East Renfrewshire services come out on top
Council ranked first in Scotland for 19 measures used to compare the performance of councils across a wide range of services
Published: 29 May 2025
New official figures show that the council is ranked first in Scotland for 19 measures used to compare the performance of councils across a wide range of services.
The figures compare 93 measures in nine key service areas including education, economic development and tackling climate change.
East Renfrewshire was ranked first in Scotland for 19 of the 93 measures (20%) and was better than the Scottish average for 64 of the measures (69%).
The council was top for 13 indicators in education including 9 of the 10 measures for secondary schools and was also ranked first for numeracy and literacy in primary schools as well as for overall school attendance.
East Renfrewshire also has the best recycling rates in the country (58%), the highest Council Tax collection rate in Scotland (97.6%) and is ranked first for helping unemployed people into work.
The figures, which are collated for the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF), were highlighted in a report to the council's Cabinet.
And East Renfrewshire's strong performance comes just months after a Best Value audit report said the council excelled in many areas and praised the local authority as an example other councils could learn from.
Council Leader Owen O'Donnell, chair of the Cabinet which discussed the LGBF figures, said: 'On the back of the exceptional Best Value report published in February, I am absolutely delighted our latest analysis of LGBF data once again shows us leading the way nationally in so many services. Our education Services remain the best in Scotland and we are committed to continuous improvement to further enhance results for our young people. We remain committed to raising the attainment for all of our children regardless of background which was why I was particularly delighted to learn that young people in our most deprived communities are on average achieving the equivalent of two more Highers at B level compared to their peers nationally. This is truly exceptional and it is not just in education where East Renfrewshire Council is leading the way. We are ranked first in Scotland for recycling, Council Tax collection rates and for helping unemployed people back into work. None of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our employees who go above and beyond to deliver for our residents on a daily basis and I thank them for their continued efforts. We are not complacent and everyone in the council is committed to working together to further improve our services.'
Council Chief Executive Steven Quinn added: 'This report is another positive reflection of the efforts of our employees who work hard to ensure we are delivering high quality services for local residents. As well as highlighting the many areas in which the council performs exceptionally well, this report also highlights areas where we can further improve and work continues to address these. My thanks to our dedicated teams and to our key partners across East Renfrewshire who we work closely with to ensure the council continues to improve.'
The Council's Cabinet scrutinised the Council's performance using the comparative information, which covers 2023/24, and considered whether any aspects needed further investigation.
Read the full Cabinet report on the LGBF figures.
