Scottish Housing Regulator Engagement Plan 2023-2024 CaH 16 05 23
Renfrewshire Council · 16 May 2023
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 16 May 2023 and its agenda
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 16 May 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Scottish Housing Regulator Engagement Plan 2023/2024 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to make the Policy Board aware of the Scottish Housing Regulator’s Engagement Plan from 31 March 2023 to 31 March 2024 for Renfrewshire Council, which this year relates to the Council’s service provision for people who are homeless. 1.2 It should be noted that all Scottish Local Authorities’ provision of homeless services are included in their Engagement Plans and that Renfrewshire Council has not been identified as requiring particular scrutiny in this or any other area. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Note the content of the Scottish Housing Regulator’s Engagement Plan from 31 March 2023 to 31 March 2024 for Renfrewshire Council – attached as appendix 1. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Regulator explains in the Plan that during 2022/23 it reviewed and compared the data for all local authorities from the Scottish Government’s national homelessness statistics and the Annual Returns on the Charter and spoke to all local authorities to gather further information and assurance about their homelessness services. To assess the risks to people who are threatened with or experiencing homelessness it will engage with all local authorities during 2023/24, with a focus on the provision of appropriate temporary accommodation.
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3.2 We will provide the Regulator with the information that it requires in relation to our homelessness service. We are also asked to make the Regulator aware of any emerging issues preventing us from fulfilling our statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation, when we should and to comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order. 3.3 The Regulator will then meet us to discuss our homelessness service, decide whether it requires any additional assurance, further meet us to seek assurance if we do not provide temporary accommodation when we should or if we breach the Unsuitable Accommodation Order and update the Engagement Plan in the light of any material change to its planned engagement with us. 3.4 We also require to submit two annual regulatory returns - the Annual Assurance Statement and the Annual Return on the Charter - as we do each year and future reports to this Policy Board will provide updates on those submissions. 3.5 Finally we are also required to notify the Regulator of any material changes to our Annual Assurance Statement, of any tenant/resident safety matter which has been reported to or is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive and of reports from regulatory or statutory authorities or insurance providers relating to safety concerns. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none. 3. Community/Council Planning – Our Renfrewshire is safe – we provide suitable accommodation (including appropriate temporary accommodation) to people threatened with or experiencing homelessness. 4. Legal – none. 5. Property/Assets – none. 6. Information Technology – none. 7. Equality & Human Rights – (a) The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website.
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8. Health & Safety – none. 9. Procurement – none. 10. Risk – none. 11. Privacy Impact – none. 12. COSLA Policy Position – none. 13. Climate Risk – none. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers None. The contact officer within the service is Ray Walkinshaw, Housing Regeneration and Development Manager, 07483 146814, ray.walkinshaw@renfrewshire.gov.uk.
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Engagement plan Last Updated 31 March 2023 Renfrewshire Council Why we are engaging with Renfrewshire Council (Renfrewshire) We are engaging with Renfrewshire about its services for people who are homeless. During 2022/23 we reviewed and compared the data for all local authorities from the Scottish Government’s national homelessness statistics and the Annual Returns on the Charter. We also spoke to all local authorities to gather further information and assurance about their homelessness services. To assess the risks to people who are threatened with or experiencing homelessness we will engage with all local authorities during 2023/24 with a focus on the provision of appropriate temporary accommodation. What Renfrewshire must do Renfrewshire must: • provide us with the information we require in relation to its homelessness service; and • make us aware of any emerging issues preventing it from fulfilling its statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation when it should and comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order. What we will do We will: • meet with Renfrewshire to discuss its homelessness service and decide whether we require any additional assurance; • meet with Renfrewshire to seek assurance if it does not provide temporary accommodation when it should, or if it breaches the Unsuitable Accommodation Order; and • update our published engagement plan in the light of any material change to our planned engagement with Renfrewshire. Regulatory returns Renfrewshire must provide us with the following annual regulatory returns: • Annual Assurance Statement; and • Annual Return on the Charter. It should also notify us of any material changes to its Annual Assurance Statement, and any tenant and resident safety matter which has been reported to or is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive or reports from regulatory or statutory authorities or insurance providers, relating to safety concerns. Our lead officer for Renfrewshire Council is: Appendix 1
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Engagement plan Last Updated 31 March 2023 Name: Dean Reynolds, Regulation Manager Address: Buchanan House, 58 Port Dundas Road, Glasgow G4 0HF Telephone: 0141 242 0276 Email: dean.reynolds@shr.gov.scot