The Public Performance Report of East Dunbartonshire Council 2024/25

The Council manages performance through Our Strategic Planning and Performance Framework which seeks to ensure that we have a firm set of strategic priorities and a clear framework for the delivery of these priorities.  

It also ensures everything we do aligns to the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP), which is the primary strategic plan for all the Community Planning Partners in East Dunbartonshire. 

Performance Management is about how we plan and manage improvements to our services. In simple terms, performance management enables decision makers, both elected members and officers, to take necessary action based on facts about our performance.

The Council is committed to continuously improving the performance of our services and being open and transparent about how well we are doing

This Public Performance Report for 2024/25 forms part of our Strategic Planning and Performance Framework and provides a summary of how the Council has delivered services across the reporting year and the impact those services have had on the people and businesses of East Dunbartonshire.

East Dunbartonshire’s Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP) is a shared strategic plan for our Community Planning Partnership. It outlines why and how we will work together with our partners to organise and provide services in a way that tackles known inequalities. The LOIP identifies six local outcomes which the Council and our Community Planning partners will seek to deliver with our people and communities.

Our six local priority outcomes are: 

• East Dunbartonshire has a sustainable and resilient economy with busy town and village centres, a growing business base, and is an attractive place in which to visit and invest
• Our people are equipped with knowledge and skills for learning, life and work
• Our children and young people are safe, healthy and ready to learn
• East Dunbartonshire is a safe place in which to live, work and visit
• Our people experience good physical and mental health and wellbeing with access to a quality built and natural environment in which to lead healthier and more active lifestyles
• Our older population and more vulnerable citizens are supported to maintain their independence and enjoy a high quality of life, and they, their families and carers benefit from effective care and support services. 

In order to achieve our vision, there are several guiding principles and approaches to working which are paramount. They lend themselves to the planning and delivering of activities under all of our local priority outcomes.

• Best Value
• Coproduction and engagement
• Evidenced based planning
• Fair and equitable services
• Planning for place
• Prevention and early intervention
• Sustainability.

Councils are required to report on performance information using the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) each year and this is reported on the Improvement Service website.  The Local Government Benchmarking Framework indicators have been used throughout this report.  

This information enables you to assess and compare how we are performing against other councils across a range of service areas covering: children's services; corporate services; social work services; cultural and leisure services; environmental services; housing services; corporate assets and economic development.  

The most recent publication of the LGBF data, which provides further details of how East Dunbartonshire compares against other Council areas in key benchmarking indicators, can be found on the East Dunbartonshire Performance page.  

East Dunbartonshire has a sustainable resilient economy with busy town and village centres, a growing base, and is an attractive place in which to visit and invest.

• Twechar Outdoor Pursuits Centre: Twechar Outdoor Pursuits Centre was granted planning permission in March 2024, with construction work taking place during 2024/25. The centre will provide a base for canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, cycling and more. It will also provide educational, training and volunteer opportunities. East Dunbartonshire Council secured significant external support for the facility – including funding from the Scottish Government, sportscotland and the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund. Construction was completed in May 2025
• Regent Gardens Project: The project to improve Regent Gardens in Kirkintilloch reached practical completion at the end of March 2024. The defects period was within 2024/25, and the space was used successfully in the 2024 Canal Festival, there is growing interest and enquiries for its use by local groups
• Campsie Memorial Hall: The renovation of Campsie Memorial Hall progressed well during 2024/25, reaching final design and planning consent stage. Construction work started in May 2025 and the hall is due to reopen in early 2026. The project will see the usability of the building increase by reconfiguration and replacement of the 1950s extension. The new state of the art building will continue to serve as a meeting point and venue for the people of Lennoxtown, whilst also appealing to groups from further afield who are looking for a well equipped modern venue for performances and meetings. A more streamlined layout will improve accessibility for a wider range of groups. Further information can be found on the Campsie Memorial Hall Project page
• Westerhill Masterplan: Work continued on the Westerhill Development road during 2024/25, feasibility and options work progressed as part of the Outline Business Case development.  This work included public consultation, ongoing work with various stakeholders and project partners (Glasgow City Council and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport)
• Canal Festival 2024: Thousands of people visited the town during the main weekend of the festival, organised by the Council in conjunction with a range of partners and externally supported by EventScotland’s National Event Funding Programme and the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.  Saturday evening was lit up by live music and fireworks at Southbank Marina, while the Sunday Funday offered a chance to get active with canoeing, climbing, archery, roller skating and more at the Marina, as well as delights at Kirkintilloch Baptist Church, Regent Gardens, Barleybank, Cowgate, St Mary’s Parish Church and Kirkintilloch Police Station.

Our people are equipped with knowledge and skills for learning, life and work.

• Adult Learning: Our Learning Matters, Literacies and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) adult learning programmes provided over 700 learning and training places, with over 230 participants completing 461 certified training/learning opportunities
• Count Me In: The Count Me In programme funded through the Shared Prosperity Fund supported 357 adults and parents to improve numeracy skills with 291 completing courses and meeting learning goals. 17 have achieved qualifications with another 10 currently undertaking qualifications. The programme was completed with a number of new starts, starting in their new roles across the Council
• Parental Employment Programme: During 2024/25, the Parental Employment Programme (PEP) provided 14 six month paid training work placements and accredited training within the Council, mainly in early years and support for learning. Six participants secured permanent roles, and it is forecast that all who want to, would be able to secure permanent/supply work
• Modern Apprenticeship: Recruitment for the Phase 11 of the Modern Apprenticeship programme was completed with 14 new apprentices starting in their new roles across Accounts and Finance, Roads, Streetscene, Architectural Technology and Early Years. A further 15 opportunities were offered including Early Years, Health & Social Care, Roads, Greenspace, Youthwork and a Graduate Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering. Five graduates also started paid work placements across Economic Development, Planning, Information Management and City Deal
• Youth Work: Youth Services continued to work with all secondary schools and have a Youth Development Worker based in the school four days per week.  Youth Development Workers have been working collaboratively with schools to develop learning opportunities and support targeted young people who face barriers, to develop their potential and reach a positive destination. This has included programmes and support for young people disengaged from learning and school, wellbeing, employability pathways, wider achievement, issue-based work, NEC (Young Scot card) applications and other interventions. This work is leading to young people developing key skills for learning, life and work
• Positive Achievements: Positive Achievements has maintained its focus in successfully supporting senior phase young people into employment, education, training and /or volunteering post school destinations via its bespoke diversionary, personal, social and vocational development programmes. 12 young people that engaged in the main School Leaver’s programme achieved 100 awards/certificates between them, including Duke of Edinburgh Bronze/Silver Awards and National 4/5 level academic qualifications, with 94 of the awards being accredited/industry recognised. The majority of these young people were also successful in transitioning into positive post school destinations primarily onto college courses.  

Our children and young people are safe, healthy and ready to learn.

• Vocational Qualifications: An increased number of courses within the Senior Phase Partnership Programme provided more vocational courses to support career pathways. Young people engaged in 55 different college vocational options, a total of 291 young people took part in the vocational programme
• Nurture Programme: The early years, primary and secondary nurture programme continued into its third year. The early years nurture programme, delivered through a series of in-person professional learning communities, resulted in evidence of nurturing approaches within establishments across local authority and funded providers. In primary schools, 13 Nurture Groups provided bespoke core nurture which led to significantly improved wellbeing for children participating. 216 children have been supported by core nurture over the three years of nurture intervention
• Ferndale Children’s Service: Ferndale Children’s Service was inspected by the Care Inspectorate in June 2024. Ferndale was evaluated as an excellent service, where performance was sector leading, resulting in gaining a grade 6 for the full inspection. The Care Inspectorate commented on the team’s practice, stating it was effective, innovative and sustainable across a wide range of activities which they offer. It was also reported that the staff team provided exceptional levels of care
• School Inspection: Gartconner Primary and Early Years Centre in Kirkintilloch were inspected in September 2024 and achieved the following ratings:
  • Primary School
    Learning, teaching and assessment – Good
    Raising attainment and achievement – Good
  • Early Years Centre
    Learning, teaching and assessment – Very Good
    Securing children’s progress – Very Good

The inspection team described the children as confident, respectful, proud of their school/nursery and eager to learn

• Attainment: Performance and overall achievement rates among secondary school pupils continued to be high, as shown in the table below.  It should be noted that the figures include National 5, Higher and equivalent qualifications. 

• Annual Participation Measure: The annual participation measure reports on the education and employment activity of 16-19 year olds, including those young people at school. In East Dunbartonshire, of those who were participating in education, training or employment, 85.7% were participating in education, 9.5% in employment and 0.9% were participating in other training and development. 

Skills Development Scotland 2024

*Data currently unavailable

East Dunbartonshire is a safe place in which to live, work and visit.

• Community Safety: The Community Safety Team continued to deliver a broad range of frontline work for the benefit of our local communities during the course of 2024/25. There was a high demand for service in relation to community safety issues.  Officers continued to work closely with a range of colleagues and key partners to successfully deliver appropriate interventions and to make local communities safer, with programmes of enforcement and early intervention, prevention and diversionary activity provided. Community Wardens continued to develop links within local communities and were involved in a significant number of initiatives and events
• Trading Standards: Joint enforcement work by Trading Standards and Police Scotland continued on scam and doorstep crime issues, which focused on the protection of vulnerable and elderly people from financial harm. This included the installation of call blocking units in the homes of vulnerable residents and the use of the “scam van” as part of awareness initiatives across the local authority area. Programmes of work to improve or maintain local business compliance with legislative requirements relating to tobacco and nicotine vapour products were also delivered with age restricted product test purchasing. With recent legislative announcements and heightened media awareness around Nicotine Vapour Products, there was a noted increase in intel gathering and enforcement activity around these types of products
• Trusted Trader Scheme: The Trusted Trader Scheme was officially launched during 2023/24. The scheme aims to increase customer confidence by helping people find reliable traders, promote good practice within local businesses, protect residents from doorstep crime, and help generate business for local companies. Work to develop business participation in the scheme continued during 2024/25. Visit the Trusted Trader Scheme page
• Environmental Health: The Environmental Health Team was engaged in the delivery of essential public health services throughout the reporting period in order to protect the community from hazards in the environment and to regulate and facilitate the growth of responsible businesses. The service responded to a range of requests from partnership agencies such as Food Standards Scotland in relation to food alerts for actions around the sale of non-compliant/illegal food. A large number of enquires and service requests were dealt with relating to a variety of environmental regulation matters, with complex investigation being required in a number of cases.

Food Standards Scotland audits local authority’s food law enforcement services. These audits focus on the local authority’s capacity and capability for delivering official controls. East Dunbartonshire reports can be found by visiting the Food Standards Scotland website.

* Data currently unavailable

Our people experience good physical and mental health and wellbeing with access to a quality built and natural environment in which to lead healthier and more active lifestyle.

• Planning and Building Standards: Over 614 planning applications were processed and determined and 1,093 building warrant applications during 2024/25. This ranged from small scale householder applications to major residential and commercial projects which are subject to detailed consultation with key internal departments such as Environmental Health, Education, Legal and external consultees including Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and Scottish Water
• Enforcement: A total of 73 cases were taken up and 161 cases closed in 2024/25. The majority of cases resolved were done so through the use of negotiation and co-operation avoiding the need for any formal action. Cases ranged in scale from domestic breaches to trees being removed in Conservation Areas and unauthorised commercial activity
• Civic Trust Awards: The Allander Leisure Centre was nationally recognised for setting a ‘benchmark for modern, inclusive public architecture’ at the prestigious Civic Trust Awards. The Allander project, which was built by East Dunbartonshire Council, with architectural design by Holmes Miller, won a Selwyn Goldsmith Award for Universal Design and was also “Highly Commended” overall. Judges highlighted the “exceptional commitment to addressing diverse needs”. They noted, “The project exemplifies a visionary approach to community-centred design, seamlessly integrating health, wellbeing and inclusivity into a single, cohesive civic space.”
• Leisure Centre Attendances: In 2024/25, there was a total of 1,413,365 leisure attendances, including sports development (151,923), an increase compared to the previous year (1,238,283)
• Sports Development: Over 550 participants took part in the Easter holiday programme. The summer programme was a huge success, over 1,200 children participated in lessons and camps across the six weeks of summer. Double camps were introduced for gymnastics with morning and afternoon camps. Diving was again provided by the swimming development team at the Citadel in Ayr. A smaller October programme was delivered, around 40 participants attended high board diving and gymnastics camps. The sports development coaches also supported the Snack and Play programme with Education, providing fun sport sessions in targeted primary schools
• Wintering Well Box: Visitors to four local libraries were able to borrow a lamp which replicates the physiological benefits of real sunlight. The lamp was included in a wintering well box which also contained a book, information, activities and access to an online course to help tackle the effects of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). A total of 100 Wintering Well boxes were available for library-users to borrow for four-week periods. The libraries also played host to mini-exhibitions made up of images of everyday experiences of SAD, created by participants in the team’s Wintering Well workshops
• Better Points App: The Council teamed up with BetterPoints to encourage ‘local motion’ – helping to promote better health and wellbeing, active travel and efforts to tackle climate change.  The app allows participants to earn points that can be spent at participating local businesses, redeemed for vouchers at major retailers and hospitality venues or donated to charity.  Journeys are detected through the app – so once a user starts moving, activity is automatically recorded. Whenever you walk, wheel, run, cycle and ride on public transport in East Dunbartonshire, you can earn BetterPoints. You can get bonus points if you travel sustainably into Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch and Milngavie town centres. Visit the BetterPoints website.

Our older population and more vulnerable citizens are supported to maintain their independence and enjoy a high quality of life, and they, their families and carers benefit from effective care and support services.

• Adult Support and Protection: A joint inspection of Adult Support and Protection (ASP) arrangements in East Dunbartonshire was carried out with significant strengths identified. Following its conclusion, a Locality Improvement Action Plan was developed which was approved by the Care Inspectorate in May 2024. The plan focussed on the three key improvement actions identified in the report, with 11 supporting actions to be delivered from 2024 to 2026. All actions for 2024/25 have been completed in line with the agreed timeline, including revision of ASP procedures, review of inquiry and investigation forms, and refinement of advocacy arrangements within ASP processes
• Falls Awareness: In September 2024, East Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership’s Care about Physical Activity (CAPA) team used Falls Week as an opportunity to highlight some key messages about falls awareness and prevention around the local area. The theme for the week was winter preparedness, which was reinforced during the Autumn/Winter period. The team visited local Care Homes (13 participated) and set up touchpoint and learning stations to carry out awareness activities with staff and others in the Care homes. The team spoke with 128 people in Care homes, including a range of staff in different roles, and there was good engagement throughout the week. Engagement with the public took place in Dobbie's Milngavie and Caulder's garden centres. Almost 100 people took part in conversations about falls prevention, with three referrals taken to Community Rehab, four walking aids issued, 11 ferrule changes completed, and one stick height changed
• Additional Support Needs Gymnastics: A new additional support needs session was introduced at the Allander Leisure Centre on a Saturday morning. The demand for the class was extremely popular and is running at full capacity with 10 children and their parents/ carers attending weekly
• Rapid Assessment Link: The Health and Social Care Partnership’s Rapid Assessment Link team urgently responded to 73 patients referred by GPs and Advanced Nurse Practitioners, via the GP Rapid Response Pathway, to support patients to remain at home and prevent avoidable hospital admissions
• Care Homes Summer Cycling Initiative: East Dunbartonshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership Care about Physical Activity Team (CAPA) ran their Summer Cycling initiative, which brought joy and physical activity to care home residents. The first week in July marked the first session in Buchanan House Nursing Home where residents thoroughly enjoyed the experience, coupled with a film of cycling along the beachfront at Salou, and listening to a playlist of Summer tunes. The team ran further sessions throughout summer, providing continued engagement and fun in bringing physical activity to care home residents.

For further Health and Social Care Partnership information, visit the Health and Social Care Partnership website.

The Care Inspectorate is a scrutiny body which assess the quality of care in Scotland to ensure it meets high standards. East Dunbartonshire reports can be found on the Care Inspectorate website.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland has the aim of supporting better quality health and social care for everyone in Scotland. East Dunbartonshire reports can be found by visiting the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website.

During 2024/25, the Council continued to face significant financial pressures resulting from pay increases, demands on services and constrains in funding. Such pressures exist in an uncertain environment where future funding and potential allocations to Local Government remains uncertain with announcements challenging capacity to adequately respond and set a balanced budget.

The General Revenue Grant, provided by the Scottish Government, is the Council's main source of funding. The settlement for 2024/25 was provided based on a single rather than multi-year settlement. Single year settlements do not provide certainty regarding future funding levels, represent a significant risk for the Council and limit the effectiveness of longer-term financial planning. 

It is now commonplace for clarity on major sources of funding, including pay and other allocations, such as those reliant on key metrics like teacher numbers, to be finalised during the financial year. This means that Councils are operating in an environment where in-year funding remains uncertain with Budgets required to be flexible and react to these confirmations. Additional diligence is needed to ensure that new or revised allocations match current or anticipated expenditure which is increasingly complex and drawn out. As in previous years, these amounts, classified as ‘redeterminations’, are often allocated in March, at the Council’s year-end with expenditure incurred throughout the year. In March 2025 the Council received £13.530m of additional income to offset new and existing commitments. This impacts, not only the integrity of our Financial Reporting during the year but also the Councils cashflow with the potential that additional costs are incurred. 

The level of Council Tax is set by the Council and is the most significant funding source over which local authorities have control.  In 2024/25 however the Scottish Government sought to freeze Council Tax rates offering compensation for those Councils who sought to do so. The extent to which this compensation, totalling £144m and equating to a 5% increase, was sufficient is a matter of debate with reductions in funding elsewhere eroding this increase to a potential 2.8%.

The Council’s Annual Audit Report for 2024/25 has yet to be published with delays in the drafting of the Annual Accounts and subsequent Audit process. These delays have been reported throughout the year with plans in place to bring these back on track to comply with Statutory requirements. However, in January 2026, Council will consider an update to previous Best Value arrangements.  Whilst this Report covers the financial year 2023/24 this includes a follow up of previous Best Value recommendations along with those relating to Workforce Planning. It is pleasing to note that previous actions on Local Outcomes Improvement Planning and Delivery Plans have been addressed with no significant issues noted within performance management and improvement planning.  

Furthermore recommendations on workforce planning were included in the Accounts Commissions Report ‘Delivering for the future: Responding to the Workforce Challenge’ with the content (P17 Para 47) responding positively to the Council’s expanded apprenticeship programme. Ongoing actions now include implementing revised arrangements for performance reviews as well as responding to auditors comments on the alignment between workforce planning to business planning. Other aspects of this review, including digital technology and the workforce, developing future skills and capacity, joint working arrangement across services and partners and measuring the impact of workforce planning were concluded with no risks identified.

Significant projects and developments were completed and progressed during the year. Key achievements for the Council include the following:

• Extensive repairs and specialist restoration work to the much-loved Copland & Lye clock in Milngavie precinct were carried out to address corrosion, repair the plinth and to ensure the clock is lit up at night
• Kirkintilloch Community Sports Complex  was officially handed over to the new operators. The Council created the facility with features including a full-size, artificial 3G sports pitch with floodlighting which can divide into three seven-a-side pitches, stands, changing rooms, cafe space and carparking
• Seven impressive new playparks were completed in Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch, Milngavie, Torrance, and Waterside. The parks consist of modern, fun, inclusive and accessible equipment for all children to enjoy. Investment of over £700,000 to construct the parks was provided by the Scottish Government’s Renewing Scotland’s Play Park Funding and Council Capital Funding
• Work began on Twechar Outdoor Pursuits Centre which will provide a hub for canoeing, kayaking, cycling and more in East Dunbartonshire. The project is expected to cost just over £5.6 million – more than half of which will be externally funded and will help to promote regeneration and provide job opportunities in the area
• Official opening of Bishopbriggs’s first purpose-built pump track providing a resource that can be enjoyed by people of all ages on BMX bikes, mountain bikes, skateboards and scooters.  The track, which cost over £200,000 to construct and was funded by Council Capital Funding, also has a safe elevated area where people can rest, socialise or simply observe the other riders. 

The table below show the Service Revenue Accounts for 2024/25 as per final revenue monitoring.

The principal sources of finance for the Council are the General Revenue Grant, Council Tax income and Non-Domestic Rates. 

Note – these figures are pre-audit figures and may require a final adjustments

• Budget Consultation 2025/26: The budget consultation took place during August and September 2024.  East Dunbartonshire Council sets its annual Budget in February/March each year. For over a decade now, the Council has had to make significant savings each year to set a balanced budget.  The budget consultation survey sought views on what is most important to residents within four key themes , Health and Wellbeing; Access to Services; Finance & Employment; Community & Environment. Digital assistance sessions were also held to provide residents with support in completing the survey.  

Further information can be found on the Annual Accounts page.

• Early Years and Out of School Care: A consultation took place during October and November 2024 to gather views of parents and carers about early learning and childcare and out of school care services
• British Sign Language Plan: The Council carried out a consultation on the draft British Sign Language plan (BSL), 2024-30, to ensure that the plan for BSL reflects the needs and aspirations of our residents
• Customer services: Customer services effectively responded to a total of 120,206 phone calls with a response time of 7 minutes 35 seconds. Whilst volume of calls decreased compared to 2023/24, duration of calls and the timing of peak call volumes impacted call response times, for example during the Storm Eowyn event and at the launch of key Council initiatives
• Alarm Care: Supported 4,825 Alarm Care customers to live independently at home in East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire Council areas (compared to 4,936 in 2023/24), handling a total of 228,528 Alarm Care calls throughout the year.

Complaints Handling

• Complaints – Ombudsman: The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) is the final stage for complaints about councils, the National Health Service (NHS), housing associations, colleges and universities, prisons, most water providers and the Scottish Government and its agencies and departments. SPSO statistics for East Dunbartonshire and other Council areas can be found on the Scottish Public Services Obudsman website
• Council Complaint Handling: During 2024/25, the Council received 749 complaints (compared to 497 in the previous year), under the relevant strategic areas as follows:

Read the full Complaints Handling Annual Report for 2024/25

Evidence based planning is about applying what we know about the circumstances, needs and aspirations of a community, to plan and make decisions about services for them which will have the most benefit. This applies to all sectors of public services. In times where public services must do more with less available to them, it is imperative that we plan our services directly in relation to the evidence about where they are likely to have the greatest impact. Using evidence to influence service decisions moves away from historic models where services were provided in a ‘blanket’ manner, across a whole population with less reflection or evaluation with the people who are using them.

A number of plans, policies, programmes and strategies were approved during 2024/25 that have taken these priorities into consideration.

• Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP): Identifies housing investment and priorities over the five year period of the SHIP from 2025/26 to 2030/31
• Locality Plans: In line with statutory responsibilities under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, East Dunbartonshire Community Planning Partners published four locality plans detailing agreed priorities to improve the outcomes for our most deprived communities. The plans evidence how Community Planning Partners are deploying resources in support of the agreed outcomes, promote prevention, reduce inequalities and build community capacity. The community planning partnership team support coordination of operational delivery of the Locality Plans
• Economic Strategy: Work began on a new Economic Strategy for East Dunbartonshire during 2024/25. The preparation of the strategy has been overseen by the East Dunbartonshire Economic Partnership, which includes representatives from relevant partner organisations and internal Council services. Officers also collaborated with the Glasgow City Region Intelligence Hub on the development of a socioeconomic baseline including strategic topics and data from official sources to inform the preparation of the strategy. An initial public engagement stage seeking views from local businesses, organisations and residents commenced on 17 February 2025 and closed on 11 April 2025, which included online surveys, a public forum and drop-in sessions. Further targeted activities are planned with specific community groups to ensure that their views and opinions are included in the production of the strategy
• Circular Economy Strategy: The Circular Economy Strategy was adopted in 2023. Work has continued on its implementation, with work focussed on green sills and developing information resources, including a draft Circular Schools guide. A monitoring and review process continues with council services and partners to assess progress and identify future needs, considering the introduction of the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act, in September 2024.  

• Equalities Mainstream Report: East Dunbartonshire Council’s Equalities Mainstreaming Report 2024 confirmed how the Council continues to mainstream equality across its activities and functions and in doing so fulfils its statutory obligations under the 2010 Equality Act and the Public Sector Equality Duty
• Project 101: The project 101 officer at Townhead, Kirkintilloch closed and was relocated to new improved premises at 5 Dalrymple Court. During 2024/25, work that took place included:
  • 106 households were referred to Project 101
  • 21 new tenant packs were issued
  • 48 cooking lessons were delivered
  • Attended Rapid Access to provide advice/support to residents
  • Supported the Council’s Tenant Participation Officer to set up a young tenant group
• The Motivation, Commitment and Resilience (MCR) Pathways Mentoring Programme: The programme matches a young person with a volunteer mentor who they meet weekly in school. A total of 261 young people were supported by the MCR programme across Secondary schools. This was made up of the following two groups:
  • 67 young people in Group 1 – Looked after at home, looked after away from home, informal Social Work supervision, previously looked after
  • 194 young people in Group 2 – addiction issues, asylum seekers and refugees, at risk of homelessness, at risk of Social Work involvement, informal kinship care, parent in prison, parental bereavement, prolonged financial hardship, safeguarding concern, serious illness, teenage pregnancy, lack of ‘one good or consistent adult’, young carer
• Feedback from young people: 93% of young people on the programme agreed/strongly agreed that having a mentor has improved their confidence. 99% of young people on the programme agreed/strongly agreed their mentor is a good role model
• Strategic Equity Funding: Whilst striving for both excellence and equity, there remains a clear emphasis on using Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC) funding to improve attainment and outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty. Good progress has been made in terms of developing a plan for sustainability across each element of the Strategic Equity Fund Plan. A detailed analysis of Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Level data identified children not achieving. In response, targeted literacy support and interventions were implemented with a specific focus on closing the poverty related attainment gap.  

• Local Development Plan: The Land Planning team hosted a series of Evidence Topic Groups involving a wide range of stakeholders, as part of work towards the preparation of the Local Development Plan 3 Evidence Report. The Evidence Topic Groups provided an opportunity for participants to discuss each topic and make any suggestions for additional or alternative summary content. A period of three weeks (with flexibility if required) was provided following each session for participants to make further comments and set out where they agreed or disagreed with the evidence set out in each draft paper
• Housing Service: The Housing Service manages 3,878 social rented properties; 3,792 of these are mainstream accommodation and 115 are used for Homeless Temporary Accommodation. The service also manages 50 Lead Tenancies which are rented from either private landlords (29) or housing association (21) to assist with accommodating homeless households. During 2024/25, 170 properties were allocated, 160 of which were general needs, 10 of these were sheltered
• Land Planning Policy Team: The team undertook a review of the Local Development Plan 2 Action Programme and republished it as a Delivery Programme, following directions from the Scottish Government as part of the planning reforms specified in the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019.  The primary consequence of this review was the addition of a housing delivery pipeline, which was prepared following consultation with key stakeholders including Homes for Scotland
• Tenant Rent Arrears: Active Tenant Rent Arrears were £592,430, which is a decrease of £181,735 on the year end income for 2023/24
• Tenant Participation: Six Tenant Participation Working Group meetings were held at Twechar Healthy Living Centre in April, May, August, October, January and March. This was attended by tenants, tenant representatives, elected members and Council staff. A tenant event was also held at Kimardinny House in Bearsden on 25 September 2024
• Tenant Groups: Rowans Tenants Association and a Young Persons Tenant and Residents Association were established during 2024/25. 

The Scottish Housing regulator is an independent regulator of Registered Social Landlord and Local Authority housing services in Scotland. They protect the interests of tenants, people who are homeless, and others who use social landlord’s services. Reports for East Dunbartonshire can be found on the Scottish Housing Regulator website.

• Community Care Grants: can help people leaving care to live on their own, or to stay in their own home. These grants can also help families facing exceptional pressures that are in need of essential household items

Scottish Government Scottish Welfare Fund Statistics

• Crisis Grants: can provide people with a safety net in the event of a disaster such as a fire or flood or in an emergency situation if money is lost or stolen

Scottish Government Scottish Welfare Fund Statistics

• Homelessness Team: 78 households received housing options (PREVENT1) advice during 2024/25.  Following advice from the Homelessness team none of the 78 households made a homeless application as their risk to homelessness was resolved through prevention advice/activity
• Homeless Decisions: 97% of homelessness decisions were made within the recommended 28 days
• Whole Family Wellbeing Fund (WFWF) Strategic Plan: Whole Family Wellbeing staff facilitated individual, and group supports to promote earliest intervention for families. Programmes included, sleep, internet safety and supports for promoting positive attendance and positive physical and mental health. The Whole Family Wellbeing team work alongside seven third sector agencies and have developed school and community-based programmes based on priorities of the Whole Family Wellbeing fund strategic plan.
• Promoting Attendance and Managing Non-Attendance: New Attendance Guidance was launched in May 2024, and has been followed up by a pilot programme involving two secondary schools and associated primary schools. Lead educational psychologists along with the attainment advisor have led schools in self-evaluation, action planning and reviewing of their approaches to promoting attendance. Three new Home Link Officers have been recruited as part of Whole Family Wellbeing Funding to support approaches promoting attendance. Attendance is tracked at both local authority and school level to ensure continual improvement and allow all children to meet their potential
• Parenting and Family Learning Interventions: 366 families were supported through bespoke one to one parenting interventions. 24 parents/cares participated in the Triple P Fearless group with 90% of parents completing the six-week programme. 15 parents/cares attended the Triple P group, with 96% completing the six-week programme. All parents who completed the group programmes demonstrated an increase in confidence, self-efficacy and resilience and would highly recommend the programmes
• Seasons for Growth: Seasons for growth is an innovative grief and loss programme that uses the imagery of the seasons to illustrate the experience of grief. There are 82 staff trained as companions in the children and young people programme (age 6-18) in primary, secondary, Supporting Families central team and youth workers.

• Greenspace Strategy: Work continued on the preparation of a new Greenspace Strategy, which will replace the existing Open Space and Green Network Strategies.  A Play Sufficiency Assessment to support the Greenspace Strategy was completed and included undertaking a targeted engagement with young people and their parents and carers.  Work also commenced in March 2025 with consultants on the preparation of an updated Open Space Audit which will support the Greenspace Strategy
• Climate Action Plan (CAP): Further progress was made on the development of the Draft Climate Action Plan (CAP). Updated actions were shared with the Council’s Senior  Leadership Team (SLT) in advance of a detailed presentation and engagement session held with the SLT on the draft CAP in March 2025. The session invited input on the overall approach of the CAP in particular the mission, themes, actions and objectives while outlining progress since the previous presentation
• Carbon Management Plan: An enhanced Carbon Management Plan was approved by Council in December 2024. The report provided an analysis of the Council’s corporate emissions and total emissions in East Dunbartonshire, in addition to setting corporate emission targets for the 2024/25 and the 2025/26 financial years. This followed an extensive process to gather and analyse the data on the Council’s carbon footprint for the 2023/24 financial year and emissions in the East Dunbartonshire Council area for 2022
• Community Carbon Literacy Training Programme: The delivery of the Community Carbon Literacy Training Programme was completed with a total of 179 attendees: 141 completed the accredited training, 21 completed a focussed session, 5 completed the in-depth ‘Train the Trainer’ course and 12 participated in a youth session
• Employee Travel Study: The Sustainability Team engaged with consultants who were commissioned by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport to support Councils in developing an Employee Travel Survey in partnership with the Communication and Engagement Team. Following elected member and trade union briefings, the survey went live from late January 2025 until mid-February 2025. Over 350 responses were received, and an analysis of the survey has been developed. This work will inform the development of a Travel Plan for the Council as detailed in the Climate Action Plan’s Evidence and Options Report.