Renfrewshire Council

1. Aims of the Commission

The Alcohol and Drugs Commission is being established by Renfrewshire Community Planning Partnership:

• to establish a true picture of drug and alcohol and use in Renfrewshire, and to make recommendations on what partners can do together to support local people and communities adversely affected by drug and alcohol use to improve life outcomes.

Drawing as far as possible on published data, research and reports, the Commission will invite evidence from a range of interested parties across Renfrewshire and beyond and engage with all relevant stakeholders including staff, individuals, families and communities with experiences they wish to share.

The Commission will consider evidence of what has worked elsewhere to reduce and may recommend small tests of change over the course of the work.

The Commission will prepare a report for the Community Planning Partnership, that will detail the impact that alcohol and drug use have on individuals, families and communities across Renfrewshire and make recommendations on the priority actions that are required to make a difference to the citizens of Renfrewshire.

Critically, the Commission should make recommendations which promote whole system change, recognising the levers which Community Planning Partners have at their disposal.

Key questions

In taking forward it's programme of work and considering each of these areas in turn, the Commission may wish to consider five key questions which will guide its approach:

• what is the impact of drug and alcohol use?
• how are we collectively responding?
• how do those impacted feel?
• what could we do differently?
• what does research and evidence tell us?

2. Members of the Commission

The Commission will be chaired by Councillor Jacqueline Cameron and will be independently facilitated by Professor Phil Hanlon. 

Commission members are local and national experts who will provide a variety of skills, experience and knowledge and includes:

• Karyn McCluskey, Community Justice Scotland, Chief Executive
• Dave Liddell OBE, Scottish Drugs Forum, Chief Executive
• Alison Douglas, Alcohol Focus Scotland, Chief Executive
• Dr Saket Priyadarshi, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Associate Medical Director
• Dr Carol Hunter, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lead Pharmacist, Addiction Services
• Linda de Caestecker, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Director of Public Health
• Catriona Matheson, University of Stirling, Professor in Substance Use and Drug Research Network Scotland, Convener
• Neil Hunter, Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA), Principal Reporter/Chief Executive Officer
• Jardine Simpson, Scottish Recovery Consortium, Chief Executive Officer
• Justina Murray, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, Chief Executive Officer
• John Goldie, Professional Adviser
• Alan McNiven, Engage Renfrewshire, Chief Executive
• Alan Murray (previously Gordon Crossan), Police Scotland, Divisional Commander 'K' Division
• Andrew Horne, We Are With You, Director
• Jennifer Davidson, Executive Director, CELCIS and Inspiring Children's Futures, University of Strathclyde
• Fiona Stringfellow, Blue Triangle, Chief Executive

It is envisaged that relevant senior officers from across the Community Planning Partnership will attend the Commission meetings in order to provide members with guidance and advice, on request.

3. Support

The Commission will receive secretariat, administrative and policy support from Renfrewshire Council.

4. Timescales

It is envisaged that the Commission will hear evidence between March to December 2019. At the final meeting of the commission, will agree its findings and recommendations to the Community Planning Partnership, Alcohol and Drugs Partnership and Renfrewshire Council for response. The timescales may require development depending on the agreed work programme of the Commission.

5. Meetings

It is intended that meetings will be held in public, unless otherwise determined by the Commission and agreed by the Chair. Public summaries of meeting will be made available through the Council's website, with other materials available only on request.

6. Communications

A standard communications protocol will be adopted by Commission members. It is proposed that all public statements for the work of the Commission are made by the chair, Cllr Jacqueline Cameron, unless another member of the Commission is identified to provide comment as agreed in advance.

All public comments are shared with members of the Commission and any proactive communications shared with members in advance.

Any queries relating to the work of the Commission should be referred to Renfrewshire Council Communications team in the first instance.