouraged to apply for opportunities within EDLC.

Following a lengthy lead time the steam room door was replaced, and the Health Suite has returned to normal operations.

October week bookings were maximised by removing the gymnastic rig on courts seven and eight. 
Bearsden & Milngavie held their annual Pickleball Festival over the course of the weekend 18/19 October, booking the full main hall all day Saturday and most of Sunday. Yet again, this proved to be an excellent event with very positive feedback “We are also grateful to the management and staff at the Allander Leisure Centre for their professional and helpful assistance, which ensured the days ran smoothly”

Working with the Pickleball clubs we have updated the presentation of the courts to ensure that there are mobile barriers between courts to reduce balls entering courts and halting play.

Promotions running over Period seven included Early Bird Rackets, Sunday evening Football and the introduction of reduced charge for Squash on a Saturday due to very poor demand. Early signs are encouraging bookings now average six games, previously one game.

More focus is being applied to maximise the mobile app and updates are going out to customers on the day, highlighting “last minute availability” for Badminton or Pickleball that evening. We plan to continue this marketing strategy as it is proving extremely effective.

A new Permit to Work Scheme has been introduced at site to improve the management of contractors working within the Centre. This model if operating successfully will be passed to other Operations Managers to consider.

Centre usage was up 5% on the same period last year and Gym usage was up 8%.
Discussions took place with new boiler plant contractors regarding future proofing for emergency repairs closures to minimise service disruptions and also with pool CO2 suppliers, again to ensure any disruption to service due to supply chain problems.  

FUNdamentals taster sessions

Community Sport piloted a new FUNdamental programme with a four week block of taster sessions in Kirkintilloch LC.  18 children attend two classes where fun games were delivered by the coaches with the focus on the motor skills or running, jumping, throwing, catching and kicking.  Free taster sessions will finish on Wednesday 26 November with a pay as you go programme running until Christmas, with the aim of including this class as part of our 40 week term time programme.

Whole Family Wellbeing Fund

Our Whole Family Wellbeing Fund programme is continuing to progress with eight primary schools currently taking part in the five week block of multisport activity. These sessions are aimed at the 2x ELR and 6x nurture units programmed in for a four week block of delivered by our EDLC sports coaches and supported by our Active Schools Coordinators.  The second block of the hugely successful swimming sessions with Woodland View school have also began at the Allander LC with eight children attending weekly.

October programme

Our October holiday programme saw 30 children attend the Allander LC for a multi sports camp.  The participants attended for 30 hours over the school holidays and were introduced to several sports that are delivered during our term time classes.  We also had seven participants attend our high board diving session which was run in partnership with Edinburgh Leisure.

Inclusive Sports Forum

The Inclusive Sports Forum met this month bringing together key partners from a range of sectors including EDLCT, Education, community clubs, the NHS and a number of local schools. As always, the forum sparked meaningful discussions around collaboration and inclusivity in sport. Team United delivered an engaging presentation highlighting how they engage young people with ASN in football and a representative from Scottish Disability Sport spoke about opportunities for young people and their strategies for breaking down barriers to participation in sport and physical activity.

Young Ambassador Conference

Eighteen young people, representing every secondary school in East Dunbartonshire, attended the Active Schools Young Ambassador Conference at Kirkintilloch Town Hall earlier this month. The event kicked off with an informative sportscotland online conference covering topics such as School Sport Award and goal setting. The young people then engaged in interactive sessions to develop their confidence and skills in promoting sport and physical activity in their schools and communities. The pupils will now look to promote and celebrate sporting opportunities in their own secondary schools over the next academic year under the mentorship of their Active Schools Coordinator.

Fit for Girls Workshop 2

The Active Schools team in partnership with Youth Sport Trust ran the second Fit for Girls (FFG) workshop with this year’s cohort of FFG Ambassadors. The pupils all delivered presentations around their journey in sport with a focus on the barriers to participation that they feel are most prevalent for young girls and women.
The aim of the FFG programme is to:

• Increase girls’ participation in sport/physical activity by addressing challenges
• Raise the profile of sport/physical activity for girls and young women
• Support a group of girls to help address these challenges within their own school environment

The FFG Ambassadors will attend one further workshop next month alongside secondary school PE staff.

Netball Leaders Training

The Active Schools team delivered a Netball Leaders training course targeted at secondary school pupils. 17 pupils attended the training where they were shown a range of netball training practices and games. The newly trained Young Leaders will now be hoping to deliver extra-curricular netball sessions in their own secondary school and cluster primaries.

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

• Education Service refreshed Vision, Values and Aims have been finalised and are being shared with relevant stakeholders

• All IMAGINE Leadership Groups have submitted their year one priorities and the first evaluation against the Education Service Plan priority areas. This shared leadership approach is driving forward priorities with a collective focus on excellence for all

• All Primary and Secondary Head Teachers attended a Leadership Forum delivered by HR focusing on Attendance Management

• A Quality Review took place for Auchinairn Early Years Centre, supported by two Quality Improvement Officers and two Head Teachers. The focus was Leadership of Continuous Improvement, Learning, Teaching and Assessment, Children’s Progress and Wellbeing, Inclusion and Equality, using the quality indicators from the new Quality Framework (2025). They found a strong sense of community and ethos with a shared vision, high quality resources and experiences, including learning visits to the community. Practitioners used observations to develop next steps in learning. The centre offers a wide range of universal and targeted support strategies to meet the needs of individual families and children.

• 11 schools entered the Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust National Road Safety Competition. Baljaffray and Mosshead placed as runners up and will receive a banner of their winning design. Gartconner, Holy Family, Clober, Craigdhu, Bearsden, Colquhoun and Meadowburn will also receive a banner of the overall winning design for being amongst the first 10 schools to enter the competition

• Woodland View School have achieved their Bronze Rights Respecting Schools Award in recognition of the work they are doing to promote Children’s Rights.

Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Supporting Families

• In session 2024-2025 a pilot transition report was introduced, and a cohort overview spreadsheet replaced the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. This was evaluated positively. All schools reported that primary one teachers used the reports and spreadsheet to inform transition to primary one. A report will be shared with the Education Leadership Team 
• The early years professional learning offer has been enhanced by a grant provided by the Froebel Trust, and they are working in partnership with colleagues from the West Partnership Network to deliver twilight sessions online. Some 400 practitioners have signed up to attend. The first of four sessions were provided by Pete Moorehouse, looking at woodwork in our early years settings.  Almost all centres have access to woodwork opportunities for children which is enhancing the learning environment
• Snack and Play operated over five school hubs during the October break.147 children were offered up to three days. Attendance was low in the Clober hub in Milngavie. A total of 78% of children attended at least one day
• The Supporting Families Service  continue to receive a high number of requests for assistance for parenting advice and support. The team are currently supporting 56 families. 18 new referrals were received in October. A further 11 parents completed a six-week standard Triple P group intervention. Feedback from parents states that they feel more confident in setting realistic boundaries
• Almost all members of the IMAGINE Leadership Group attended the first planning meeting of the new session. The link QIO provided an overview of the work undertaken during Session 2024/2025 to ensure new members were aware of the existing three year strategic plan. An action plan was agreed reflecting the priorities of the Education Service Plan and the Leadership Strategic Framework. Tasks were assigned to all members of the group and dates for future planning meeting were agreed
• Excellent progress has been made in delivering aspects of the Leadership Strategic Framework. All newly appointed substantive and acting Head Teachers have attended Induction Professional Learning sessions on a range of topics delivered by various Officers. All participants have evaluated the sessions positively and have highlighted the small group and opportunity for rich discussion as a strength of the Professional Learning.  The People Development Team have successfully delivered Corporate Policy Professional Learning
• 23 aspiring and substantive Middle Leaders attended the first session of Middle Leaders Leading Change Professional Programme as part of the Leadership Strategy. Jointly delivered by a Primary Depute Head Teacher and Primary QIO the session explored the importance and influence of self-awareness, emotional intelligence and values in leadership
• All Probationers have attended six Professional Learning sessions with a focus on pedagogy delivered by central team officers and secondary and primary teachers. All probationers have attended input by the Educational Psychology Team on Practitioner Enquiry to prepare them for undertaking a small-scale research project as part of meeting the Standards for Full Registration   
• Following feedback from the Family Learning Assistants last session about resources for Primary four-seven, staff have come together to plan a resource that will compliment the Families Connect resource. This is a structure for creating family learning experiences linked to health and wellbeing, literacy, numeracy and creativity. Teachers from the nurture schools will support this project
• Almost all primary schools have registered to take part in the Euroquiz 2026 Heats. The East Dunbartonshire Council Heats are scheduled to take place in March 2026, with the winners representing the Council at the final in Edinburgh in June 2026
• The first My Voice My Choice pupil forum meeting of this session took place online with over 60 pupils representing primary and secondary schools across East Dunbartonshire. Guest speakers from Education Scotland HMIe, Youth Services and the Climate Change team covered several topics in consultation with pupils. This term, the focus for the forum is Anti-Bullying, with schools encouraged to share the work they are doing for Anti-Bullying week in November 2025 within the My Voice My Choice Teams page
• The EDC Secondary Schools Learning Festival 2025 was a highly successful and deeply valued professional learning event. The feedback from teachers across the authority was overwhelmingly positive, confirming the festival's role as a cornerstone of professional development. The event's success was driven primarily by its timely and practical focus on Artificial Intelligence, its provision of skills-based workshops, and its invaluable function as a forum for professional dialogue and collaboration.

Additional Support Needs (ASN) and Children’s Services

• 16 multi-agency practitioners attended the Talking Mats Foundation training, delivered by East Dunbartonshire accredited trainers. All practitioners evaluated this training positively.  Talking Mats is an augmentative communication tool that supports children and young people to express their views and make meaningful choices in line with UNCRC article 12.
• Following positive evaluation of the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund (WFWF) ork with pilot schools, WFWF targeted supports have been extended to include all St Ninian’s and Kirkintilloch cluster primary schools, Lennoxtown Primary School and Lairdsland Primary School. Universal WFWF supports are available to all East Dunbartonshire schools
• Whole Family Wellbeing “Coffee and Chat” parent drop-in sessions are held in Hillhead Community Centre every Monday. These sessions have included opportunities for parents to meet with Allied Health professionals and NHS GGC Neurodevelopmental team lead. Parents feedback on these sessions has highlighted the value in providing informal opportunities for parents/ carers to meet with professionals within their local community
• A Professional Development Group (PDG) meeting took place in Boclair Academy for all PT Guidance, PT Support for Learning, and ASN leads across all secondary schools, primary and secondary Enhanced Learning Resource, primary and secondary Wellbeing Provision and Woodland View School. This was the first joint meeting for all professionals across services and covered a range of ASN updates
• 14 staff from across Early Years, Primary and Secondary establishments completed a full day course on Moving & Handling, delivered by three EDC trainers. This is an accredited course through Centaur.

Educational Psychology Service (EPS)

• Staff were offered visits hosted by Early Years’ Centres and a primary school, to see play pedagogy ‘in action’ and to facilitate peer discussion.  The IMAGINE Curriculum group has planned a pilot of Meta Skills at Early Level, using the Audit Toolkit
• 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 one training) are being offered through early years training calendar.
• The SHINE Strategic Group have met and collated key findings into a presentation with consideration of this being shared with education professionals at an upcoming ASN seminar. Moreover, the group are currently developing an infographic which reflects key findings to be shared with schools. The resource list created last session is being reviewed to ensure that it aligns with the most recent findings from the SHINE data
• Across education and social work, 12 professionals continue to undertake their Level three NVR training, and three professionals are undergoing Level four NVR training. This month, the Level four trainees delivered Level one training to 17 professionals. The strategic group have developed pre and post evaluation forms which can be used by professionals when delivering NVR parent and professionals’ groups. An agreed next step is to adapt this for school interventions
• The first PLC for Up Up and Away was held, focussing on the Literacy Rich Environment Tool. This time was used to explain the tool in greater depth and allow staff time and space to begin completing the tool and reflect on their environment with colleagues from other centres. CIRCLE PLCs were also held for Primary and Secondary school staff focussing on pupil voice and learning conversations, and how to link this with the CIRCLE Participation Scale
• Addressing Dyslexia Guidance is in final draft form.  The draft training plan is complete and will be shared with Education Leadership doe final approval. The Education Working Group will draft a strategy to accompany the guidance in preparation for final launch later this session
• The Nurture Evaluation Report 2025-2026 is complete and will be shared with the Education Leadership Group
• In the Early Years’ sector, the support for professional development was highly evaluated with many examples of Nurture practice in action across Local Authority and Funded Provider Centres.  Practitioners reported feeling more confidence about implementing Nurture Principles in their practice and using the Plan-Do-Study-Act model of action research.  Children benefited from a range of approaches including small nurture spaces, enhanced practitioner interactions, improved experiences of transitions, emotional checks ins and higher engagement with parents in nurture developments.  There was an evaluation of the three year Nurture programme with recognition for centres who had shared evidence.  Participants co-created next steps for ongoing Nurture support
• In the Primary sector, there were statistically significant gains for children’s social and emotional functioning across the 13 schools.  There was also strong evidence that whole school nurture approaches continued to develop and have a positive impact on many aspects of the school, including family learning and engagement, and the growing leadership roles of nurture practitioners across a wider range of strategic areas notably The Circle Framework.  In Session 2024-2025 an additional 1180 interventions were provided through targeted wellbeing work with classes, small groups and individuals
• In the secondary sector, the wellbeing supports are having a significant positive impact on young people’s wellbeing as demonstrated using the Stirling Children’s Wellbeing Scale. The Professional Learning Community continues to be highly evaluated with all the Wellbeing Teachers rating them as ‘extremely useful’
• An EP has attended one meeting for the short-life working group to evaluate the impact of Home Link Officers. Considerations are being made of all secondary schools and SIP actions relating to attendance. The attendance leads are planning for PLC meetings for the session
• Foundation Solihull training attended by multi-agency group including two representatives from education (EP and QIO)
• Dates have been planned for a Talking Mats PLC. The first PLC meeting will focus on examples of good practice; we are aiming for the second to consider how talking mats are used within paperwork submitted to decision making panels..  

School Planning and Improvement

• Finalising of data for the annual Census was complete.  Few amendments made in relation to pupil/staff numbers.  Final detail will be published by Scottish Government early December

• Education Service supported the Major Assets Service in relation to the Lenzie Academy Consultation events covering pupils, staff and parent council chairs of the associated schools.  Along with meeting the Lenzie Community Council and also the wider public at the consultation events.  These events were well attended

Skills for Life, Learning and Work

• The Big Scottish Breakfast is a national initiative where all around the country, schools, workplaces, and other institutions during the month of September can get together to share breakfast raising money for children living in poverty in Scotland. In Lenzie Academy the Youth Development Worker and school staff facilitated the LACE events team (of senior pupils) to plan, organise and staff this event in Lenzie Academy along with the volunteers where they raised £300 for the STV Children’s appeal and £200 for the school minibus appeal. All LACE events teams and volunteers will receive a Saltire Award for their participation, and the Barista + class are working towards their various wider achievement accreditation and their Self & Community Unit of their Personal Development Award.

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The month of October saw the Finance Team continuing year end tasks required for the collation of 2024/25 accounts, completing the second monitoring reports of the financial year and planning for the 2026/27 budgets.  In addition, the team continues to respond to audit queries on the 2023/24 accounts. As the finance team works through a critical period of demands on the team, an additional one FTE resource continues to temporarily supplement existing teams and to help manage the external audit process and timeline risks. Movement into Phase two 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 two fewer accountants, and some absence within the team.  An internal training process is being designed to try to remedy this long term.

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 the 2024/25 accounts are complete, however the first report for 2025/26 has been submitted.

The team is now beginning the 2026/27 budget process, agreeing and distributing the guidelines and timetable, in order to provide a balanced position in a highly challenging financial context.

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 64.30% is very slightly behind the target of 64.70% 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 Transport Team continue to manage the day-to-day contracts and procure any ad-hoc contracts as required.  

The General Team continue to adapt to the new process for overtime administration in preparation for the new payroll system. 

The ICT Services team continues to support the Council’s information technology systems and services to ensure high availability and performance in line with agreed service levels.  The Team resolved 1,292 tickets in October and dealt with 251 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. Active rent arrears of £1,258,262 are £71,263 lower than at the same period as last year, which is a decrease of 5.36%. The team are committed to working with tenants to reduce arrears further.
 
The Tenant Participation Team continues to provide direct ongoing support to active Tenants and Residents Associations.

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

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

Work continues towards completion of several audits on the 2025/26 plan as the team provides assurance over key areas of risk, making recommendations and following up on these to improve the control environment.  Audits completed in the period include the Complaints Management and a consultancy note for Carn software.  Audits near completion include Green Waste Permits, a review of the Supply Teacher Database and a review of Winter Planning arrangements.    
 
Work is progressing on the completion of the Council’s Annual Governance Statement 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 in excess of 6,000 data matches from the National Fraud Initiative (NFI)—a data matching exercise led by Audit Scotland to detect fraud and error. These matches were released in phases and have now all been received. The team continue to review the high-risk and high-value matches.  The matching of Council Tax records against Electoral Registration records is nearing completion, the savings and additional income identified now total £0.360m.  The review of data matches against HMRC is ongoing and is not anticipated to continue throughout the year.  A tailored training programme is being developed 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 has from 1 September 2025, introduced a new criminal offence applicable to public bodies who fail to prevent fraud by employees or agents.  The team have attended briefing sessions held by CIFAS on the measures required to be taken to ensure compliance.   A briefing document for SLT and fraud risk assessment templates have been developed and issued to SLT for consideration.

Finance 

• Responding to audit queries on the 2023/24 draft accounts
• Timeline agreed for the 2024/25 year end with work on year-end tasks underway
• Second monitoring reports for 2025/26 produced
• Finance team has now uploaded 2025/26 budgets to the system
• The Oracle Fusion General Ledger system project has now been signed off as Green status with a few legacy tickets to be completed.  Phase two 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. 

The final Treasury Management report  of 2024/25 has been submitted as well as interim updates within the revenue monitoring report.

Revenues and Benefits 

• In the month of September, the team issued:
  • 2,920 Council Tax bills and 9,760 Benefits notifications; and,
  • 380 Non-Domestic Rates bills
• 350 crisis grants and community care grant applications were received
• The team received and dealt with 2,010 documents for Council Tax queries and reduction and 715 for benefits.  In addition, the team received 2,500 ATLAS notifications from DWP
• The team dealt with 2,600 telephone enquiries.

ICT Services 

• ICT Services are working closely with the Business and Digital Change Team to implement M365
• The Infrastructure Team:
  • Installed 163 Interactive Panels at two Secondary Schools and four primary schools: Kirkintilloch and St Ninian’s High Schools, Bearsden, Clober, Westerton and Craigdhu primaries
  • Replaced 101  obsolete laptops with new Windows 11 laptops.Carried out the in-place upgrade of 130 laptops from Windows 10 to Windows 11 across the corporate estate
• ICT Security have:
  • Implemented Cloud reporting for Internet Filtering which will increase the visibility of traffic for the ICT Security Team
  • 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 a health check on critical monitoring software
  • Upgraded the Firewall software to maintain security.

Shared Services 

• The Residential Team added 70 service agreements to CareFirst for clients moving into care homes or for supported living services within their own homes
• The Homecare Team added 359 service agreements to CareFirst for clients receiving a homecare service or a direct payment 
• Direct Payment Audit Team – 31 standard audits and seven final audits completed for clients receiving self-direct support
• The EMA Team dealt with 22 Education Maintenance Applications in October.  The team processed 19 on SEEMiS and rejected three for various reasons

Housing Rent Arrears

• Active Tenant Rent Arrears were £1,258,262 which is a decrease of £71,263 on same period as last year (week 30)
• 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
• A Tenant Participation Working Group meeting held at Hillhead Community Centre, Kirkintilloch. This was attended by tenants, tenant representatives, elected members and EDC staff.

Business & Digital Change

• During this period, the Business Systems team successfully upgraded five system environments.  The team also managed nine incidents, supported six projects and contributed to the ongoing rollout of Windows 11
• The Care First team has conducted multiple staff training sessions, strengthening team capacity and service delivery and developed new care assessment forms to enhance consistency and accuracy in client support

• Supported auditors by extracting and providing data from both current and legacy application, ensuring transparency and accuracy throughout the audit process

• Preparatory work for the parallel pay run has been completed. Reconciliation efforts are now in progress to align legacy iTrent pay runs with HCM Fusion, fixing any discrepancies. Additionally, the HCM cutover planning process has officially commenced

• Digital telecare installation at The Rowans Sheltered Housing Complex has been successfully completed, with excellent resident feedback.  All devices are now fully interoperable and integrated with the Emergency Response Centre

• Development of our CRM platform is progressing well, with the first demonstration of the Annual Lettings solution completed and further work ongoing.  Development has also commenced on the Mugdock Country Park booking system, and final user testing is complete for the Community Hub booking solution

• The Mavis Valley solution is fully developed and ready to launch as soon as Waste Officers are operational on site.  

Internal Audit

• The Team is working on completing the 2025/26 Internal Audit Plan, in line with available resources. There is a vacancy at the Audit & Risk Manager level and one Audit Senior post from November onwards
• Advice is continuing to be provided by Internal Audit in line with the Internal Audit Charter to support the enhancement of governance arrangements, risk management and controls
• Work on the 2025/26 plan with audits such as Green Waste Permits, the Supply Teacher Database and Winter Planning Maintenance being near completion
• Work has been completed in the form of a gap analysis & action plan for the new Global Internal Audit Standards

Corporate Fraud 

• Corporate Fraud is investigating allegations received, focusing on suspected fraud or error within Education, Housing and Revenues Services and on the remaining cases resulting from the NFI
• The team also continues to undertake vetting on applications, from several services, 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 require an update of the policy base to support action – specifically the creation of a Communications Data Policy
• The team will also be focussing on the measures required to ensure compliance with The Economic Crime and Transparency Act 2023. 

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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.

In October 2025, the HSCP exceeded its targets across all identified key performance indicators.

• We have made strong progress in meeting statutory duties in the past year. Completion of Social Circumstance Reports has more than doubled, rising from 21% to 52%, and Adults with Incapacity reports prepared within the first month increased from 68% to 75% in 2024/25. This means more people receive timely assessments and decisions

• We have concluded the HSCP Operating Model and Senior Leadership Review, with the new leadership structure formally approved by the IJB

• Promotional activity in support of:

  • Future Care Planning

  • World Mental Health Day

  • Alcohol and Drug Recovery Service’s annual survey.

     

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

• Continue with the work streams associated with the Learning Disability review and agreement obtained to take forward the John Street review 
• Review and develop new commissioning strategy for Adult Commissioned Services
• Review the model of delivery for HSCP clinical mental health services across adult and older people care group
• Adult and Children & Families Services Commissioning Review 
• Review of adult Social Work delivery model

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

• The Evidence Report for LDP3 has been submitted to the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division to undertake the Gate Check assessment.  The outcome of the Gate Check is expected in November 2025.  A Call for Ideas and Sites consultation as part of the preparation of the Proposed Plan for Local Development Plan Three (LDP3) was undertaken between 21 July 2025 and 15 September 2025.  Officers will consider all of the information received during the consultation as part of the preparation of the Proposed Plan

• As part of the ongoing preparation of LDP3, officers have been preparing an updated Development Plan Scheme which is expected to be considered for approval by the Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets committee on 6 November 2025

• The Land Planning Policy Team has been working in partnership with Development Management colleagues on preparing a response to a government consultation on ‘Permitted development rights to support the provision of new homes.’  The response was submitted to the government on 27 October 2025

• The Land Planning Policy Team Leader has been leading on a review of the first year of the National Planning Improvement Framework, including providing updates on progress with the Improvement Action Plan and preparing to meet the National Planning Improvement Team in November

• 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.  

• The Draft Climate Action Plan was approved by Council for consultation in October (EDC/035/25/RS).  The consultation, which was organised in collaboration with the Council’s comms team and EDVA, commenced on 13 October 2025 and includes an online survey, drop-in events, public engagement events, digital events, school engagement, business engagement, and bespoke events in response to requests for engagement from communities. It will run until 19 December 2025. An update on progress of the Council’s LHEES Delivery Plan and Circular Economy Strategy were included in the report and noted by Council (EDC/035/25/RS)

• A report was taken to the Community Planning Partnership Board to drive forward partnership arrangements and to provide an update on the Climate Action Plan and its public consultation (CPPB/008/25/RS). A presentation providing an update on the draft Climate Action Plan and consultation was also delivered to Community Planning Partnership Board. Requests for further engagement at the meeting were followed up on including a presentation on the draft CAP being delivered to HSCP’s Management team and meetings being held with Skills Development Scotland

• Following a successful bid for Scottish Government funding 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, a project kick-off was held with the consultants and other key stakeholders

• A report was published in advance of Place Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets committee in November on the Public Bodies Climate Change Duty (PBCCD) Report and Carbon Management Plan (CMP) for 2024/25.  Both reports include estimated emissions from employee commuting and homeworking based upon data gathered from the employee travel survey in addition to a section on climate change adaptation

• A report was published in advance of Place Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets committee in November to seek approval for the publication and delivery of the finalised Food Growing Strategy 2026 - 2031 for East Dunbartonshire. The extensive engagement that was undertaken in the development of the Food Growing Strategy is summarised in an accompanying report

• A procurement advisor has been allocated for the Nature-Based Investment Study to pave way for a consultant to be appointed. The study will involve quantifying the current greenhouse gas emission absorption potential of nature in East Dunbartonshire and setting out options to leverage additional public and private investment to support environmental outcomes, contribute towards the Council’s net zero targets and deliver meaningful action to preserve and bolster flourishing biodiversity. The study will likely need to be progressed in phases due to limited availability of funding

• The induction for the new Sustainable Transport Policy Officer was held and included meetings with relevant colleagues from across the Council and development of an initial workplan

• 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 new GIS server is now up and running. We have successfully migrated numbers of maps and data from old server to new one. The maps include EDC Corporate Map, Ash dieback Map, The Estates and Property Map, The Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network (GCVGN) Map, Winter Maintenance Map and others

• The Team are currently working with a number of Teams across the Council on a range of GIS projects including Greenspace Strategy Mapping, Mapping support for FOI, The Team also continues to provide support in the preparation of LDP 3, Kirkintilloch heat network study, EDC Open Space Audit

• A new GIS Service & Error Reporting Action app: we have received multiple requests through this system. The team has resolved most of them

• 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 and assisted the project team to deliver a major upgrade of the NEC system in preparation for moving on to Phase two
• Systems and Performance Monitoring officers can now utilise bespoke reporting functionality within IHMS
• 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.
• Policy officers continue to work on revising the Council’s Allocations Policy, coordinated evidence to support the Council’s Annual Assurance Statement and its Local Housing Strategy annual update
• 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 and will ensure welfare facilities are available during the programme of works. The Project has been handed over to the contractor and completion of the transition has successfully taken place at one site
• Continued communication and 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

• The team are currently processing further green business and digital adoption support, enabled through Year four 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 digital grant will be aimed at Cyber Security for businesses allowing update of their online presence/equipment to ensure their systems and information are secure.  The Green Business Support Grant will aim to encourage replacement of equipment/infrastructure which will reduce their carbon footprint

• Increased Start Up Support - the team are currently working on mentorship programmes for start-up businesses to help them with marketing, finance and digital requirements, as better preparation at start-up can help businesses to be sustainable longer term

• 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 November (2025). 

• 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 and these will be presented to a meeting of Council for consideration
• The Westerhill Regeneration Area (WRA) planning guidance and its associated delivery plan is now adopted under LDP2. Work is taking place to promote the location and examine how different aspects of the WRA can be supported to a delivery stage, out with the current City Deal Projects
• Work is ongoing on the Westerhill Development Road (WRA) which is currently at DMRB Stage three. 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 with relevant landowners to progress the project
• Work continues on Bishopbriggs Town Centre, including procurement of main works contractor to establish a construction cost. Work continues with relevant landowners to progress the project. The A803 project is now out with the scope of City Deal, but work continues to look at how this can be funded and delivered through other means. Bus Infrastructure Fund funding has been identified that will be allocated to the A803, and more updates will be provided in a Technical Note
• The team are working with the Glasgow City Region Programme Management Office on the proposed use of additional City Deal funding that has been allocated to all eight member local authorities for the Enabling Commercial Space programme. At P&R in May 2025, approval was given to utilise the funding to help deliver commercial floorspace in the Southbank area, linked to the Councils asset strategy for this location. 

• 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 2026 as part of the fourth year of SPF funding
• The Lennoxtown Main Street Improvement Project concluded procurement of a contractor and t will progress to the construction phase
• 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 which will be planned when procurement for the necessary design and construction services is complete. Work relating to this procurement is ongoing
• Construction of the Twechar Canalside Outdoor Pursuits Centre is complete, the official opening took place in October
• Work is ongoing with the Milngavie BID and Kirkintilloch BID as they move through year one of a five-year term. 

• The construction phase of Canniesburn Toll Improvement Project is now complete. The project is now finished and nearing the end of its defects stage which concludes in November 2025. Monitoring of the new signals was  carried out in September 2025 with the findings being prepared. Ongoing updates on defects works requiring traffic management, have been provided in 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 next stage of the project prepared for reporting November 2025 PNCA Committee. 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, which started over August
• 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 58 applications.
• The Building Standards team have received 79 building warrants and approved 99 applications
• The Enforcement Team opened four new cases and closed three cases
• The Development Applications team have been busy preparing reports for the next forthcoming Planning Board and Local Review Body meeting
• The Team have been supporting the Council’s Housing and Major Assets teams with pre application technical advice for the next round of projects
• Both Planning and Building Standards teams continue to offer support and informal advice to customers through our daily duty service Monday to Friday.

• Approval of the draft CAP for public consultation

• Commencement of the new telecare installation projects for all Sheltered Housing complexes

• Green business and digital adoption support launched

• Lennoxtown Main Street Improvement Project procurement of a contractor concluded

   

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Throughout October, 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 October.  Preparations are well advanced for the use of Modern.gov to support the maintenance and publication of Members’ Registers of Interest.  In addition, work is underway to develop the system for use in the preparation, approval, and publication of Technical Notes and Contract Standing Orders waiver forms.  In time, it will also be used to support public engagement and consultation, and a petitions function.

As part of the Primary and Secondary Schools Registration process, the Team continues to deal with mid-term applications and appeals for placing requests in relation to the 2025/2026 school year.

The Team continues to engage with the Electoral Registration Officer, 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 has commenced, and includes officers from various services.  Officers will also liaise with colleagues in West Dunbartonshire Council as the Scottish Parliamentary constituency is cross-boundary.  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.  The Team continues to participate in local and national resilience partnership meetings and training exercises.

The Council continued to deliver registration services during October 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.

Key Achievements / Areas of Focus

• Registration & Customer Services completed 79 birth and 192 death registrations in October.  42 marriages and three civil partnerships were also registered in this period
• Citizenship Ceremonies were held to welcome 10 new citizens
• Continued development of the new committee administration system, which included further support for report writers, elected members and development of additional functionality
• Information Management received and processed 156 FOI/EIRs, five internal review requests and 30 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 October is 100% except for taxi licences which is 98%.

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

Key Achievements / Areas of Focus

• During October, the Team processed six contract review forms and one contract award letter, one open market purchase,42 taxi licence applications, and seven housing repair grants.  All were processed within the timescales except for one taxi licence application which was one day late.  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 negotiations with proposed construction contractor for the Westerhill Development Road and supporting discussions on agreement proposed with St Matthew’s Church in Bishopbriggs relative to Bishopbriggs Town Centre Civic Space project

• Property and planning work included concluding leases for Unit 4.5, 5 Donaldson Crescent, Kirkintilloch, 44 Cowgate, Kirkintilloch and Torrance Tennis Club, Torrance; completion of an open market purchase and shared equity purchase, sale of 1 Cloberfield, Milngavie

• Contracts and procurement work in this period included contact for licence for NEC4 contracts, award for Lennoxtown Main Street IPC Works, data sharing agreement for Private Landlord Register, uplift variation letters for housing support social care, contract for disposal of persistent organic pollutants, contract awarded for iTrent Migration Consultant, and contract awarded for Installation & Maintenance of Electrical Vehicle Chargers

• Grants offers accepted included funding grant from Cycling Scotland for Bikeability

• 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 consultation with Taxi Trade in relation to a taxi stance in Bishopbriggs and obtained two permeance orders to provide security and stability to two Looked After children.

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

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

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

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

Key Achievements / Areas of Focus

• Providing ongoing support to the City Deal team in relation to Contract requirements and alternative procurement route options

• Supported key Capital, Business & Digital Change projects such as Oracle Fusion upgrade , Fusion HCM Phase two, 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, Systems Support  whilst supporting workforce of the future planning and Business as Usual workstreams

• Participation in extensive meetings and workshops to train, test, reconcile data transfer and solution implementation for the Oracle Fusion Redwood upgrade

• Completed renewals for support and maintenance of business-critical systems to facilitate workforce of the future

• Ongoing support to the /implementation of Fusion to support the technical requirements for Payment integrations, Managed Stores, and e-invoicing

• Information gathering to support the 2024-2025 Annual Procurement Report 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 March 2026

• Review of resourcing considerations to support Project workload and business as usual priorities

• Submission of external third party spend for the 2024-2025 financial year to Scottish Government

During October, the Strategic Commissioning Team supported the HSCP to progress transformation and budget saving related priorities whilst managing and providing daily oversight and intervention across the commissioned market.   

Key Achievements / Areas of Focus

• Progressed Option Appraisals aligned to transformation, redesign, and budget priorities

• Supported the transition of individuals into community based supported accommodation settings and ensured individual needs and outcomes are continuing to be met

• 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 monitor and report on financial frameworks underpinning strategic reviews to ensure accuracy, alignment with the HSCP’s medium term financial plan and respective commissioning delivery plans

• Contributed to and supported progression of multi-agency collaborative and commissioning inpatient redesign approaches geared towards alleviating acute and community pressures

• Progressed early discussions with external HSCP’s to explore the potential to co-produce & co-design a collaborative service model capable of providing cross boundary generic support to meet identified needs & outcomes & deliver value for money.

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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:

1. Roads Network Operations
2. Roads Technical & Engineering 
3. Streetscene Technical Support (including Bereavement and Arboriculture)
4. Streetscene Operations (including grounds maintenance, street cleansing and cemetery operations)
5. Waste Services (including domestic & commercial waste & recycling collections)
6. Fleet Services (including fleet operations, maintenance, and transportation)
7. Mugdock Country Park
8. 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 now have filled all operational vacancies and is working to clear any backlog of works. the Service currently have one Roads Technician vacancy which is now advertised. 

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 later in the year to backfill the remaining lighting technicians and 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 Winter Maintenance period has now commenced with weather forecast monitored and resources deployed as required.  

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

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

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

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

The three geographical based teams are 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 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 monthly visitor number continue to exceed expectation, and the team area focused on enhancing the visitor experience to the country park with various improvements planned to key attractions in line with the Mugdock Country Park Strategy. 

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

The Waste Team has continued the frontline service operations for the collection of over 400,000 assorted household bins over the month of October, 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 1683.23 tonnes of waste through this contract in October, ensuring our waste undergoes treatment for recycling extraction prior to being sent through an Energy from Waste process.

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

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

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

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

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

Ongoing 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 and review of risk assessments and contractor management safety.  During this period, the team have been working closely with Mugdock Country Park, Housing, Community Planning & Partnership, Fleet, Greenspace, Estates & Facilities, Education and School Improvement Team for projects based at schools and school play equipment inspection.

The H&S Manager participated in the Equally Safe at Work working group as well as 2nd Tier H&S Committee meetings for Corporate, HSCP and Education. The team were present at 3rd Tier (service level) meetings for Property Maintenance, Streetscene, Land Planning & Development, Fleet, Waste and Mugdock Country Park. Services were assisted with workplace assessments managing occupational health and individual risk assessments in collaboration with HR colleagues. Display Screen Equipment assessments are continually reviewed alongside line managers. 

Fire Warden training was conducted through this period for Hilton depot, Property Maintenance receive scaffold and asbestos training as well as UFAS training for Estates & Facilities. Other training sessions delivered were Duty Holder and Manual Handling for Education, risk assessment and incident reporting and ladder safety. 

Depot inspections were carried out this month as well as the issue of Safety alerts and Toolbox talks to support safe operations as a safety targeted approach. 

The focus continues for Construction Design and Management compliance with site visits, reviewing construction phase plans, risk assessments and method statements for refurbishment, roofing, drainage, demolitions, general estate repairs and new build and greenspace projects.  For D&I teams, Balmuildy PS new build and Milngavie PS refurbishment as well as other schools, Torrance Community Centre, Campsie 

Memorial Hall and Housing works received several site visits together with Mugdock Country Park repair works and playground. 
Documents were reviewed for upcoming projects, such as LP&D’s Lennoxtown Main Street, solar panel maintenance and repair and several ground and building surveying works, amongst other projects. To support Estates& Facilities team in their CDM works, reviews were undertaken for repair works in educational establishments 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 fire safety concerns, assess fire doors where required and support with personal emergency evacuation plans, offering expert advice. PPP Schools were targeted this month for fire safety risk assessments working together with Estates & Facilities for review of carbon monoxide detectors. Scottish Fire and Rescue Services audits have taken place in some of our council sleeping premises and Council fire safety officers have supported the audits post visit to address audits’ focus areas.

Roads Network Operations Teams (including Street Lighting)

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

Between 01/10/2025 and 31/10/2025, we have identified 242 defects in East Dunbartonshire Council carriageways and footways. We have completed 191 repairs on time (approx. 76 %), 17 repaired late (approx. 7 %) and 35 repair (approx. 14 %) are in list for action and are still within SLA (incomplete).

Below chart compares our last three months performance:

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Road Project & Maintenance Works October 2025:

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

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Carriageways and footways Safety inspection

Between 01/10/2025 and 31/10/2025, East Dunbartonshire Council completed 15 scheduled safety inspections. 3 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 dates. Details of these inspections are as below: 

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Winter Maintenance – October 2025

Between 01/10/2025 and 31/10/2025, we carried out 20 chemical actions (gritting) in East Dunbartonshire Council which 8 of these actions are related to primary carriageway routes. In total we used 62.55 tonnes of salt. Please see below report. 

Routine Annual Gully Cleaning – Performance Data (01 April 2025 to 31 October 2025)

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 is a total of 6,740 gullies on primary and key routes within East Dunbartonshire. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 October 2025, a total of 5,165 gullies on these routes were attended for cleaning
• On secondary routes, there are 22,844 gullies in total. During the same reporting period, we successfully cleaned 12,703 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. 

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Roads Technical & Engineering Teams 

Structures

• Review & response to abnormal load requests
• Assisting other departments in the assessment of non-council assets
• Procurement process underway for FY25-27 structures framework contract
• SBC05 Goyle Bridge Japanese knotweed – two treatments completed by 10 September. Next treatment due at start of growing season
• SAC08 Park Burn VRS and retaining wall repair completed
• SUC09 Burnbrae cope installation completed 30 October
• Cloberfield footbridges to golf club. Not previously on inspection schedule as thought to be golf club’s. Club denies ownership. Service to propose replacement of smaller bridge and removal of second bridge.

Flooding 

• River Glazert Restoration Project, Lennoxtown- PNCA approved for construction funding and progressing to tender development. Ongoing
• Held meetings with contractors for the flood bund at Castle Circle, Lennoxtown to close out section 75 agreement. Ongoing
• Kelvin Tributaries Project – consultants have been terminated for performance issues. Needs re-tender. 

Drainage 

•  Thorn Drive, Bearsden. Drainage relining complete
•  Manse Road, Bearsden. Drainage works complete
• Hilton Terrace, Bishopbriggs culvert and manhole works. New manhole ongoing
• Mains Park, Milngavie. Culvert investigations ongoing.

Development

• 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
• Coordination of future works relating to development sites
• Process road opening and temporary traffic management permits.

Traffic

• Bishopbriggs 20mh was not approved by PNCA 06 Nov. Consultation for Kirkintilloch/Lenzie has completed and is underway for the villages. Milngavie will follow. Committee reports will follow

• Commenting on various licences i.e. street trader licences, public entertainment licences and occasional licences

• Commenting on planning applications

• Responding to Lining Requests and refreshing faded road markings and street signs throughout the area

• Junior Road Safety Officer inductions during October

• The mechanisation of School Crossing Patroller sites is ongoing. Phase 1 (first six sites) is practically complete. Phase two has begun at Hunter Road and Maxwell Avenue

• Transport Scotland Road Safety Improvement Fund on track for full spend on ‘children crossing to school’ road surface signs, high friction surfacing for a bend on Campsie Road with reports of the farmer having to retrieve vehicles from the field, and junction narrowing at Iain Road, Bearsden.

Greenspace, Streetscene & Mugdock Country Park Teams

Streetscene Operations

• Street cleansing and associated tasks such as leaf litter sweeping; removal of fly posting and uplifting of fly tipping, mechanical street sweeping and installing replacement or additional bins
• Storm response works
• Graffiti removal
• Ongoing cemetery operations, digging and carrying out interments, cemetery grass cutting, installing headstone foundations, benches etc
• Final summer cyclic grass cutting of open spaces, Housing estates, sports pitches, school grounds, open space hedge cuts
• Housing grass cuts and hedges
• Checking and clearance of culverts
• Play park inspection 
• Football pitch lining
• Shrub bed facing up/hard cut backs
• Responding to Customer Service Requests and complaints
• Culvert grill cleaning and monitoring
• Bonfire monitoring and removal of debris
• Arranging winter servicing of machinery
• Christmas Tree order and installation preparations.

Streetscene Technical Support

• Play Area Bishopbriggs Park – public voting complete – contract awarded  - start date to be confirmed

• Play Areas  Westerton – contract awarded – due to start mid November

• Play Areas Kincaid (MOC)  - contract awarded  - start date mid November

• Play Areas at Angus Avenue/Fir Park – contracts awarded  - both have commenced

• Play Area at Stanley Drive – contract awarded – start date to be confirmed

• Play Areas – annual external safety inspection complete – reports received – currently being reviewed

• Twechar Pump Track – consultation complete for potential pump track adjacent to Healthy Living Centre – brief now with procurement

• Cemetery Management Rules – Scottish Govt regs now being finalised and implemented prior to March 2026 – EDC rules will now be updated this financial year

• Headstones/Memorials Inspection  – inspections complete at Campsie Cemetery and New Kilpatrick Churchyard   – ‘make safe’ arrangements complete  in Auld Isle – make safe progressing to Campsie and New Kilpatrick

• Cadder Cemetery Extension – Planning application submitted

• Langfaulds Cemetery - consultants working to finalise design works for next phase

• Ash Dieback Survey on Roadside – further survey complete – analysis ongoing

• Schools Estate – tree survey findings analysed – orders being raised for any priority works

• Storm Floris – number of trees across district impacted – clear up largely complete

• Storm Amy - number of trees across district impacted – clear up continued throughout October

• Climate Ready Park – almost complete – final works and reinstatement works now progressing 

• Etive Park Allotments – now fully up and running – Officers working with Allotment Holders to create an Allotment Association

• Canniesburn Sheltered Housing  - creation of 2 raised beds and accessible path works to facilitate food growing

• Community Growing Facilities – progressing improvement works via Shared Prosperity Fund – programme progressing for 25/26  

• Rosebank Allotments – Officers continue to liaise with Allotment holders and committee

• Whitefield Pond – path upgrades compete

• Nature Restoration Fund – projects identified for 25/26 and works now progressing  

• Management Plans – Lenzie Moss, Whitefield Pond, Cairnhill Woods and Heather Avenue –- 1st year actions progressing

• 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 LNR – Scottish Water undertaking infrastructure works to site – now complete  - reinstatement progressing – discussions with Scottish Water ongoing

• Glazert Project – team input into overall project re trees and biodiversity aspects – planning consent and construction both approved

• The team continues to respond to high volume of open space, tree and bereavement enquires, along with planning application consultations and complaints

• Team working with City Deal Team and Consultants in relation to Masterplan of Bishopbriggs Relief Road/Westerhill

• Planning application responses and support to Planning Team ongoing 

• Open Space audit work for input into the Grounds Maintenance System ongoing for Milngavie & Bearsden

• Assisted a number of Community Groups with Litter Picking resources across EDC

Mugdock Country Park Park  Footfall October – 68,500 (estimated)

• There were 13 Ranger sessions in October with 5 events sold out, with unaudited income of £1520 before transaction fees etc. 

Event: Forest Families - Fabulous Orienteering Fun
Date: 5 October 2025
Capacity: 24
Price: £7
Total attended: Nine
Total income: £63
% Capacity: 38%

Event: Wild at Mugdock - Discovering Nature
Date: 5 October 2025
Capacity: 10
Price: £8
Total attended: 10
Total income: £80
% Capacity: 100%

Event: Forest Families - Musical Art
Date: 12 October 2025
Capacity: 24
Price: £7
Total attended: Five
Total income: £35
% Capacity: 21%

Event: Wild at Mugdock - Bushcraft for Beginners
Date: 12 October 2025
Capacity: 10
Price: £8
Total attended: Two
Total income: £16
% Capacity: 20%

Event: Mugdock's Muddy Mischief Makers: Welly Walk
Date: 13 October 2025
Capacity: 20
Price: £5
Total attended: 11
Total income: £55
% Capacity: 55%

Event: Mugdock's Muddy Mischief Makers: Welly Walk
Date: 13 October 2025
Capacity: 20
Price: £5
Total attended: Seven
Total income: £35
% Capacity: 35%

Event: Autumn Junior 3 Day Ranger Camp: Woodlands, Wildlife & Wilderness
Date: 14 October 2025
Capacity: 10
Price: £20
Total attended: 10
Total income: £600
% Capacity: 100%

Event: Stargazing at Mugdock: An Introduction to the Night Sky
Date:  17 October 2025
Capacity: 30
Price: £8
Total attended: 30
Total income: £240
% Capacity: 100%

Event: Forest Families - Natures Palette
Date: 19 October 2025
Capacity: 24
Price: £7
Total attended: 10
Total income: £70
% Capacity: 42%

Event: Wild at Mugdock - All About Fire
Date: 20 October 2025
Capacity: 10
Price: £8
Total attended: 10
Total income: £80
% Capacity: 100%

Event: Forest Families - Bows and Arrows
Date: 26 October 2025
Capacity: 15
Price: £7
Total attended: 10
Total income: £70
% Capacity: 67%

Event: Wild at Mugdock (Adult event)- Fungal Foray
Date: 26 October 2025
Capacity: 10
Price: £8
Total attended: 11
Total income: £88
% Capacity: 110%

Event: Stargazing at Mugdock: Halloween Moon
Date: 31 October 2025
Capacity: 30
Price: £8
Total attended: 21
Total income: £88
% Capacity: 70%

School Sessions

• There were 10 school sessions, with one week taking in the October school holidays:
  • Lennoxtown Primary – Two
  • St Machans Primary –  two 
  • Mosshead Primary – One 
  • Wellbeing Support – Three 
  • Westerton Primary – Two

General Free Events

• Mugdock Market
• Peek, Petals and the Deep Blue Sea Exhibition of painting by Geoff Foord

Third Party Events

• In Tune with Nature – Music performance by Matilda Brown in Mugdock Theatre 
• Celia Sommers Sings Music from the Musicals in the Campsie Gallery
• Andrew Greig from The Groove Bureau in the Campsie Gallery
• Fizz Gig Theatre presents The Witch and the Magic Pumpkin in Mugdock Theatre 
• Mugdock GoKarts!  

 Park Operations

• Regular work: Security, Fire inspections and servicing,  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. Grass cutting and strimming around courtyard, walled garden, castle and other outlying areas, edging with blower and brushes our courtyard/car parks
• Project work: Courtyard Autumnal decorations installation, creating deadhedging with rangers and volunteers at septic tank, working with Community Service Volunteers, assisting with Volunteer Day in the Walled Garden, helping with promotional film and photography, assisting with more box hedge transplantation, stock proofing Craigend Field, pre project and potential project contractor meetings with Ipsum, Viltra, Kompan, George Boyd
• Reactive site maintenance: has included continuing tree work caused by Storm Amy working directly with Tree contractors to facilitate access to trees in Mugdock Wood, take down and rebuild of section of play area fence affected by Storm Amy
• Income generation activities include undertaking set up of monthly market,  assisting with the installation of Peeks, Petals and Deep Blue Seas exhibition, meetings with Green Hollow Bowmen, Mugdock GoKarts, weekly banking, room booking set up.  

Ranger tasks include: 

Over October there were 12 volunteer days with a total of 72 volunteers.  Tasks completed were: 

2 October 2025 - SepticTank area/Craigend Avenue
Habitat pile cut cypress branches. Fell sycamore and birch along Craigend Ave and herbicide stumps.
Midweek Vols - Two

3 October 2025 - Amenity areas of VC
Brush cut nettles and brambles from fringes of amenity grassland. Remove brambles from around specimen trees.

7 October 2025 - Mugdock Wood SSSI
Bracken and broom removal from deer enclosures. Weed unproductive enclosures and plant with acorns. Measure out and prep areas for enclosure rotation.
Tuesday Vols - 12

9 October 2025 - Craigend Field/VC area
Harvest chestnuts and acorns for planting in containers to bring on to plant in north section of the Country Park
Tuesday Vols - Two

14 October 2025 -Drumclog Moor
Birch seedling removal and medium birch specimen felling and removal; high stumps tagged with barrier tape for return and herbicide.
Tuesday Vols - Nine

15 October 2025 - Mugdock Wood SSSI
Harvest acorns and plant in Mugdock Wood in bracken plot with kids participating in Ranger Camp
- Nine

16 October 2025 - Septic tank area/WHW
Shifting birch material (removed from Drumclog Tue 14th) from WHW to septic tank area in preparation for dead hedge construction on 21/10/2025
Midweek Vols - Two

18 October 2025 - Mugdock Castle
Fell and process scrub outside Domestic Range at Mugdock Castle. Stumps left high due to impeding rain. Treat at later date.
Saturday Vols - Nine

21 October 2025 - Main Avenue/Septic Tank area
Dead hedge construction around septic system, RHS and avenue sections completed
Tuesday Vols - 11

23 October 2025 - Mugdock Loch area
Ditch digging, rhododendron control, litter pick
Midweek  Vols - Two

28 October 2025 - Mugdock Wood SSSI
Weed remaining deer enclosures, remove chicken wire guards from “mature" saplings and repurpose on newly discovered oak saplings.
Tuesday Vols - 11

29 October 2025 - Mugdock Castle
Lower tree stumps and herbicide, weed Victorian outbuildings, litter pick of castle grounds and Mugdock Loch area.
Midweek Vols - Two

Visitor Centre – 

• Stock orders amounted to £988.63
• The total unaudited Retail takings for October 2025 were £3,188.79 inc VAT
• The largest sellers were the Halloween Trails follows followed by Clothing
• There were 1066 visitors to the shop, resulting in 522 sales, which is a conversion rate of 49% similar to 48% in September. The average transaction value is £6.11 in October. 

Non retail (not audited) income comprised of: 

DONATIONS £277.85
LETS (Non Vat) £133,82
LETS (VATABLE) £686.00

Marketing / Communications

• The social communication campaign was centred on Spooky Mugdock, promoting the Mugdock Spooky Trail and featuring a series of films telling ghost stories about Mugdock.

• Paid for promotions were for Puppet Theatre and Merry Mugdock (Santa and Christmas Market).

• Paid print advert was put in for November and December events.  

Projects

• Play Area: Date agreed for Kompan start of w/c 5 January, play area will open in April 2026.

• Decorative screen: Decorative screen put out to tender and tenders have been assessed.  Due diligence visit to forge takes place in November

• Walled Garden volunteering featured article in Community Living Magazine, first of two drop in volunteer sessions, and first draft of garden design

• There continue to be on-going issues with septic tank. 

Waste Services

• The Clyde Valley Residual Waste contract accepted 1683.23 tonnes of general waste throughout October from our households and Street Cleansing for recycling pre-sort, and then ongoing production of energy from waste. This was a reduction of 4.4% compared to October 2024.
• The changes to the frontline collections have encouraged residents to utilise the food recycling available at the kerbside. We have noted an increase in food waste tonnage of 8.6% in comparison to October 2024
• In October we are showing an increase in tonnage in our Brown Bin recycling waste from the kerbside in comparison to October 2024. There is a 1.9% increase in in cans, glass & plastics
• The team have been liaising with colleagues in Business Change to bring the Mavis Valley booking system in-house, to operate through the Customer Services Relations system and provide both a saving and an improved system, this will go live early 2026
• The Garden Waste Permits continue to roll out, with 28 being purchased in October. This brought the total figures at this time to 30,969 permits sold to residents
• The waste operational team continue to utilise the new digital technology in the creation and delivery of efficient frontline collection routes. The team have been working in the back office throughout October with a continued focus on the Commercial Waste Service
• Mavis Valley Household Waste Recycling Centre received 9810 bookings throughout October with an 84% attendance rate overall
• The Technical Support team attended Lullaby Lane Nursery in Milngavie to deliver a presentation and workshop on the importance of recycling to both the Nursery Children and Staff
• A representative from the Technical Support team attended a Zero Waste Scotland Workshop to support in a wider consultancy project with other Local Authorities on ‘Reuse’ and Waste Reduction across Scotland
• The service attended the Transformation, Economy & Employment Scrutiny Panel on Tuesday, 7 October 2025 to provide an update on recent service changes, including the garden waste permit scheme, the three weekly residual waste cycle and the waste digital modernisation
• The Waste Technical and Compliance Team dealt with 98 Corporate Complaints
• The Waste Technical and Compliance Team dealt with 603 general enquiries via Customer Services.

Fleet Services

• During the period 01/10/2025 to 31/10/2025 there were 310 vehicles/plant inspected/repaired in line with the servicing schedule and defect procedure
• 80% of jobs were completed within two 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 
• 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.