Glasgow City Council Agenda - 31 October 2024, 11:00 Help

A meeting to be held at City Chambers, Glasgow at 11:00 on 31 October 2024.

Number Item
1Minutes of Council meeting of 12th September 2024 (Print 4, pages 1-50). View Papers
2Committees' minutes - Submitted for information and approval as a correct record only (page 51 onwards).
3Granting of the Freedom of the City of Glasgow to Elaine C Smith - Report by Lord Provost and Business Manager and City Convener for Open Government.. View Papers
4Council Strategic Plan Review 2022-27 - Report by Councillor Greg Hepburn, Business Manager and City Convener for Open Government. View Papers
5Changes to committees etc.
(a)Economy, Housing, Transportation and Regeneration City Policy Committee - Remove Bailie Soryia Siddique and appoint Councillor John Carson; and
(b)Finance and Audit Scrutiny Committee - Remove Councillor Cecilia O'Lone and appoint Councillor Catherine Vallis.
6Representation on outside bodies.
7Correspondence.
(a)Letter from Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture; and View Papers
(b)Letter from Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. View Papers
8Questions. View Papers
9Notice of motions.
(a)Motion by Councillor Richard Bell:-

"Council notes the recent report by Unison "Councils on the Brink" which outlines the collective hole in Council financing across the UK of more than £4.3bn for the coming financial year, way beyond any previous estimates, and the cumulative figure will have risen to £8.5bn by 2026/27.

Council agrees that years of sustained austerity from UK Government has led to this financial shortfall and that we need to turn on the page on the destructive cuts and austerity of the past. Council agrees with the Local Government Association that the new UK Government must increase funding to councils to protect vital services and the communities we serve. Council urges the Chancellor to heed these calls.

Council calls on the UK Government to commit to the "significant seven asks" made by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) during the General Election to respect and properly fund local authorities across these islands and instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Chancellor to outline these asks and seek her commitment to deliver on them".
(b)Motion by Councillor Eunis Jassemi:-

"The Council notes the findings from the recent 2024 Glasgow Household Survey, which highlight a deeply concerning decline in trust and satisfaction with Glasgow City Council's services since the City Administration took office in 2017.
Council notes with grave concern that only 35% of respondents trust the Council, a significant drop from 49% in 2019, and further notes that the erosion of trust is a direct consequence of the City Administration's mismanagement and incompetence.
Furthermore, Council expresses alarm that 46% of respondents believe that Glasgow City Council rarely considers residents' views when making decisions that affect them. Council acknowledges that Glasgow City Council has a duty to engage and involve residents in the decision-making process. Council recognises that greater efforts must be made to ensure residents have a meaningful say in shaping the future of our city.
Council notes the 23% rise in complaints about waste management, a clear indication of dissatisfaction with basic services. Additionally, Council acknowledges that satisfaction with refuse collection has dropped to 56%, a significant decline. Council also expresses concern over the sharp decrease in the feeling of being informed, with only 12% of respondents stating they feel well-informed about how the Council is performing. This represents a failure in communication between the City Administration and Glasgow's residents.
Additionally, Council notes that only 46% of residents are aware of the housing emergency declared in Glasgow, reflecting a serious gap in communication on critical issues.
Council further acknowledges the sharp decline in satisfaction with key services since 2017, showing a trend of consistent deterioration under the City Administration. Council highlights worrying decreases in satisfaction with basic services such as cleanliness and road maintenance, leading to dirtier streets and roads riddled with potholes. Council is also alarmed by the significant reduction in satisfaction with nurseries, schools, and home care services, all of which are vital to the wellbeing of families, children, and the elderly in Glasgow.
Council views this as a clear failure of governance under the City Administration, marked by damaging budget cuts and a deterioration in the quality of essential services. Council believes that the citizens of Glasgow deserve better, and that the mismanagement is leaving Glasgow behind.
Council resolves that:
" The City Administration has failed to provide basic universal services and has no confidence in its ability to deliver key services provided directly by the Council Family.
" Council requests the City Administration to publish an action plan to address the decline in service satisfaction and restore trust in the Council's ability to manage essential services.
" Council requests key performance indicators be established for basic services, with regular updates provided to the public.
" Council asks the Convener and Director of Neighbourhoods, Regeneration, and Sustainability to formally respond to the findings of the 2024 Household Survey and outline actions to resolve these issues."
(c)Motion by Councillor Jon Molyneux:-

Glasgow City Council acknowledges the publication of the Accounts Commission's "Transformation in Councils" report on 1st October 2024, which underscores the urgent need for transformation within local authorities to address current and future challenges. Council recognises the significant financial pressures faced by local authorities, exacerbated by increasing demands and limited resources. Council therefore expresses its support for both the findings and recommendations of the report and the sector-led transformation work which it highlights, which will be vital for the sustainable development and effective functioning of local councils.

Council maintains that adequate funding from the Scottish Government is essential so that local authorities can implement necessary transformations and continue providing high-quality services to their communities. Council notes the Commission's finding that slow progress on the commitments in the Verity House Agreement (VHA) poses a risk to transformation, and that, "several actions, decisions and behaviours have challenged and risked undermining the collaborative vision of the VHA. These include the former First Minister's announcement last October of a Council Tax freeze and the imposition of teacher numbers and learning hours."

Council therefore calls on the Scottish Government to meaningfully recommit to the VHA and to demonstrate that by: (i) ruling out ever again seeking to dictate the setting of local taxes, (ii) dropping threats to impose its will on local decision-making by way of financial punishment or reactive legislation, and (iii) urgently delivering with CoSLA a fiscal framework that ensures fair and sustainable funding for local government.

Council believes that discussions around transformation should be driven by the need for better and more effective powers, as much as they are about being more efficient. Council therefore agrees that devolution of powers, including wide-ranging and generalised revenue-raising powers, and powers of general competence, would empower councils to better manage their resources and address local needs more effectively, and calls on the Scottish Government to take this forward with CoSLA. Council notes with concern that the joint working group on reforming the Council Tax has not met for over six months.

Council recognises the financial pressures facing the Scottish Government and believes that the best way to balance budgets while protecting services is through raising additional income rather than reducing spending. In the immediate term, Council calls on the Scottish Government to commit to rapid delivery of new revenue-raising options for Councils in the forthcoming Scottish Budget. This should include, as a minimum:

(i) building on the commitment in the 2024-25 Budget "to exploring the reintroduction of a non domestic rates Public Health Supplement for large retailers" which are licensed to sell alcohol and tobacco. Council notes the research commissioned by Alcohol Focus Scotland, carried out by the Fraser of Allander Institute, which found that £57 million of additional revenue would be raised if the supplement was set at the prior level of 13p per £1 of rateable value, with £8.3 million of that revenue being raised in Glasgow City Council;

(ii) setting out a timeline for implementing demand management measures linked to the national routemap to delivering a 20% reduction in car km. This should urgently clarify the legislative position for road user charging schemes and deliver whatever new or updated regulations are required to empower councils to implement charging orders, including 'at boundary' congestion charging schemes,

(iii) developing proposals for a demolition levy as a means to raise revenue but more importantly to level the playing field with retrofit activities for existing buildings which are subject to 20% VAT, helping to protect buildings and encourage refurbishment, and;

(iv) supporting the option included in the recent consultation on charging for single use cups to enable those revenues raised to be collected and managed locally by councils, which in the context of there being an estimated 388 million single use cups distributed annually in Scotland could provide substantial revenue to support local environmental improvements.

Council agrees that the Leader will communicate this motion to relevant Scottish Ministers, CoSLA spokespeople, and other relevant stakeholders, urging them to take immediate action in response to the issues highlighted in Audit Scotland's report and to deliver greater fiscal autonomy to local councils.

Further to the above, Council asks the City Treasurer and Convener for Health to write to the Finance Secretary and Health Secretary setting out the Council's support for the reintroduction of a non-domestic rates Public Health Supplement, with revenue raised to be directed towards health and social care services, particularly for those whose health is negatively impacted by health-harming commodities."
(d)Motion by Councillor Ruari Kelly:-

"Council welcomes the ongoing work on the North Laurieston Masterplan, undertaken by New Gorbals Housing Association (NGHA) on behalf of, and in conjunction with, Glasgow City Council. It also welcomes the expert input of specialists within structural engineering, traffic management and commercial property fields and those undertaking extensive community engagement.

Council believes the Masterplan can be the catalyst for a new future for Glasgow's South Bank, bringing it together with ongoing City Centre regeneration and delivering the final stage of the wider regeneration of the Gorbals and Laurieston. It further recognises that the 35 year regeneration of Gorbals and Laurieston has required dedication, partnership and perseverance to overcome the scars of what Glasgow's Place Commission called 'shatter zones' of post war urban planning and deindustrialisation.

Council proudly welcomes the recognition of Glasgow as an exemplar of sustainable housing, regeneration, community empowerment and living well locally by the United Nations and the critical role of the New Gorbals Regeneration in securing that status.

Council notes that the North Laurieston area comprises many of the elements which have hindered neighbourhood regeneration including: fragmented and absentee ownership; poor upkeep of listed and heritage buildings; general lack of care towards built heritage; failure to recognise, active travel, public transport and the primacy of people in planning; and a lack of ambition in returning the River Clyde to the centre of Glasgow life.

Council, however, further notes that the routes to overcoming such barriers can act as the catalyst for wider change, making North Laurieston an exemplar in how Local and National Government can leverage new and existing powers alongside immediate incentives and initiatives for housing associations, the private sector and other stakeholders. In doing so, Council believes North Laurieston can become a vibrant and modern waterfront community protective of its world-class built heritage and with additional housing capacity adjacent to the city centre and internationally recognised regeneration across Gorbals and Laurieston.

Council calls on the UK Government to address the VAT imbalance between renovation and new build projects. Council believes that the removal of VAT would support the preservation of heritage assets in the city and instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury detailing the impact this can have on the city, its heritage, ambitions and sustainability targets.

Council commits to developing an implementation plan to deliver on the ongoing Masterplan and to highlight this as an area of priority and opportunity with the Scottish and UK Governments and institutional investors."
(e)Motion by Councillor Saqib Ahmed:-

"Council notes with grave concern the growing dissatisfaction among Glasgow's residents regarding the current state of public transport. Many communities across the city lack appropriate transport links, leaving public transport inadequate for many. Improving public transport is critical to encouraging people to leave their cars at home and commute sustainably.
Council further highlights that the affordability of transport remains a significant barrier, especially for low-income residents. The decision by the Scottish Government to scrap the planned reduction in train fares exacerbates this issue, illustrating a lack of cohesion in transport policy at the national level.
Council is deeply concerned about the continued delays surrounding the Clyde Metro project. This critical infrastructure project has the potential to revolutionise Glasgow's transport system by creating a fully integrated and modern network that connects communities currently underserved by public transport. The Clyde Metro is key to enhancing connectivity, reducing congestion, and aligning Glasgow's transport system with the city's environmental goals. Council believes that a clear timeline for its completion, alongside dedicated investment, is urgently required to avoid further delays that risk holding back the city's progress.
Council also recognises that accessibility for disabled residents, particularly blind and partially sighted people, must be a priority in any transport improvements. Glasgow's transport system must become more inclusive by addressing physical barriers, improving wayfinding solutions, and ensuring that infrastructure such as bus stops, train stations, and cycle lanes are designed with accessibility in mind.
Council highlights the following key issues:
" Affordability: Public transport is becoming increasingly unaffordable, particularly for low-income residents.
" Reliability: Buses and trains are frequently delayed or cancelled, reducing public confidence in the system.
" Accessibility: Some areas of Glasgow lack access to reliable and affordable transport.
" Clyde Metro delays: Continued delays prevent Glasgow from developing a modern, integrated transport system.
" Climate goals: The current transport infrastructure is misaligned with the city's climate targets, missing opportunities to reduce emissions and improve air quality.
Council draws attention to a 2023 survey by Sustrans, which shows that 78% of respondents want more public transport funding, and research by Centre for Cities indicating that 300,000 Glasgow residents are underserved by transport links to the city centre. This is unacceptable, and significant investment is needed to improve the connectivity of our neighbourhoods.
Council also emphasises the importance of public transport in achieving Glasgow's environmental and climate goals. Encouraging more residents to use public transport over private cars will reduce emissions and traffic congestion, supporting our city's transition to a greener, more sustainable future.
Furthermore, Council draws attention to the current state of cycle lanes across Glasgow. Regular cleaning and maintenance of these lanes are crucial to ensuring they remain safe and accessible for cyclists. Poorly maintained cycle lanes not only discourage cycling but also create hazards for pedestrians and cyclists alike.
Therefore, Council resolves to:
1. Urge the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland to prioritise investment in public transport, especially in disconnected communities, and ensure that future funding aligns with Glasgow's climate targets.
2. Advocate for the reintroduction of reduced train fares during peak hours, focusing on affordability for low-income residents, and call for a broader review of transport affordability across all modes.
3. Demand improvements to service reliability by setting performance targets for public transport operators, including real-time tracking and penalties for frequent delays or cancellations.
4. Explore local solutions, including partnerships with private operators, to expand bus services in underserved areas while larger infrastructure projects are underway.
5. Call for the acceleration of the Clyde Metro project, including clear timelines and accountability, to deliver a modern, integrated transport system.
6. Commit to exploring municipal bus services or increased council oversight in collaboration with operators to improve service reliability and accessibility.
7. Improve the maintenance and cleaning of cycle lanes to promote active travel and ensure they are safe for all users."
(f)Motion by Bailie Seonad Hoy:-

Council notes the trade union support for rent controls within the Scottish Government's Housing Bill including from the STUC, UNISON, Unite, GMB, ASLEF, UCU, PCS, NUS and Living Rent. Council also acknowledges the support for rent controls from a variety of Third Sector organisations.

Council recalls the findings of the city's Tenant-Led Housing Commission for the private sector, established in response to a council motion in December 2020 that stated that "Glasgow has a rent crisis for many in the private rented sector". Council notes the recommendation of this commission which stated that the Council will "work in partnership with the Scottish Government to introduce a robust and measured approach to a points-based system of rent controls, based on property standard and/or condition, to incentivise landlords to invest in their properties, as a means of justifying rent levels."

Council also notes that Glasgow City Council's Strategic Plan's Grand Challenge 4, Mission 1, states that as part of "Create safe, clean and thriving neighbourhoods", the Council will "Work with the Scottish Government to ensure that their commitment to a national system of rent controls can be practicably and quickly delivered within the city."

Council recognises that recent polling from August 2024 shows that 82% of people in Scotland support rent controls.

Council agrees with the concerns around resourcing within Local Authorities to implement rent controls effectively. However, Council also notes the multitude of positive outcomes and community benefits that rent controls will bring for tenants and the Council Family.

Council will continue to work constructively through COSLA and with the Scottish Government to address any concerns about rent controls, whilst remaining steadfast in its support for the introduction of robust rent controls as part of the Housing Bill.

Therefore, the Council agrees:-

a) To reaffirm its support for rent controls, in advance of stage 2 consideration of the Housing Bill.

b) To approve a letter from the Leader of the Council to the Scottish Minister for Housing to reaffirm the Council's support for robust rent controls within the Housing Bill.

c) To approve the Council's consultation response to the Housing Bill, with specific and explicit reference made to the Council's support for rent controls.

d) To approve further involvement in the development of guidance by the Scottish Government around rent control measures, particularly the local authority role in mandatory assessment of rent control areas, including the power to seek information from landlords and tenants. Therefore, Council agrees to its involvement in a pathfinder to establish realistic and costed processes for assessment of rent conditions and the provision of a recommendation to designate all or any part of the area of the local authority as a rent control area."
(g)Motion by Bailie Paul McCabe:-

"Council recognises the significance of its 850th anniversary next year and the work to date to promote participation across the city and with Glasgow's diaspora.

Council further recognises that significant milestones to 2025 have been reached including 100 Days to Go programme reveal and the recent announcement of the Glasgow 850 volunteer and employability programme.

Council believes that Communities are a central to the celebrations and that this ties in with the opportunities to share Culture and Cuisine. Council commends the involvement of Glasgow 850 in the recent Glasgow Community Fund Learning and Celebration event as a way of mobilising participation at a grassroots level.

Council records that Govanhill Baths Community Trust were one of the Glasgow 850 Festival Fund recipients for an Irish Roots festival and that there is a range of established and popular city events programmes and reach which are being enhanced in local areas.

Council notes the recent hosting of Donegal County Council heritage project in the City Chambers which aims to document the Donegal Emigrant Working Lives in Scotland, and the fantastic response received from citizens. Council further notes the discussions to bring this exhibition to Glasgow so that their contribution to Scotland and the city is recognised as has been done in previous exhibitions like My Glasgow Granny from Donegal.

Council also recognises that many other communities are celebrating anniversaries including Castlemilk whose first tenants moved in during 1955. Council notes that whilst this community suffered at the hands of poor planning, major investment has gone into the community in recent years to address this including new social housing and improved greenspaces and parks.

Council recognises the Castlemilk communities' resilience and creativity as captured in the Jeely Piece Song and Castlemilk Womanhouse in 1990 where artists worked alongside women and children from Castlemilk in four flats in an empty tenement block which became a huge living(room) artwork and a meeting place for women and children in the neighbourhood.

Council acknowledges the work of Castlemilk Youth Complex established in 1998, as the first youth arts facility of its kind in Europe. Council congratulates the Castlemilk Youth Complex for winning the YouthLink Scotland Participation & Youth Voice award earlier in June this year and Declan Patterson as runner up for Volunteer of the Year. Council believes this is yet another example of how our Communities Make Glasgow.

Council commends the people of 'Little Donegal', the Castlemilk community and others who have shaped our city and commits to the retelling of these stories and others to ensure that the lives of ordinary men, women and children who are so often overlooked are commemorated and ensuring that more memories are made for the people of Glasgow in 2025.

Council commends the Glasgow 850 team on its community engagement and instructs the Chief Executive to link them in further with the local community to explore opportunities provided by Castlemilk's 70th and identify other local anniversaries through the GCF contacts and others for inclusion in the celebrations".
(h)Motion by Bailie Christy Mearns:-

"Council notes the significant contribution of music to Glasgow, an iconic music city with world-class venues, artists, higher education institutions and audiences, as well as a musical culture valued in the UK and across the world; Council recognises that this contributes overwhelmingly to the identity of our city and provides invaluable opportunities for Glasgow's citizens.

Council further notes that Glasgow's music contributes significantly to Scotland's vibrancy and success, with night-time industries turning over more than £10 billion each year across the country and supporting over 137,000 jobs with much of this generated in Glasgow; that this drives culture and tourism in the city and has also contributed to Glasgow being awarded UNESCO City of Music status.

Council recognises the unique contribution of grassroots music venues to Glasgow; further notes that many acclaimed artists have made their names here, and that these venues make up a significant part of our musical output through a network of smaller venues and clubs, such as Sub Club and King Tuts Wah Wah Hut, named "UK's Best Live Venue" for three years consecutively, as well as record shops and labels, including Rubadub Records, Numbers, LuckyMe and Soma Records; and that these add important value to Glasgow's music culture and have placed Glasgow at the forefront of the UK's electronic and wider music scene.

Council, however, notes the ongoing financial pressures facing Scotland's music industry since Covid-19, which has resulted in the closure of grassroots music venues in Glasgow, such as the Blue Arrow Jazz Club and The 13th Note Cafe; that bigger venues are also being impacted, including The Shed nightclub which was forced to close its doors last month, and The Garage nightclub which has recently seen its operating hours reduced for the first time in its similarly long and successful history. Council further acknowledges the significant loss to Glasgow's music landscape with the demolition of the iconic O2 ABC on Sauchiehall Street.

Council notes that figures from the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) show that there are only 82 nightclubs left in Scotland now, from 125 venues in 2020, which is a staggering drop of more than 30% in only four years.

Council celebrates the recent work that has been done on Glasgow's Tourism and Culture Strategies, with a renewed commitment to support music and culture in the city; as well as ongoing efforts to engage with Glasgow's night-time industry, including with grassroots venues, through the City Centre Taskforce; however, also recognises that without additional intervention, these worrying trends may continue.

Council therefore resolves to:
" write to Culture Ministers in both the UK and Scottish Governments setting out the Council's support for a national Stadium Levy as proposed by the Music Venues Trust, with revenue raised to be directed towards supporting grassroots venues across the country;
" develop proposals for a local pilot of Stadium Levy principles through the Council's own venues, such as the Hydro and SEC complex, which would not require primary legislation to deliver but which may offer up significant benefits to Glasgow's music venues if introduced locally;
" write to UK and Scottish Governments asking them to take action within their respective powers to help stem the tide of Venue closures, including by reviewing VAT and non domestic rates obligations in the immediate term, and to ensure these are at a sustainable level going forwards.
" ensure that grassroots music venues, artists and DJs across all genres are fully involved in Glasgow's 850 celebrations, including at a dedicated civic reception and within the programme for Chorus on the Clyde;
" produce a UNESCO City of Music trail, in physical and digital form, as an element of Glasgow's 850 legacy, which could help to improve knowledge and maximise this branding opportunity by helping to further celebrate all that Glasgow has to offer musically;
" consider additional opportunities to market Glasgow's music internationally and through the City Marketing Bureau."