Agenda Document Pack - Housing and Technical Resources Committee - 18/09/2024
South Lanarkshire Council · 18 September 2024
Back to Housing and Technical Resources Committee — 18 September 2024 and its agenda
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Council Offices, Almada Street Hamilton, ML3 0AA Tuesday, 10 September 2024 Dear Councillor Housing and Technical Resources Committee The Members listed below are requested to attend a meeting of the above Committee to be held as follows:- Date: Wednesday, 18 September 2024 Time: 10:00 Venue: Hybrid - Committee Room 1, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AA The business to be considered at the meeting is listed overleaf. Yours sincerely Paul Manning Chief Executive Members Davie McLachlan (Chair), Margaret Cowie (Depute Chair), Joe Fagan (ex officio), Walter Brogan, Archie Buchanan, Mathew Buchanan, Janine Calikes, Gerry Convery, Margaret Cooper, Andrea Cowan, Maureen Devlin, Colin Dewar, Allan Falconer, Grant Ferguson, Alistair Fulton, Ross Gowland, Geri Gray, Ross Lambie, Martin Lennon, Richard Lockhart, Julia Marrs, Ian McAllan, Kenny McCreary, Norman Rae, David Shearer, Kirsty Williams Substitutes John Bradley, Robert Brown, Poppy Corbett, Gladys Ferguson-Miller, Martin Hose, Cal Johnston-Dempsey, Susan Kerr, Eileen Logan, Monique McAdams, Richard Nelson, Helen Toner, Margaret B Walker, David Watson 1
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BUSINESS 1 Declaration of Interests 2 Minutes of Previous Meeting Minutes of the meeting of the Housing and Technical Resources Committee held on 19 June 2024 submitted for approval as a correct record. (Copy attached) 5 - 12 Monitoring Item(s) 3 Revenue Budget Monitoring 2023-2024 - Housing and Technical Resources (Excl Housing Revenue Account (HRA)) Joint report dated 21 August 2024 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 13 - 18 4 Revenue Budget Monitoring 2023/2024 - Housing and Technical Resources - Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Joint report dated 21 August 2024 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 19 - 22 5 Revenue Budget Monitoring 2024/2025 - Housing and Technical Resources (excl Housing Revenue Account (HRA)) Joint report dated 21 August 2024 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 23 - 28 6 Revenue Budget Monitoring 2024/2025 - Housing and Technical Resources - Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Joint report dated 21 August 2024 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 29 - 32 7 Capital Budget Monitoring 2023/2024 - Housing and Technical Resources (Housing Revenue Account) Joint report dated 21 August 2024 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 33 - 36 8 Capital Budget Monitoring 2023/2024 - Housing and Technical Resources (excl Housing Revenue Account) Joint report dated 21 August 2024 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 37 - 42 9 Capital Budget Monitoring 2024/2025 - Housing and Technical Resources (Housing Revenue Account) Joint report dated 21 August 2024 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 43 - 46 2
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10 Capital Budget Monitoring 2024/2025 - Housing and Technical Resources (excl Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Joint report dated 21 August 2024 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 47 - 50 11 Housing and Technical Resources – Workforce Monitoring – April to June 2024 Joint report dated 8 August 2024 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 51 - 58 Item(s) for Decision 12 Scottish Housing Regulator – Annual Assurance Statement 2023/2024 Report dated 27 August 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 59 - 66 13 Rapid Re-housing Transition Plan Annual Review - 2023/2024 and Homeless Pressures Update Report dated 31 July 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 67 - 130 14 Greenhills Hall and Library, East Kilbride – Lease to Loaves and Fishes under Community Asset Transfer Lite Report dated 22 August 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 131 - 138 15 High Blantyre Hall - Lease to 3rd Blantyre Community Group under Community Asset Transfer Lite Report dated 22 August 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 139 - 146 16 Calderwood Hall, East Kilbride – Lease to Calderwood Baptist Church under Community Asset Transfer Lite Report dated 22 August 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 147 - 154 17 Stewartfield Community Centre, East Kilbride – Lease to East Kilbride Gymnastics Club Report dated 22 August 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 155 - 160 18 Eddlewood Park and Pavilion Queens Drive, Hamilton – Lease to Eddlewood Football Association Report dated 12 August 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 161 - 164 Item(s) for Noting 19 Delegated Authority Report – Update Report dated 12 August 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 165 - 168 3
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Urgent Business 20 Urgent Business Any other items of business which the Chair decides are urgent. For further information, please contact:- Clerk Name: Lynne Hamilton Clerk Telephone: 07385 370044 Clerk Email: lynn.hamilton2@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 4
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HOUSING AND TECHNICAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE Minutes of meeting held via Confero and in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton on 19 June 2024 Chair: Councillor Davie McLachlan Councillors Present: Councillor Walter Brogan, Councillor Archie Buchanan, Councillor Mathew Buchanan, Councillor Gerry Convery, Councillor Margaret Cooper, Councillor Andrea Cowan, Councillor Margaret Cowie (Depute), Councillor Maureen Devlin, Councillor Colin Dewar, Councillor Alistair Fulton, Councillor Ross Gowland, Councillor Geri Gray, Councillor Ross Lambie, Councillor Richard Lockhart, Councillor Julia Marrs, Councillor Ian McAllan, Councillor Kenny McCreary, Councillor Norman Rae, Councillor David Shearer, Councillor Helen Toner (substitute for Councillor Grant Ferguson), Councillor Kirsty Williams Councillors' Apologies: Councillor Janine Calikes, Councillor Joe Fagan (ex officio), Councillor Allan Falconer, Councillor Grant Ferguson, Councillor Martin Lennon Attending: Finance and Corporate Resources G Booth, Finance Manager (Strategy); J Davitt, Public Relations Team Leader; L Hamilton, Administration Officer; E Maxwell, Human Resources Business Manager; T Slater, Administration Adviser; L Wyllie, Administration Assistant Housing and Technical Resources S Gibson, Executive Director; J Forbes, Head of Property Services; G McParland, Property Manager (Assets and Estates); C Mitchell, Strategy and Support Manager 1 Declaration of Interests The following interest was declared: - Councillor(s) Item(s) Nature of Interest(s) Marrs Proposed Lease of Ground at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, East Kilbride in Favour of Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) Close family member employed by Scottish Power 2 Minutes of Previous Meeting The minutes of the meeting of the Housing and Technical Resources Committee held on 24 April 2024 were submitted for approval as a correct record. The Committee decided: that the minutes be approved as a correct record 3 Housing and Technical Resources – Workforce Monitoring – March and April 2024 A joint report dated 10 May 2024 by the Executive Directors (Housing and Technical Resources) and (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on the following employee information for Housing and Technical Resources for March and April 2024: - 2 5
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attendance statistics occupational health statistics accident/incident statistics discipline, grievance and Dignity at Work cases analysis of leavers and exit interviews Staffing Watch as at 9 March 2024 The Human Resources Business Manager responded to members’ questions on various aspects of the report. The Committee decided: that the report be noted [Reference: Minutes of 24 April 2024 (Paragraph 7)] 4 Housing and Technical Resource Plan - Quarter 4 Progress Report 2023/2024 A report dated 28 May 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) was submitted on the Housing and Technical Resource Plan Quarter 4 Progress Report for 2023/2024 for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The Resource Plan measures were rated using a traffic light system of red, amber, or green as well as blue (BRAG) which indicated that an action had been completed. Details were provided on: - progress made in implementing the priority projects identified in the Resource Plan 2023/2024, as detailed in paragraph 5.2 and attached as Appendix 2 to the report key achievements made by the Resource to date, as detailed in paragraph 5.3 of the report areas for improvement and associated management actions, as detailed in paragraph 5.4 of the report additional scrutiny of changes in BRAG status between Quarter 2 and Quarter 4, as summarised in paragraph 5.5 and detailed at Appendix 3 to the report The Committee decided: (1) that the Housing and Technical Resource Plan Quarter 4 Progress Report 2023/2024, as summarised at paragraph 5.2 and detailed in Appendix 2 of the report, be noted; (2) that the key achievements made by the Resource to date, as detailed in paragraph 5.3 of the report, be noted; (3) that the areas for improvement and associated management actions, as detailed in paragraph 5.4 of the report, be noted; and (4) that the additional scrutiny of changes in measure status between Quarter 2 and Quarter 4, as summarised at paragraph 5.5 and detailed in Appendix 3 of the report, be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 7 February 2024 (Paragraph 17)] 5 Housing and Technical Resource Plan 2024/2025 A report dated 28 May 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) was submitted on the Housing and Technical Resource Plan 2024/2025. 6
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Details were provided on the Resource Plan for 2024/2025, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, which outlined the: - key areas of focus for the year ahead Resource outcomes measures and actions resourcing of the Plan Following approval at individual Resource Committees, the Resource Plans for 2024/2025 would be submitted as a pack to the meeting of the Executive Committee to be held on 26 June 2024 for noting. The Resource had established a number of outcomes to support the delivery of the Council Plan, Connect, in 2024/2025. To support those outcomes, the Resource had developed performance measures in an action plan, detailed in Section 4 of the Resource Plan. Key or strategic measures would be included in the Council Plan progress reports 2024/2025, with the remaining measures being monitored and reported at Resource level. In line with the Council’s performance management arrangements, a mid-year progress report on measures identified in the 2024/2025 Housing and Technical Resource Plan and an end of year report respectively would be submitted to future meetings of the Committee. Officers responded to members’ questions on various aspects of the report. The Committee decided: (1) that the Resource Plan 2024/2025, attached as Appendix 1 of the report, be approved; (2) that the Resource Plan 2024/2025 be uploaded onto the Council’s website; (3) that it be noted that following Committee approval, all Resource Plans would be presented to the Executive Committee on 26 June 2024 for noting; and (4) that it be noted that Progress Reports on the Resource Plan 2024/2025 would be submitted at Quarter 2 and Quarter 4 to future meetings of this Committee. 6 Disposal of Land at Eaglesham Road, Jackton A report dated 15 May 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) was submitted seeking approval for the disposal of the site, currently held under Option at Eaglesham Road, Jackton to Cala Management Limited (or assignees or nominees). The Council owned an area of land, extending to 7.30 hectares (18.04 acres), or thereby, at Eaglesham Road, Jackton. The site was the subject of an Option agreement with Cala Management Limited, the owner of the adjoining land which was part of the East Kilbride Community Growth Area. Following a marketing exercise, an Option agreement had been concluded on 14 December 2004 with Cala Management Limited for a term of 40 years, for the disposal of the land at 100% of the market value, subject to the deduction of abnormal costs. 7
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As part of the Section 75 Planning agreement for the Community Growth Area, various affordable housing sites had been identified, including an area held within the Option site. As a result, the area to be sold to Cala Management Limited excluded that area, as detailed on the plan attached to the report, and would be retained by the Council for future provision of affordable housing. Therefore, the area to be sold extended to 6.21 hectares (15.34 acres), or thereby, and provided a net developable area of 4.73 hectares (11.68 acres). As part of the agreement, Cala would provide an adoptable access and services to the boundary of the site to be retained by the Council. Planning consent had been granted at the Planning Committee on 30 April 2024 for 126 dwellinghouses, comprising 89 detached dwellings, 12 semi-detached dwellings and 25 terraced dwellings with associated roads, infrastructure and landscaping. As a landowner within the Community Growth Area, the Council was liable for a proportionate share of the enabling works to bring the site forward. The total cost of this was projected at £21,895,891, of which the Council share was £2,521,879 with a substantial majority of the works having already been completed and paid for. As part of the option, Cala had incurred those costs, and they were a valid deduction from the land valued for the site as, without the enabling works, the land would not have been a consented residential site. While there were still provisional sums for a small number of future items within the enabling works, it was agreed that this would not reduce the price. Should those works not proceed, or cost less than the professional estimates, the missives would include an agreement to ensure that the Council would receive any additional sums not spent on those items. In addition to the enabling works, due to the difficult topography of the site, the presence of a watercourse and the adjacent protected tree belt, there were substantial site-specific abnormal development costs, mainly associated with non-standard foundations, earthworks and retention. Those works had been costed at a total of £5,795,740, as detailed in paragraph 3.7 of the report. The proposal to dispose of the Option site at Eaglesham Road, Jackton, extending to 6.21 hectares (15.34 acres), or thereby, as detailed on the indicative plan attached to the report, to Cala Management Limited (or assignees or nominees) subject to the principal conditions, was fully detailed in section 4 of the report. As detailed in paragraph 3.8 of the report, following detailed negotiations, a provisional agreement had been reached for a price of £2,225,000 subject to ratification by the District Valuer of the principle of deductible costs adopted by the Council. Officers responded to members’ questions on various aspects of the report. The Committee decided: (1) that the Option site at Eaglesham Road, Jackton, extending to 6.21 hectares (15.34 acres), or thereby, as detailed on the plan attached to the report, be disposed of to Cala Management Limited (or assignees or nominees) for the sum of £2,250,000, exclusive of VAT, and in terms of the principal conditions contained in Section 4 of the report; and (2) that the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), in consultation with the Head of Administration and Legal Services, be authorised to conclude all other matters pertaining to the disposal of the site and to enter into the necessary legal agreements on terms which were in the best interests of the Council. [Reference: Minutes of Planning Committee of 30 April 2024 (Paragraph 9)] 8
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7 99 Year Ground Lease at Hairmyres Station, East Kilbride to South Lanarkshire Council A report dated 2 May 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) was submitted - ♦ on the requirement for a 99-year ground lease at Hairmyres Station, East Kilbride from Network Rail ♦ seeking approval to the principal terms and conditions, as set out in Section 5 of the report The subjects at Hairmyres Station, East Kilbride had been acquired by Network Rail to facilitate the construction of a transport interchange facility as part of the proposals to relocate Hairmyres Station. The proposal was part of the East Kilbride Enhancement (EKE) scheme to provide 2 new junctions for the Park and Ride areas on both sides of the railway lines, north (318 spaces) and south (197 spaces), motorcycle spaces (23), disabled spaces, cycle storage, electric vehicle (EV) charging spaces and potential for a community EV charging facility (27 spaces). Street lighting, CCTV and landscaping would be included. As part of the EKE scheme, the existing Hairmyres line was being extended by around 1.4km, increasing the capacity of the line. To facilitate this, a second platform would be installed at the station. A 2019 study recommended a relocation of the station west of the current location to improve the transport interchange capacity and better serve the nearby residential developments. The proposal was that the Council would lease the ground required for the Park and Ride facility from Network Rail and construct or procure construction of the Park and Ride facility and then operate the same. The estimated project costs were £4.5 million and discussions were ongoing with Transport Scotland to secure the funding. The extent of the proposed lease was 5.3 hectares, as shown on the plan attached to the report. A planning application had been submitted for consideration by the Planning Committee on 24 June 2024. If Network Rail required to terminate the lease within the first 20 years of the lease on the basis that the area was required for rail related purposes, Network Rail would repay the Council the costs on a tapering scale. The risks associated with the proposed lease were considered very low, given the status of the organisations involved. The requirement for the lease agreement was dependent upon confirmation from Transport Scotland that funding for the project had been secured. On the basis that this was achieved, it was proposed that the Council lease the subjects at Hairmyres Station, East Kilbride on the principal terms and conditions, as fully detailed in section 5 of the report. Tender documents for the construction contract had been issued in May 2024 and had recently been returned by contractors and were currently being reviewed. Given the requirement for City Deal approvals, a report would be presented to the Executive Committee and then to the City Deal Cabinet in August 2024 and would include appropriate information to allow a contract to be awarded. Subject to a contract being awarded in August 2024, it was anticipated that the associated Park and Ride works would commence in mid-September 2024 with the completion scheduled for summer of 2025. 9
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The Committee decided: (1) that, subject to confirmation of funding from Transport Scotland, the land at Hairmyres Station, East Kilbride be leased to South Lanarkshire Council, on the headline terms and conditions, as detailed in section 5 of the report; and (2) that the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), in consultation with the Head of Administration and Legal Services, be authorised to conclude all matters in respect of the lease and to enter into the necessary legal agreements on terms which were in the best interests of the Council. 8 Proposed Lease of Ground at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, East Kilbride in Favour of Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) A report dated 8 May 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) was submitted seeking approval to grant: - ♦ a 99-year lease of ground at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, East Kilbride in favour of Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) ♦ a right of access to the substation and for the laying of associated cables in favour SPEN Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School was being converted to run solely on electricity and the replacement of gas fired boilers required an increased electrical supply. The installation of the Air Source Heat Pumps also required additional electricity to replace the existing hot water tank. Those measures would reduce carbon emissions from the school energy use. As a result of the new technologies, the existing electricity supply was insufficient for the refurbished school and a new substation was required. The substation required to be constructed on the ground extending to 25m² which was owned by the Council, as detailed on the plan attached to the report. SPEN was seeking a 99-year lease to allow for the construction of a substation and associated cabling. It was an essential requirement of the primary school refurbishment that the lease to SPEN be granted to allow the construction of the substation to provide a sufficient power supply at this location. The substation was exclusively to service the primary school and was not serving the wider area, therefore, there was no rental charge. The proposed lease terms and conditions were fully detailed at section 4 of the report. The Property Manager (Assets and Estates) responded to a member’s question in relation to the 99-year lease. The Committee decided: (1) that a 99-year lease of ground at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, East Kilbride be granted to Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN), subject to the lease terms and conditions, as detailed in paragraph 4 of the report; (2) that consent be granted to SPEN to construct a substation and that all necessary rights be granted to maintain the substation and the cables serving the substation, as detailed on the plan attached to the report; and 10
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(3) that the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), in consultation with the Head of Administration and Legal Services, if appropriate, be authorised to conclude all matters in respect of the grant of lease and to enter into the necessary legal agreements on terms which were in the best interests of the Council. Councillor Marrs, having declared an interest in the above item, withdrew from the meeting during its consideration 9 Delegated Authority Report – Update A report dated 22 April 2024 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) was submitted on transactions processed by Property Services during Quarter 4 of 2023/2024 and providing a year-end summary. The Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), under delegated powers, had authority to deal with various transactions including: - leases up to the value of £50,000 per annum and a maximum period of 20 years rent reviews up to an increase of £20,000 per annum disposals up to a value of £200,000 acquisitions up to a value of £200,000 Details of the transactions undertaken during Quarter 4, as contained in Appendix 1 of the report, were as follows: Quarter 4 2023/2024: Number of transactions 70 Total value of lease transactions £737,632.36 per annum Total value of capital transactions £2,117,386.75 Total value of miscellaneous transactions Nil Annual Summary 2023/2024: Number of transactions 362 Total value of lease transactions £917,622.77 per annum Total value of capital transactions £19,685,937.75 Total value of miscellaneous transactions £65,001 The Head of Property Services responded to a member’s question in relation to provision for elected members to ask questions in terms of decisions which had been made under delegated authority. The Committee decided: that the report be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 7 February 2024 (Paragraph 18)] 10 Urgent Business There were no items of urgent business. 11
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Chair’s Closing Remarks The Chair advised that this would be the last Committee meeting that J Forbes, Head of Property Services would be attending prior to her retirement from the Council in August 2024. The Chair, on behalf of the Committee, thanked Joanne for her many years of public service and wished her well for the future. Councillors Cooper and Cowan echoed the Chair’s sentiments. Ms Forbes responded in suitable terms. 12
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Revenue Budget Monitoring 2023/2024 - Housing and Technical Resources (Excl Housing Revenue Account (HRA)) 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide information on the actual expenditure measured against the revenue budget for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 for Housing and Technical Resources (excl HRA) [1pur 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the overspend of £0.003 million as at 31 March 2024 on Housing and Technical Resources (excl HRA) Revenue Budget, after approved transfers to reserves, as detailed in Appendix A of the report, be noted; and (2) that the budget virements be approved. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. This is the final revenue budget monitoring report presented to the Housing and Technical Resources Committee for the financial year 2023/2024. 3.2. The report details the financial position for Housing and Technical Resources (excl HRA) on Appendix A, then details the individual services in Appendices B and C. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. There are no employee implications as a result of this report. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. As at 31 March 2024, there was an underspend of £1.507 million against the budget. This was the position before transfers to reserves. The position after agreed transfers to reserves was a minor overspend of £0.003m. The transfers were agreed at the Executive Committee on 26 June 2024. 5.2. The transfers to reserves were in relation to the Ukraine Resettlement Funding and Local Heat and Energy Efficiencies Strategies (LHEES) funding committed in 2024/2025 for costs associated with these respective programmes. 3 13
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6. Other Implications 6.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Revenue Budget is that there is an overspend. The risk is managed through four weekly Budget Monitoring Meetings at which any variance is analysed. In addition, the probable outturn exercise ensures early warning for corrective action to be taken where appropriate. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications in terms of the information contained within this report. 8. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 8.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 8.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 21 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References Executive Committee, 26 June 2024 List of Background Papers Financial ledger and budget monitoring results to 31 March 2024. Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: - Kathleen Gowrie, Finance Manager Ext: 2680 (Tel: 01698 452680) E-mail : Kathleen.Gowrie@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 14
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Appendix A SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Housing and Technical Resources Committee: Period Ended 31 March 2024 (No.14) Housing and Technical Resources Summary (excl HRA) Annual Budget Forecast for Year Annual Forecast Variance Budget Proportion 31/03/24 Actual 31/03/24 Variance 31/03/24 % Variance 31/03/24 Notes Budget Category Employee Costs 50,270 48,412 1,858 50,270 48,182 2,088 under 4.2% Property Costs 24,750 26,469 (1,719) 24,750 26,739 (1,989) over (8.0%) Supplies & Services 13,901 14,079 (178) 13,901 12,536 1,365 under 9.8% Transport & Plant 4,744 4,429 315 4,744 4,332 412 under 8.7% Administration Costs 3,900 3,880 20 3,900 4,055 (155) over (4.0%) Payments to Other Bodies 8,593 8,618 (25) 8,593 8,521 72 under 0.8% Payments to Contractors 12,865 12,625 240 12,865 13,372 (507) over (3.9%) Transfer Payments 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0.0% Financing Charges 154 181 (27) 154 184 (30) over (19.5%) Total Controllable Exp. 119,177 118,693 484 119,177 117,921 1,256 under 1.1% Total Controllable Inc. (101,234) (102,259) 1,026 (101,234) (101,485) 251 over recovered 0.2% Net Controllable Exp. 17,943 16,433 1,510 17,943 16,436 1,507 under (8.4%) Transfer to Reserves as at (31/03/24) 0 1,510 (1,510) 0 1,510 (1,510) over Position After Transfers to Reserves (31/03/24) 17,943 17,943 0 17,943 17,946 (3) over 0.0% Variance Explanations Variances are shown in Appendices B and C as appropriate. Budget Virements Virements are shown in Appendices B and C as appropriate. Approved Transfers to Reserves Detailed in Appendices B and C 15
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Appendix B SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Housing and Technical Resources Committee: Period Ended 31 March 2024 (No.14) Housing Services Annual Budget Forecast for Year Annual Forecast Variance Budget Proportion 31/03/24 Actual 31/03/24 Variance 31/03/24 % Variance 31/03/24 Notes Budget Category Employee Costs 4,070 4,052 18 4,070 4,032 38 under 10.9% Property Costs 6,634 7,301 (667) 6,634 7,524 (890) over (13.4%) 1 Supplies & Services 328 323 5 328 275 53 under 16.2% Transport & Plant 215 175 40 215 173 42 under 19.5% Administration Costs 156 145 11 156 163 (7) over (4.5%) Payments to Other Bodies 4,721 4,619 102 4,721 4,456 265 under 5.6% 2 Payments to Contractors 2,709 2,468 241 2,709 2,489 220 under 8.1% 3 Transfer Payments 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0.0% Financing Charges 11 20 (9) 11 20 (9) over (81.8%) Total Controllable Exp. 18,844 19,103 (259) 18,844 19,132 (288) over (1.5%) Total Controllable Inc. (8,604) (10,419) 1,815 (8,604) (10,449) 1,845 over recovered 21.4% 4 Net Controllable Exp. 10,240 8,684 1,556 10,240 8,683 1,557 under (0.7%) Transfer to Reserves as at (31/03/24) 0 1,485 (1,485) 0 1,485 (1,485) under recovered i Position After Transfers to Reserves (31/03/24) 10,240 10,169 71 10,240 10,168 72 under (0.7%) Variance Explanations 1. The overspend relates to the cost of works on temporary accommodation to meet current demand. 2. The underspend relates to commissioned services in the homelessness budget where expenditure varies according to service requirements. 3. The underspend relates to commissioned services in the homelessness budget where expenditure varies according to service requirements. 4. The over recovery relates mainly to rent from temporary accommodation stock and Ukraine Resettlement funding which is included as a transfer to reserves. Budget Virements There are no virements to report. Approved Transfers to Reserves (£1.485m): i. Ukraine Resettlement Funding. (£1.485m) 16
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Appendix C SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Housing and Technical Resources Committee: Period Ended 31 March 2024 (No.14) Property Services Annual Budget Forecast for Year Annual Forecast Variance Budget Proportion 31/03/24 Actual 31/03/24 Variance 31/03/24 % Variance 31/03/24 Notes Budget Category Employee Costs 46,200 44,360 1,840 46,200 44,150 2,050 under 4.4% 1 Property Costs 18,116 19,168 (1,052) 18,116 19,215 (1,099) Over (6.1%) 2, c Supplies & Services 13,573 13,756 (183) 13,573 12,261 1,312 under 9.7% 3, a Transport & Plant 4,529 4,254 275 4,529 4,159 370 under 8.2% 4 Administration Costs 3,744 3,735 9 3,744 3,892 (148) over (4.0%) b Payments to Other Bodies 3,872 3,999 (127) 3,872 4,065 (193) over (5.0%) Payments to Contractors 10,156 10,157 (1) 10,156 10,883 (727) over (7.2%) 5 Transfer Payments 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0.0% Financing Charges 143 161 (18) 143 164 (21) over (14.7%) Total Controllable Exp. 100,333 99,590 743 100,333 98,789 1,544 under 1.5% Total Controllable Inc. (92,630) (91,841) (789) (92,630) (91,036) (1,594) under recovered (1.27) 6, c Net Controllable Exp. 7,703 7,749 (46) 7,703 7,753 (50) over 0.6% Transfer to Reserves as at (31/03/24) 0 25 (25) 0 25 (25) over i Position After Transfers to Reserves (31/03/24) 7,703 7,774 (71) 7,703 7,778 (75) over 1.0% Variance Explanations 1. The variance relates to vacancies which are actively being recruited or were still under consideration whilst service requirements are determined. 2. The overspend relates primarily to service charges within the estates service and costs associated with planned and reactive maintenance of Council properties. 3. The variance is mainly due to lower than anticipated expenditure on materials due to the timing of capital and revenue work. 4. The variance relates to an underspend on scaffolding, plant and other transportation costs which is dependent on workload. 5. The use of private contractors varies depending on the current workload demands and timing of works on a wide variety of capital and revenue works. 6. The under recovery of income is due to a reduction in current workload and is partially offset by underspends in expenditure. Budget Virements a. Centralisation of IT budgets. Net Effect (£0.042m): Supplies & Services (£0.042m). b. Realignment of central support budgets with Finance and Corporate Resources. Net Effect £0.146m: Administration Costs £0.146m. c. Realignment of budget within Property Maintenance to reflect current service delivery. Net Effect £0.000m: Property Costs £5.435m and Income (5.435m). Approved Transfers to Reserves (£0.025m): i) Local Heat and Energy Efficiencies Strategies (LHEES). (£0.025m) 17
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Revenue Budget Monitoring 2023/2024 - Housing and Technical Resources - Housing Revenue Account (HRA) 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide information on the actual expenditure measured against the revenue budget for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 for Housing and Technical Resources (HRA) [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the breakeven position on Housing and Technical Resources’ (HRA) revenue budget, as detailed in Appendix A of the report, be noted; and (2) that the proposed budget virements be approved. 3. Background 3.1. This is the final revenue budget monitoring report presented to the Housing and Technical Resources Committee for the financial year 2023/2024. 3.2. The report details the financial position for Housing and Technical Resources (HRA) on Appendix A. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. There are no employee implications as a result of this report. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. As at 31 March 2024, there was a breakeven position against the budget. 5.2. This breakeven position is after a transfer to the HRA Reserve of £0.360 million. The HRA budget initially included a Transfer from Reserves of £4.907 million, but due to the implementation of the Loans Fund Review approved by Council in February 2024, the Probable Outturn position anticipated a Transfer from Reserves of £0.853 million. 5.3. Comparing the year-end Transfer to Reserves (£0.360 million) to the Probable Outturn Transfer from Reserves (£0.853 million) means a favourable movement of £1.213 million. This positive movement is the net result of a number of variances across the Service area being mainly additional rental income from new build and 4 19
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purchased council housing being greater than anticipated, and a reduction in loan charges as a result of the Loans Fund Review. These are offset by additional spend on repairs and maintenance. 5.4. Further details on the variances for the HRA are detailed in Appendix A. 5.5. There were a number of entries required to manage the Scottish Government funding of the 2023/2024 Pay Award. These included the use of additional General Capital Grant of £7.116 million, which had to be transferred to the Revenue Account to pay for the increased costs experienced in year. The General Capital Grant has been routed through the Housing Accounts and transferred to the Revenue Account as cash balances. This approach follows the guidance in the Conditions of the General Capital Grant letter for 2023/2024, which allows us to use the General Capital Grant for Revenue spend. This has no impact on the bottom-line position for the HRA and reflects the accounting entries required to manage the use of Capital funding for Revenue spend. 6. Other Implications 6.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Revenue Budget is that there is an overspend. The risk is managed through four weekly Budget Monitoring Meetings at which any variance is analysed. In addition, the probable outturn exercise ensures early warning for corrective action to be taken where appropriate. 6.2 Inflationary and budget pressures this year increase the risk of overspend however these pressures are assessed and managed within the budget planning exercise for current and future years. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications in terms of the information contained within this report. 8. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 8.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 8.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 21 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References Executive Committee, 26 June 2024 20
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List of Background Papers Financial ledger and budget monitoring results to 31 March 2024 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: - Kathleen Gowrie, Finance Manager Ext: 2680 (Tel: 01698 452680) E-mail : Kathleen.Gowrie@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 21
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Appendix A SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Housing and Technical Resources Committee: Period Ended 31 March 2024 (No.14) Housing Revenue Account Annual Budget Forecast for Year Annual Forecast Variance Budget Proportion 31/03/24 Actual 31/03/24 Variance 31/03/24 % Variance 31/03/24 Notes Budget Category Employee Costs 15,310 15,401 (91) 15,310 15,369 (59) over (0.4%) Property Costs 49,282 54,963 (5,681) 49,282 55,322 (6,040) over (12.3%) 1 Supplies & Services 653 691 (38) 653 949 (296) over (45.3%) Transport & Plant 196 189 7 196 173 23 under 11.7% Administration Costs 5,570 5,597 (27) 5,570 5,663 (93) over (1.7%) Payments to Other Bodies 3,121 3,126 (5) 3,121 10,265 (7,144) over (228.9%) 2 Payments to Contractors 100 145 (45) 100 147 (47) over (47.0%) Transfer Payments 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0.0% Financing Charges 27,229 27,229 0 27,229 20,178 7,051 under 25.9% 3 Total Controllable Exp. 101,461 107,341 (5,880) 101,461 108,066 (6,605) over (6.5%) Total Controllable Inc. (114,440) (115,268) 828 (114,440) (116,578) 2,138 over recovered 1.9% 4 Transfer to/(from) Balance Sheet (4,907) (853) (4,054) (4,907) 360 (5,267) under recovered (107.3%) 5 Net Controllable Exp. (17,886) (8,780) (9,106) (17,886) (8,152) (9,734) over (54.4%) Loan Charges 17,886 8,780 9,106 17,886 8,152 9,734 under 54.4% 6 Net Controllable Exp. 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0.0% Variance Explanations 1. The overspend reflects the volume and cost of repairs and maintenance, including additional costs for the internal contractor. 2. The overspend reflects the release of HRA surplus to the General Fund in line with the General Capital Grant conditions where the funding for the pay award was to be routed through the Housing Accounts. The offset is an underspend in Capital Financed from Current Revenue (see 3 below). This has no impact bottom line. 3. The underspend offsets the overspend in Payments to Other Bodies (see 2 above). 4. The additional income is due to the earlier than anticipated availability of new build and purchased Council housing units and greater than budgeted insurance income. 5. The year end position is a Transfer to Reserves, rather than the budgeted Transfer from Reserves. This positive movement is the net result of a number of variances across the Service area but mainly additional rental income from new build and purchased Council housing being greater than anticipated, and a reduction in loan charges. These are offset by additional spend on repairs and maintenance. 6. The underspend is due to the utilisation of an in-year benefit from the Housing Revenue Account Loans Fund Review. Virements a. Realignment of budgets in line with service provision. Net Effect £0.000m: Employee Costs (£1.647m), Payment to Other Bodies £0.147m, Financing Charges £0.067m, Income £1.500m, Loan Charges (£0.067m) 22
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Revenue Budget Monitoring 2024/2025 - Housing and Technical Resources (Excl Housing Revenue Account (HRA)) 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide information on the actual expenditure measured against the revenue budget for the period 1 April 2023 to 12 July 2024 for Housing and Technical Resources (excl HRA) provide a forecast for the year to 2025 [1pur 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the forecast breakeven position as at 12 July 2024 on Housing and Technical Resources (excl HRA) Revenue Budget, as detailed in Appendix A of the report, be noted; and (2) that the proposed budget virements be approved. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. This is the first revenue budget monitoring report presented to the Housing and Technical Resources Committee for the financial year 2024/2025. 3.2. The report details the financial position for Housing and Technical Resources (excl HRA). Appendix A provides the new service analysis statement, outlining key highlights by Service for the Resource and Appendices B to D provides the detailed financial position with variance explanations by budget category. 3.3 This report reflects the actual spend to 12 July 2024 within the Resource budget and as part of the new reporting regime within FUSION, reflects the expected outturn forecast on expenditure and income at this date. This is a new approach and allows the early monitoring of outturn for both employee and non-employee budgets. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. There are no employee implications as a result of this report. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. As at 12 July 2024, the Resource’s projected outturn position for 2024/2025 is a breakeven position. This is outlined in the new Service analysis statement in appendix A, detailing key highlights by Service for the Resource. 5 23
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5.2 Virements are proposed to realign budgets. These movements have been detailed in the appendices to this report, as appropriate. 6. Other Implications 6.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Revenue Budget is that there is an overspend. The risk is managed through four weekly Budget Monitoring Meetings at which any variance is analysed. In addition, the probable outturn exercise ensures early warning for corrective action to be taken where appropriate. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications in terms of the information contained within this report. 8. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 8.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 8.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 21 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References Executive Committee, 4 September 2024 List of Background Papers Financial ledger and budget monitoring results to 12 July 2024 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: - Kathleen Gowrie, Finance Manager Ext: 2680 (Tel: 01698 452680) E-mail : Kathleen.Gowrie@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 24
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Appendix A Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Housing and Technical Resources Committee: Period 4 Ended 12 July 2024 (No. 4) Revenue Budget Monitoring Report – Service Analysis Service Analysis Revised Annual Budget (£000) Projected Outturn (£000) Projected Outturn Variance (£000) % YTD Actual (£000) Housing Services 8,767 8,718 49 0.56% 1,020 Property Services 4,774 4,823 (49) (1.03%) 12,548 Net Controllable Exp. 13,541 13,541 0 (0.47%) 13,568 Service Heading Explanation for significant projected outturn variances Housing Services The service is anticipated to underspend at the year end mainly due to reduced payments to external providers for sheltered housing. Expenditure on temporary accommodation within the Homelessness service is forecast to overspend however this is offset by an underspend on commissioned services and anticipated increased rental income. The forecast underspend within Housing Services is anticipated to offset the overspend in Property Services below. Property Services The service is anticipated to overspend at the year end mainly due to the net effect of greater than forecast repairs and maintenance within Property Maintenance and service charges within Estates which are partially offset by an anticipated underspend on rates within Office Accommodation and employee costs within CCTV. There is also a forecast underspend on employee costs within Building Services which is anticipated to offset an overspend in payment to contractors and an under recovery in income. The forecast overspend within Property Services is anticipated to be offset by the underspend in Housing Services above. 25
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Appendix B SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Housing and Technical Resources Committee: Period Ended 12 July 2024 (No.4) Housing and Technical Resources Summary (excl HRA) Revised Annual Budget (£000) Projected Outturn (£000) Projected Outturn Variance (£000) Over / Under % YTD Actual (£000) Notes Employee Costs 45,227 42,847 2,380 Under 5.26% 11,452 Property Costs 19,912 20,461 (549) Over (2.76%) 5,381 Supplies & Services 13,764 13,766 (2) Over (0.01%) 1,622 Transport & Plant 4,678 4,681 (3) Over (0.06%) 1,094 Administration Costs 3,744 3,872 (128) Over (3.42%) 142 Payments to Other Bodies 6,034 6,117 (83) Over (1.38%) 1,083 Payments to Contractors 12,376 12,624 (248) Over (2.00%) 4,732 Transfer Payments 0 0 0 - 0.00% 0 Financing Charges 156 157 (1) Over (0.64%) 6 Total Controllable Exp. 105,891 104,525 1,366 Under 1.29% 25,512 Total Controllable Inc. (92,350) (90,984) (1,366) Under Recovered (1.48%) (11,944) Net Controllable Exp. 13,541 13,541 0 - 0.00% 13,568 Variance Explanations Variances are shown in Appendices C and D as appropriate. Budget Virements Virements are shown in Appendices C and D as appropriate. 26
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Appendix C SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Housing and Technical Resources Committee: Period Ended 12 July 2024 (No.4) Housing Services Revised Annual Budget (£000) Projected Outturn (£000) Projected Outturn Variance (£000) Over / Under % YTD Actual (£000) Notes Employee Costs 4,027 4,057 (30) Over (0.74%) 1,023 a, b Property Costs 7,264 7,315 (51) Over (0.70%) 1,058 b, e Supplies & Services 192 193 (1) Over (0.52%) 40 b, d Transport & Plant 148 147 1 Under 0.68% 17 b Administration Costs 146 154 (8) Over (5.48%) 23 b Payments to Other Bodies 4,326 4,313 13 Under 0.30% 656 b, c Payments to Contractors 2,295 2,217 78 Under 3.40% 361 b, c, e Transfer Payments 0 0 0 - 0.00% 0 Financing Charges 12 12 0 - 0.00% 0 Total Controllable Exp. 18,410 18,408 2 under 0.01% 3,178 Total Controllable Inc. (9,643) (9,690) 47 Over Recovered 0.49% (2,158) b, e Net Controllable Exp. 8,767 8,718 49 Under 0.56% 1,020 Variance Explanations There are no significant variances to report. Budget Virements a. Transfer to Corporate Items in relation to the reduction in Employer's Pension contributions. Net Effect (£0.236m): Employee Costs (£0.236m). b. Ukraine refugee budget funding realignments to reflect current service delivery. Net Effect £0.000m: Employee Costs £1.301m, Property Costs £0.845m, Supplies & Services £0.111m, Transport & Plant £0.052m, Administration Costs £0.004m, Payments to Other Bodies £0.562m and Income (£2.875m). c. Transfer of Living Wage funding from Social Work Resources. Net Effect £0.334m: Payments to Other Bodies £0.049m and Payments to Contractors £0.285m. d. Centralisation of IT budgets. Net Effect (£0.002m): Supplies and Services (£0.002m). e. Realignment of budgets within the Homelessness Service to reflect service delivery. Net Effect £0.000m: Property Costs £0.900m, Payments to Contractors (£0.700m), Income (£0.200m). 27
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Appendix D SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Housing and Technical Resources Committee: Period Ended 12 July 2024 (No.4) Property Services Revised Annual Budget (£000) Projected Outturn (£000) Projected Outturn Variance (£000) Over / Under % YTD Actual (£000) Notes Employee Costs 41,200 38,790 2,410 Under 5.85% 10,429 1, a, b Property Costs 12,648 13,146 (498) Over (3.94%) 4,323 2 Supplies & Services 13,572 13,573 (1) Over (0.01%) 1,582 Transport & Plant 4,530 4,534 (4) Over (0.09%) 1,077 Administration Costs 3,598 3,718 (120) Over (3.34%) 119 d Payments to Other Bodies 1,708 1,804 (96) Over (5.62%) 427 Payments to Contractors 10,081 10,407 (326) Over (3.23%) 4,372 3 Transfer Payments 0 0 0 - 0.00% 0 Financing Charges 144 145 (1) Over (0.69%) 6 Total Controllable Exp. 87,481 86,117 1,364 Under 1.56% 22,334 Total Controllable Inc. (82,707) (81,294) (1,413) Under Recovered (1.71%) (9,786) 4, b, c Net Controllable Exp. 4,774 4,823 (49) Over (1.03%) 12,548 Variance Explanations 1. The forecast underspend relates to vacancies which are actively being recruited or are still under consideration whilst service requirements are determined. 2. The forecast overspend relates primarily to service charges within the estates service and costs associated with planned and reactive maintenance of council properties. 3. The forecast overspend is due to the use of private contractors which varies depending on the current workload demands and timing of works on a wide variety of capital and revenue works. 4. The forecast under recovery of is due to a reduction in current workload and is partially offset by underspends in expenditure. Budget Virements a. Transfer to Corporate Items in relation to the reduction in Employer's Pension contributions. Net Effect (£0.389m): Employee Costs (£0.389m). b. Realignment of budget within Building Services to reflect current service delivery. Net Effect £0.000m: Employee Costs £3.969m and Income (£3.969m). c. Transfer of Clinical Waste Contract service to Community & Enterprise Resources. Net Effect (£0.052m): Income (£0.052m). d. Centralisation of IT budgets. Net Effect (£0.041m): Supplies and Services (£0.041m). 28
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Revenue Budget Monitoring 2024/2025 - Housing and Technical Resources - Housing Revenue Account (HRA) 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide information on the actual expenditure measured against the revenue budget for the period 1 April to 12 July 2024 for Housing and Technical Resources (HRA) provide a forecast for the year to 31 March 2025 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the forecast breakeven position on Housing and Technical Resources’ (HRA) revenue budget, as detailed in Appendix A of the report, be noted; and (2) that the proposed budget virements be approved. 3. Background 3.1. This is the first revenue budget monitoring report presented to the Housing and Technical Resources Committee for the financial year 2024/2025. 3.2. The report details the financial position for Housing and Technical Resources (HRA) in Appendix A. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. There are no employee implications as a result of this report. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. As at 12 July 2024, there is a forecast breakeven position against the budget. 6. Other Implications 6.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Revenue Budget is that there is an overspend. The risk is managed through four weekly Budget Monitoring Meetings at which any variance is analysed. In addition, the probable outturn exercise ensures early warning for corrective action to be taken where appropriate. 6.2 Inflationary and budget pressures increase the risk of overspend however these pressures are assessed and managed within the budget planning exercise for current and future years. 6 29
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7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications in terms of the information contained within this report. 8. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 8.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 8.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 21 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References Executive Committee, 4 September 2024 List of Background Papers Financial ledger and budget monitoring results to 12 July 2024 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: - Kathleen Gowrie, Finance Manager Ext: 2680 (Tel: 01698 452680) E-mail : Kathleen.Gowrie@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 30
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Appendix A SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Housing and Technical Resources Committee: Period Ended 12 July 2024 (No.4) Housing Revenue Account Revised Annual Budget (£000) Projected Outturn (£000) Projected Outturn Variance (£000) Over / Under % YTD Actual (£000) Notes Employee Costs 13,782 13,782 0 - 0.00% 3,662 Property Costs 59,203 59,203 0 - 0.00% 9,654 Supplies & Services 1,543 1,543 0 - 0.00% 184 Transport & Plant 195 195 0 - 0.00% 20 Administration Costs 5,594 5,594 0 - 0.00% 110 Payments to Other Bodies 2,975 2,975 0 - 0.00% 713 Payments to Contractors 100 100 0 - 0.00% 185 Transfer Payments 0 0 0 - 0.00% 0 Financing Charges 33,573 33,573 0 - 0.00% 10,312 Total Controllable Exp. 116,965 116,965 0 - 0.00% 24,840 Total Controllable Inc. (123,398) (123,398) 0 - 0.00% (28,141) Transfer to/(from) Balance Sheet (4,229) (4,229) 0 - 0.00% 0 Net Controllable Exp. (10,662) (10,662) 0 - 0.00% (3,301) Loan Charges 10,662 10,662 0 - 0.00% 3,301 Net Controllable Exp. 0 0 0 - 0.00% 0 Variance Explanations There are no variances to report. Virements There are no virements to report. 31
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Capital Budget Monitoring 2023/2024 - Housing and Technical Resources (Housing Revenue Account) 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide information on the progress of the capital programme for Housing and Technical Resources (HRA) for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the revised Housing and Technical Resources (HRA) capital programme of £67.443 million, and expenditure to 31 March 2024 of £62.240 million be noted. 3. Background 3.1. This is the final capital monitoring report presented to the Housing and Technical Resources Committee for the financial year 2023/2024. 3.2. The budget is based on the revised capital programme for the year, which was approved by the Executive Committee on 8 May 2024. 3.3. The report details the financial position for Housing and Technical Resources (HRA) in Appendix A. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. There are no employee implications contained within this report. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. The Housing Capital Programme for 2023/2024 totalled £67.443 million and is detailed along with the funding sources at Appendix A to this report. 5.2. Actual expenditure to 31 March 2024 was £62.240 million, a net underspend of £5.203 million. This was due to the timing of the purchase of land at sites within the East Kilbride Community Growth Area and Brackenhill Farm, Hamilton with these settling early in the new financial year. In addition, there were access issues with a significant number of central heating systems upgrades and windows and doors projects. 5.3. Part of the Council’s Capital funding package for the year included £7.116 million which was allocated by the Scottish Government to fund the 2023/2024 Pay Award. In order to facilitate this, the General Capital Grant has been routed through the 7 33
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Housing Accounts with a subsequent transfer to the General Services Revenue Account. This is permitted in the Grant Conditions of the General Capital Grant letter for 2023/2024 which the Scottish Government have changed for this year only, and which allows councils to use the General Capital Grant for Revenue spend. 5.4. The figures presented in the Housing Capital Outturn in Appendix A reflect the transfer of General Capital Grant and the reduced use of CFCR to facilitate the funding ultimately being transferred to the General Services Revenue account to pay for the Pay Award. This has no impact bottom-line and is just the accounting arrangements required for routing the monies to the General Services Revenue account. 6. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 6.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 7. Other Implications 7.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Capital Programme is an overspend. The risk is mitigated through the detailed project management plans prepared and monitored for each project. The risk of overspend is managed through four weekly Investment management meetings. 8. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 8.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 8.2. There was also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 21 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes ▪ Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References ▪ Executive Committee, 26 June 2024 List of Background Papers ▪ Financial ledger to 31 March 2024 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Kathleen Gowrie, Finance Manager (Resources) Ext: 2680 (Tel: 01698 452680) E-mail: Kathleen.Gowrie@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 34
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South Lanarkshire Council Appendix A Housing Capital Programme 2023/24 As at 31 March 2024 2023/2024 Annual Budget 2023/2024 Actual to 31/03/24 £m £m EXPENDITURE 2023/2024 Budget Incl. carry forward from 2023/24 67.443 62.240 2023/2024 Actual to 31/03/24 £m INCOME Capital Receipts 1.901 Capital Receipts – Land Sales 0.065 Capital Funded from Current Revenue (after transfer to General Services Revenue) 20.046 Prudential Borrowing 14.533 General Capital Grant (being the transfer from General Services Capital) 7.116 Scottish Government Specific Grant: – New Build 9.228 – Open Market Purchase Scheme 8.563 – Mortgage to Rent 0.288 Miscellaneous Income 0.500 TOTAL FUNDING 62.240 35
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Capital Budget Monitoring 2023/2024 - Housing and Technical Resources (excl Housing Revenue Account) 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide information on the progress of the capital programme for Housing and Technical Resources (excl HRA) for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the Housing and Technical Resources (excl HRA) capital programme of £11.488 million, and expenditure for the year of £7.717 million, be noted. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. This is the final capital monitoring report presented to the Housing and Technical Resources Committee for the financial year 2023/2024. 3.2. As noted in the last report to this Committee (24 April 2024), the budget for Housing and Technical Resources for financial year 2023/2024 was £11.488 million. There have been no changes to the budget allocation since that Committee meeting. 3.3. The report details the financial position for Housing and Technical Resources in Appendix A. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. There are no employee implications as a result of this report. 5. 2023/2024 Capital Programme – Final Position 5.1. As detailed in Section 3.2, the capital programme for Housing and Technical Resources for 2023/2024 was £11.488 million. Total expenditure to the 31 March 2024 was £7.717 million, a difference of £3.771 million on the programme of £11.488 million. 5.2. The programme underspend of £3.771 million is mainly due to the timing of project spend on a number of projects within multi-year programmes. The main projects which are responsible for the underspend are detailed in Appendix A for information. 5.3. Any underspend on these projects, along with the funding, has been carried forward into the new financial year as required. An update on the 2024/2025 programme is detailed in a separate report to this Committee. 8 37
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5.4. Accounting Adjustments While sections 5.1 to 5.3 detail the position on the Capital Programme as set, Accounting Regulations mean that adjustments are required to report spend correctly as either Capital or Revenue for the purposes of publishing our Annual Accounts. This includes where spend is in relation to assets that are not owned by the Council and where the spend must be classed as Revenue. There is no operational impact for projects from this adjustment – it is an accounting entry only. 5.5. At the year-end 2023/2024, £4.797 million of capital spend required to be recorded as Revenue spend. This transfer means that for the purpose of publishing our Annual Accounts only, there is Capital spend of £2.920 million. 6. Financial Implications 6.1. The financial implications are detailed in section 4 of this report. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 8. Other Implications 8.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Capital Programme is that there is an overspend. The risk has been assessed as low given the detailed project management plans prepared and monitored for each project. The risk of overspend is managed through four weekly Investment Management Meetings. 9. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 9.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 9.2. There was also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 21 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Previous References Housing and Technical Resources Committee, 24 April 2024 Executive Committee, 26 June 2024 List of Background Papers Financial ledger to 31 March 2024 38
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Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Graham Booth, Finance Manager (Strategy) Ext: 2699 (Tel: 01698 452699) E-mail: graham.booth@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 39
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Appendix A (Page 1) South Lanarkshire Council Capital Expenditure 2023-2024 Housing and Technical Resources Programme (excl HRA) For Period 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024 Housing and Technical Resources (excl HRA) Base Budget £000 Budget Adjustments £000 Slippage/ Acceleration £000 Total Budget £000 Actual Expenditure £000 Office Accommodation 10,637 459 0 11,096 7,353 Private Housing Scheme of Assistance 1,000 (1,000) 0 0 0 Other Housing 163 229 0 392 364 TOTAL 11,800 (312) 0 11,488 7,717 Accounting Adjustments Less Transfers to Revenue (4,797) 2023/24 Outturn Position (Accounting Basis Only) 2,920 40
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Appendix A (Page 2) Main Projects with Underspends in 2023/2024 Project Name U/spend Value £000 Project Name U/spend Value £000 Prioritised Urgent Investment 2,023 Council Offices – Brandon Gate 12 Lifecycle Replacement Schools 480 Central Energy Efficiency Fund Programme 29 Community Facilities Fund 100 Public Space CCTV – Phase 2 145 41
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Capital Budget Monitoring 2024/2025 - Housing and Technical Resources (Housing Revenue Account) 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide information on the progress of the capital programme for Housing and Technical Resources (HRA) for the period 1 April to 12 July 2024 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the revised Housing and Technical Resources (HRA) capital programme of £77.248 million, and expenditure to 12 July 2024 of £11.647 million be noted. 3. Background 3.1. This is the first capital monitoring report presented to the Housing and Technical Resources Committee for the financial year 2024/2025. 3.2. The budget is based on the revised capital programme for the year, which was approved by the Executive Committee on 4 September 2024. 3.3. The report details the financial position for Housing and Technical Resources (HRA) on Appendix A. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. There are no employee implications contained within this report. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. The Housing Capital Programme for 2024/2025 totals £77.248 million and is detailed along with the funding sources at Appendix A to this report. This budget is based on the original programme approved by the Council in February 2024, updated to include budget carried forward from financial year 2023/2024. In addition, the budget reflects the revised Scottish Government Affordable Housing grant available for 2024/2025. 5.2. In line with the move to the new Fusion IT system, the focus of capital monitoring will now be the forecast spend position for the financial year. This will routinely be compared to the annual budget and will mean that the Resource will have early warning of any in-year project overspends or slippage, and will allow corrective action to be taken when possible, either to bring spend back in on line, or to accelerate another approved project so that maximum spend can be incurred in year. 9 43
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5.3. The current forecast for 2024/2025 from Housing and Technical Resources has identified an outturn of £77.248 million for the year, as projects are being considered by the Resource up to the level of budget available. 6. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 6.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 7. Other Implications 7.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Capital Programme is an overspend. The risk is mitigated through the detailed project management plans prepared and monitored for each project. The risk of overspend is managed through four weekly Investment management meetings. 8. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 8.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 8.2. There was also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 21 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes ▪ Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References ▪ Executive Committee, 4 September 2024 List of Background Papers ▪ Financial ledger to 12 July 2024 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Kathleen Gowrie, Finance Manager (Resources) Ext: 2680 (Tel: 01698 452680) E-mail: Kathleen.Gowrie@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 44
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South Lanarkshire Council Appendix A Housing Capital Programme 2024/2025 As at 12 July 2024 2024/25 Annual Budget 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 Forecast Variance 2024/25 Actual to 12/07/24 £m £m £m £m Expenditure 2024/25 Budget 77.248 77.248 - 11.647 2024/25 Annual Budget 2024/25 Actual to 12/07/24 £m £m Income Capital Receipts 0.000 0.093 Capital Receipts – Land Sales 0.000 0.172 Capital Funded from Current Revenue 33.506 9.955 Prudential Borrowing 23.677 0.000 Scottish Government Specific Grant: - New Build 16.945 1.209 - Open Market Purchase Scheme 3.000 0.000 - Mortgage to Rent 0.120 0.036 Other Income 0.000 0.182 77.248 11.647 45
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Capital Budget Monitoring 2024/2025 - Housing and Technical Resources (excl Housing Revenue Account (HRA)) 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide information on the progress of the capital programme for Housing and Technical Resources (excl HRA) for the period 1 April to 12 July 2024 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the Housing and Technical Resources capital programme of £11.629 million, and forecast expenditure of £9.042 million, be noted. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. This is the first capital monitoring report presented to the Housing and Technical Resources Committee for the financial year 2024/2025. Further reports will follow throughout the year. 3.2. The budget of £11.629 million for Housing and Technical Resources is based on the overall Capital Programme for 2024/2025 approved by the Executive Committee on 4 September 2024. 3.3. The report details the financial position for Housing and Technical Resources in Appendix A. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. There are no employee implications as a result of this report. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. 2024/2025 Budget As detailed in Section 3.2, the revised capital programme for Housing and Technical Resources is £11.629 million. This budget is based on the original programme of projects approved by the Council in February 2024, updated to include budget carried forward from financial year 2023/2024 and a budget amendment for £0.700 million. This budget amendment was approved by Executive Committee in June 2024 (detailed in Appendix A). The budget of £11.629 million also reflects the estimated level of spend which can be achieved in 2024/2025, based on current information. 10 47
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5.2. 2024/2025 Forecast In line with the move to the new Fusion IT system, the focus of capital monitoring will now be the forecast spend position for the financial year. This will routinely be compared to the annual budget and will mean that the Resource will have early warning of any in-year project overspends or slippage, and will allow corrective action to be taken when possible, either to bring spend back in on line, or to accelerate another approved project so that maximum spend can be incurred in year. 5.3. Appendix A shows a forecast for the financial year of £11.629 million. For information, actual expenditure to 12 July 2024 is £0.423m. 6. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 6.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 7. Other Implications 7.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Capital Programme is that there is an overspend. The risk has been assessed as low given the detailed project management plans prepared and monitored for each project. The risk of overspend is managed through four weekly Investment Management Meetings. 8. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 8.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 8.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in the report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 21 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Ambitions/Objectives Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Previous References South Lanarkshire Council, 21 February 2024 Executive Committee, 4 September 2024 List of Background Papers ♦ Financial ledger to 12 July 2024 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: Graham Booth, Finance Manager (Strategy) Ext: 2699 (Tel: 01698 452699) E-mail: graham.booth@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 48
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Appendix A South Lanarkshire Council Capital Expenditure 2024-325 Housing and Technical Resources Programme (excl HRA) For Period 1 April 2024– 12 July 2024 Housing and Technical Resources (excl HRA) Base Budget £000 Budget Adjustments £000 Slippage/ Acceleration £000 Total Budget £000 Forecast Spend £000 Forecast Variance £000 Actual Expenditure £000 Asset Management Programme 8,675 0 - 8,675 8,675 - 408 Private Housing Scheme of Assistance 1,000 0 - 1,000 1,000 - 0 Other Housing 1,254 700 - 1,954 1,954 - 15 TOTAL 10,929 700 - 11,629 11,629 - 423 For Information Only Budget Adjustments approved by Executive Committee, 26 June 2024: Budget Adjustments Central Energy Efficiency Fund 2024/2025 (CEEF) Total Budget Adjustments £0.700m £0.700m 49
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) and Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Housing and Technical Resources – Workforce Monitoring – April to June 2024 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide employment information for April to June 2024 relating to Housing and Technical Resources [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the following employment information for April to June 2024 relating to Housing and Technical Resources be noted:- attendance statistics; occupational health; accident/incident statistics; discipline, grievance and Dignity at Work cases; analysis of leavers and exit interviews; and staffing watch as at 11 June 2024. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. As part of the Council’s performance management arrangements, regular workforce monitoring reports are submitted to Committee. This report for Housing and Technical Resources provides information on the position for April to June 2024. 4. Monitoring Statistics 4.1. Attendance Statistics (Appendix 1) Information on absence statistics is analysed for the month of June 2024 for Housing and Technical Resources. The Resource absence figure for June 2024 was 6.8%, this figure has increased by 0.4% when compared to last month and is 1.6% higher than the Council-wide figure. Compared to June 2023, the Resource absence figure has increased by 0.8%. Based on the absence figures at June 2024 and annual trends, the projected annual average absence for the Resource for 2024/2025 is 5.9% compared to a Council- wide average figure of 5.5%. 11 51
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Managers follow the procedures outlined in the Maximising Attendance Policy to support employees to remain at work, or to return to work after a sickness absence. There are comprehensive employee supports in place and additionally, Personnel Services work in close partnership with line managers and Resource Management Teams on a case management basis to ensure that appropriate actions are taken. 4.2. Occupational Health (Appendix 2) In terms of referrals to occupational health, which include medical examinations and physiotherapy, overall 161 referrals were made this period. This represents an increase of 18 when compared with the same period last year. 4.3. Accident/Incident Statistics (Appendix 2) There were 5 accidents/incidents recorded within the Resource this period, a decrease of 4 when compared to the same period last year. 4.4. Discipline, Grievance and Dignity at Work (Appendix 2) During the period, 3 disciplinary hearings were held within the Resource, this figure remains unchanged when compared to the same period last year. During this period, no appeals were heard by the Appeals Panel and no Appeals Panels were pending. No grievances were raised within the Resource, this figure remains unchanged when compared to the same period last year. No Dignity at Work complaint was raised within the Resource, this figure has remains unchanged when compared to the same period last year. 4.5. Analysis of Leavers (Appendix 2a) There was a total of 11 leavers in the Resource this period eligible for an exit interview. This figure has increased by 6 when compared with the same period last year. 4 exit interviews were conducted in this period, an increase of 1 when compared with the same period last year. 4.6. When processing an employee termination, managers were asked to identify whether they intended to replace the employee who had left the Council. If they indicated that they did not intend to replace the employee, they were asked to select from the following options:- plan to hold for savings fill on a fixed term basis pending savings transfer budget to another post end of fixed term contract 4.7. Appendix 2b provides a breakdown of vacant posts and whether these are being replaced or held for savings. In the period April to June 2024, 26 employees (22.36 FTE) in total left employment, managers indicated that 25 posts (21.36 FTE) were being replaced and 1 post (1.00 FTE) is being filled on a temporary basis. 5. Staffing Watch 5.1. There has been a decrease of 5 in the number of employees in post from 9 March 2024 to 11 June 2024 . 6. Employee Implications 6.1. There are no implications for employees arising from the information presented in this report. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. All financial implications are accommodated within existing budgets. 52
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8. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 8.1. There are no Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications in terms of the information contained within this report. 9. Other Implications 9.1. There are no implications for sustainability or risk in terms of the information contained within this report. 10. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 10.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function, or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 10.2. There was no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 8 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Fair, open and sustainable Ambitious, self aware and improving Excellent employer Focused on people and their needs Working with and respecting others Previous References Housing and Technical Resources, 19 June 2024 List of Background Papers Monitoring information provided by Finance and Corporate Resources Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Elaine Maxwell, HR Business Manager Ext: (Tel: 01698 454647) E-mail: elaine.maxwell@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 53
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2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 5.5 5.7 5.3 April 10.6 6.9 7.2 April 7.6 6.2 6.1 April 5.6 5.1 5.2 May 4.5 4.9 5.2 May 8.1 6.1 8.1 May 6.0 5.4 6.4 May 5.4 5.1 5.3 June 4.9 5.4 5.7 June 8.5 6.8 8.4 June 6.4 6.0 6.8 June 5.3 4.7 5.2 July 5.5 5.0 July 8.9 8.1 July 6.9 6.2 July 4.6 3.8 August 4.7 5.1 August 7.1 8.5 August 5.7 6.4 August 4.4 4.1 September 4.5 4.7 September 6.3 7.8 September 5.2 6.0 September 5.4 5.3 October 4.3 4.9 October 7.8 5.2 October 5.8 5.0 October 5.8 5.1 November 4.6 4.8 November 7.8 6.7 November 5.9 5.6 November 6.5 6.2 December 4.4 5.1 December 7.2 7.4 December 5.6 6.0 December 7.0 6.6 January 4.5 4.4 January 5.5 6.0 January 4.9 5.0 January 5.8 6.1 February 4.4 5.2 February 6.2 6.3 February 5.1 5.6 February 5.9 6.4 March 5.3 5.3 March 6.8 7.2 March 5.9 6.1 March 6.4 6.3 Annual Average 4.8 5.0 5.1 Annual Average 7.6 6.9 7.2 Annual Average 5.9 5.8 5.9 Annual Average 5.7 5.4 5.5 Average Apr-Jun 5.0 5.3 5.4 Average Apr-Jun 9.4 6.5 7.9 Average Apr-Jun 6.8 5.8 6.4 Average Apr-Jun 5.5 5.1 5.2 879 562 1441 16123No of Employees at 30 Jun 2024No of Employees at 30 Jun 2024 No of Employees at 30 Jun 2024 No of Employees at 30 Jun 2024 Appendix 1 Housing & Technical Resources Resource Total Absence Trends - 2022/2023, 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 APT&C Manual Workers Council Wide 54
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Apr - Jun Apr - Jun 2023 2024 MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS Number of Employees Attending EMPLOYEE COUNSELLING SERVICE Total Number of Referrals PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICE Total Number of Referrals REFERRALS TO EMPLOYEE SUPPORT OFFICER 44 34 REFERRALS TO COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY 1 0 TOTAL 143 161 Apr - Jun Apr - Jun 2023 2024 Specified Injuries* 0 0 Over 7 day absences** 1 0 Over 3 day absences** 0 0 Minor 6 5 Near Miss*** 0 0 Violent Incident: Physical**** 0 0 Violent Incident: Verbal***** 2 0 Total Accidents/Incidents 9 5 Apr - Jun Apr - Jun 2023 2024 Total Number of Hearings 3 3 Total Number of Appeals 0 0 Appeals Pending 0 0 Time Taken to Convene Hearing April - June 2024 0-3 Weeks 4-6 Weeks Over 6 Weeks 2 1 0 Apr - Jun Apr - Jun 2023 2024 Number of Grievances 0 0 Number Resolved at Stage 1 0 0 Number Resolved at Stage 2 0 0 Number Resolved at Stage 3 0 0 Still in Progress 0 0 Apr - Jun Apr - Jun 2023 2024 Number of Incidents 0 0 Number Resolved at Informal Stage 0 0 Number Resolved at Formal Stage 0 0 Number of Appeals 0 0 Appeals in Process 0 0 Still in Process 0 0 Appendix 2 46 64 1 0 HOUSING AND TECHNICAL RESOURCES 51 63 CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS *A Specified Injury is any fracture (other than to the fingers, thumbs or toes), amputation, loss of sight, serious burns, crushing injury, scalping, loss of consciousness caused by asphyxiation/ head injury, a chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or penetrating injury as defined by the HSE. **Over 3 day / over 7day absence is an injury sustained outwith specified injury category that results in a period of absence of absence as defined by the HSE. ***Near Miss - Any unexpected, unplanned occurrence (except Dangerous Occurrences) that does not lead to injury of persons, damage to property, plant or equipment but may have done so in different circumstance. ****Physical violent incidents are included in the "Specified" figures, where applicable, to provide the "Total Specified" figures. ****Physical violent incidents and ***** Verbal Violent Incidents are included in the "Over 3-day or Over 7-day" figures, where applicable, to provide the "Total Over 3-day or Over 7-day" figures. ****Physical Violent Incidents and ***** Verbal Violent Incidents are included in the "Minor" figures, where applicable, to provide the "Total Minor" figures. RECORD OF DISCIPLINARY HEARINGS RECORD OF GRIEVANCE HEARINGS RECORD OF DIGNITY AT WORK 55
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Apr - Jun Apr - Jun 2023 2024 Career Advancement 0 2 Child Caring / Caring Responsibilities 0 1 Disatisfaction with terms and conditions 1 0 Further Education 0 0 Moving outwith area 0 0 Personal Reasons 1 0 Poor relationship with managers / colleagues 0 1 Travelling difficulties 1 0 Other 0 2 Number of Exit Interviews conducted 3 4 Total Number of Leavers Eligible for Exit Interview 5 11 Percentage of interviews conducted 60% 36% ANALYSIS OF REASONS FOR LEAVING Appendix 2a HOUSING & TECHNICAL RESOURCES 56
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Analysis of Vacant Post Proposals FTE H/C FTE H/C Terminations/Leavers 22.36 26 22.36 26 Being replaced 21.36 25 21.36 25 Filling on a temporary basis 1.00 1 1.00 1 Plan to transfer this budget to another post 0.00 0 0.00 0 End of fixed term contract 0.00 0 0.00 0 Held pending service Review 0.00 0 0.00 0 Plan to remove for savings 0.00 0 0.00 0 Appendix 2b Reason Apr - Jun 2024 Financial Year 57
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As at 11 June 2024 Total Number of Employees F/T P/T F/T P/T 779 25 332 132 Chief Officer Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Fixed SCP Teacher TOTAL 3.00 193.51 631.52 341.56 29.60 9.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1208.19 As at 9 March 2024 Total Number of Employees F/T P/T F/T P/T 787 24 330 132 Chief Officer Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Fixed SCP Teacher TOTAL 3.00 188.11 630.82 352.56 29.60 9.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1213.09 Salary Bands Appendix 3 JOINT STAFFING WATCH RETURN HOUSING & TECHNICAL RESOURCES 1268 1273 *Full - Time Equivalent No of Employees MALE FEMALE MALE FEMALE TOTAL TOTAL *Full - Time Equivalent No of Employees Salary Bands 58
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Scottish Housing Regulator – Annual Assurance Statement 2023/2024 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- seek approval to submit the Annual Assurance Statement for South Lanarkshire Council to the Scottish Housing Regulator 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the South Lanarkshire Council Annual Assurance Statement 2023/2024 (attached as Appendix 1) be approved and submitted, to the Scottish Housing Regulator. 3. Background 3.1. The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) was established in 2011 as an independent body directly accountable to the Scottish Government to regulate registered social landlords (RSL’s) and local authority housing and homelessness services. The SHR does this by assessing and reporting on social landlord’s delivery of services, RSL’s financial well-being and standards of governance and where necessary intervening to secure improvements. 3.2. The SHR Regulatory Framework requires local authority landlords to submit an Annual Assurance Statement confirming compliance with regulatory requirements and, if appropriate, identify any material breaches. Examples of such material breaches specific to local authorities include those that seriously affect the interests and safety of tenants, people who are homeless or other service users; threaten the stability, efficient running or viability of service delivery arrangements and bring the landlord into disrepute or raise public or stakeholder concern about your organisation or the social housing sector. 3.3. The framework is subject to 5 yearly review and in February 2024, following consultation with stakeholders, the SHR published its new Regulatory Framework and statutory guidance for social landlords. 3.4. The new framework went live from 1 April 2024 and sets out how SHR will regulate social landlords in Scotland. 12 59
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3.5. In response to the feedback from stakeholders, the Regulator has maintained much from the previous framework. The revised framework does however include a new provision to allow it to require landlords to provide explicit assurance in the Annual Assurance Statement (AAS) on the following issues:- gas safety electrical safety water safety fire safety asbestos damp and mould lift safety 3.6. It has also strengthened the emphasis on social landlords listening to tenants and service users, and committed to a comprehensive review of the Annual Return on the Charter which it will consult on later this year. 3.7. South Lanarkshire’s Annual Assurance Statement for 2022/2023 was approved by Housing and Technical Resource’s Committee on 30 August 2023 and subsequently submitted to the SHR following approval. 4. South Lanarkshire Council Annual Assurance Statement 4.1. The Annual Assurance Statement 2023/2024 for the Council is attached as Appendix 1. As recommended by SHR guidance, this is short, succinct, and based upon the format provided by the regulator. 4.2. The key requirement of the Annual Assurance Statement is for the Committee to confirm that it is confident that appropriate systems, evidence, relationships, and channels of communication are in place to ensure the effective planning, delivery and monitoring of relevant services against statutory and regulatory requirements. 4.3. Within South Lanarkshire, the assurance required is provided through a wide range of arrangements which are in place, at a Council and Resource wide level. A summary of the key requirements for assurance and how these are addressed is attached as Appendix 2. 4.5. Provided that tenant and resident safety is not compromised, the SHR continues to indicate they will not engage with a landlord where it does not fully comply with regulatory requirements and the landlord has effective plans to return to full compliance. In relation to this year’s statement there are two points to highlight in relation to compliance, highlighted below, where the Council is partially compliant:- Fire Tolerable Standards Fixed Electrical Testing 4.6. In relation to the reporting requirements of Fire Tolerable Standards, we currently have 539 Smoke Heat and CO out with date (installation of combined alarms to all houses by required date) and Fixed Electrical Testing, there are currently 1,360 (completion of 5 yearly checks on electrical systems) out with date. A programme of work is progressing well, however, a number that remain outstanding are due to the ability to gain access to carry out the installations/testing. A robust programme of work is in place to address these issues, with the introduction of a forced entry programme, which is being closely monitored within the Resource. 60
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4.7. In relation to equalities and human rights, guidance on equalities data collection, ‘Collecting equality information: National guidance for Scottish social landlords’ was published in August 2021 and updated in June 2022. In this year’s AAS, social landlords are asked to provide assurance that they have or are in the process of implementing an effective approach to the collection of equalities information and are considering how a human rights approach to their work can be adopted. The councils position in relation to this has been reflected in the proposed Annual Assurance Statement. 5. Next Steps 5.1. Subject to approval, the Annual Assurance Statement will be signed off by the Chair of Housing and Technical Resources Committee and returned, as required, to the Scottish Housing Regulator to confirm the required assurance. 5.2. The results of the Annual Return on the Charter 2023/2024 are presented as a separate report to this Committee. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. There are no employee implications associated with this report. 7. Financial Implications 7.1 The costs associated with the legislative programmes are already taken into account within existing budgets. 7.2 The costs associated with the forced entry programme will be closely monitored. 8. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 8.1. There are no issues in relation to climate change, sustainability and the environment contained within this report. 9. Other Implications 9.1. There are no additional risks associated with this report. 9.2. There are no sustainable development issues associated with this report. 10. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 10.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, strategy or plan and is not subject to impact assessment requirements. 10.2. In addition to regular regular discussion with the Tenant Participation Co-ordination Group on performance and Charter reporting, specific engagement has taken place to confirm arrangements for the development and submission of the Annual Assurance Statement. Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 27 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient, and transparent 61
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Previous References Our Regulation of Scottish Housing – Housing and Technical Resources Committee, 23 January 2019 Scottish Housing Regulator - Regulation of Social Housing in Scotland – Housing and Technical Resources Committee, 4 September 2019 Scottish Housing Regulator – Annual Assurance Statement – Housing and Technical Resources Committee, 25 November 2020 Scottish Housing Regulator – Annual Assurance Statement – Housing and Technical Resources Committee, 29 September 2021 Scottish Housing Regulator – Annual Assurance Statement Housing and Technical Resources Committee, 5 October 2022 Scottish Housing Regulator – Annual Assurance Statement – Housing and Technical Resources Committee, 30 August 2023 List of Background Papers Our Regulation of Scottish Housing – a discussion Paper January 2018 Our Regulation of Scottish Housing – a Consultation October 2018 Our Regulation of Scottish Housing – Final Framework 2019 Our Regulation of Scottish Housing – Final Framework 2024 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: - Cameron Mitchell Ext: 845 4862 E-mail: cameron.mitchell@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 62
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Appendix 1 Housing and Technical Resources Executive Director Stephen Gibson South Lanarkshire Council Annual Assurance Statement South Lanarkshire Council complies with the regulatory requirements set out in Chapter 3 of the Scottish Housing Regulator’s Framework. This includes that we:- achieve all standards and outcomes in the Scottish Social Housing Charter for tenants, people who are homeless and others who use our services comply with all our legal obligations relating to housing and homelessness, equality and human rights, and tenant and resident safety with the exception of the following:- • Fire Tolerable Standards / Fixed Electrical Testing – a programme of work is progressing well, however, a number remain outstanding due to the ability to gain access to carry out the installations/testing. A robust programme of work is in place to address these issues which is being closely monitored within the Resource. In relation to equalities data collection and human rights, the Council has well established processes and policies in these areas, with consideration already embedded in how we deliver services. Work is being progressed to further develop and adjust our existing approach to the collection of equalities and human rights information along with other changes to reflect the requirements of the regulatory guidance. On an ongoing basis, the Committee specifically consider the information and evidence necessary to provide the required assurance. The Annual Assurance Statement for 2023/2024 was approved at the meeting of our Housing and Technical Resources Committee on 18 September 2024. Chair’s signature: Date: 63
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Appendix 2 Assurance Requirements What Assurance required How assurance is evidenced Monitor and report performance Performance Management Framework in place and appropriately reported On an annual basis a report is provided to Housing and Technical Resources Committee on performance against Scottish Social Housing Charter requirements. Performance against the charter requirements for 2023/24 will be reported to HTR Committee in November 2024. Effective Resource and Service planning arrangements are in place. Resource and Service plans are in place to monitor progress at different levels of the planning hierarchy i.e., Community Plan, the Connect (Council) Plan, Resource and Service Plan actions and measures. Progress against Connect and Resource Plan objectives are reported to Housing and Technical Resources and Executive Committee on a twice- yearly basis. In conjunction with the above, the Resource Learning and Development Plan plays a key role in delivering assurance and as such we are committed to providing the highest levels of professionalism across our services. As part of this plan and to further support our commitment, we signed up to the Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland’s, ‘Housing Professionalism Commitment’ in June 2024. Appropriate Internal Audit arrangements are in place A comprehensive internal audit programme is reviewed and implemented yearly in line with service requirements. Progress against the audit programme is reported to Finance and Corporate Resources Committee. Equality and Diversity Equality and diversity issues are effectively considered when making decisions. Work within the Resource in relation to equality and diversity is reported to Housing and Technical Resources Committee on an annual basis. The last reported 8 November 2023 with next report to reported to be presented on 27 November 2024. 64
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What Assurance required How assurance is evidenced Involve tenants and other relevant service users Council and Resource Customer satisfaction levels The Resource has a rolling programme of customer satisfaction surveys in place. These are used to inform policy and service development. Key results from the survey programme are reported to the Housing and Technical Resources Committee as part of the annual report on performance against the Scottish Social Housing Charter. Customer Involvement and Scrutiny Programme in place and being delivered The Customer Involvement Strategy was reviewed with members of the Tenant Participation Coordination Group and was open for consultation between September and December 2023. The strategy was approved by Housing and Technical Resources Committee on 7 February 2024. Legal obligations Ensure that all legal obligations associated with housing and homelessness are adhered to. The Resource Strategy and Policy Review Framework ensures policies and strategies are reviewed on a cyclical basis to confirm that they are delivering the intended outcomes, reflect changes in policy/services context and are consistent with legal and regulatory requirements. An update on the framework is presented to Housing and Technical Resources Committee on an annual basis. This will be reported to the Committee on 27 November 2024. Risk Management Strategy is reported to the Housing and Technical Resource Committee on a yearly basis. This will be reported to Housing and Technical Resources Committee in November 2024. This corporate approach to risk management promotes consideration of risk in service delivery, planning and decision-making processes. The Strategy requires Resources to record and review risks and control actions regularly. Tenant and resident safety Have evidence to ensure that all legal obligations associated with tenant and resident safety are met. Effective systems for monitoring and reporting health and safety issues are in place within the Resource and monitored through the Corporate Management Team. Any proposals to 65
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What Assurance required How assurance is evidenced address emerging health and safety requirements would be reported to Housing and Technical Resources Committee and the Annual Return on the Charter. 66
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resource Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Rapid Re-housing Transition Plan Annual Review – 2023/2024 and Homeless Pressures Update 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- update committee on the outcome of the annual Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) review for 2023/2024 update committee on progress implementing actions in relation to homeless pressures seek approval for a Homelessness Strategic Plan for 2024/2025, combining RRTP and homeless pressure response actions in one 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that progress made in delivering the RRTP objectives, as set out in the RRTP Annual Review 2023/2024, attached as Appendix 1, be noted; (2) that update on homeless demand pressures and performance be noted; and (3) that the proposed Homelessness Strategic Plan for 2024/25 be approved 3. Background 3.1. The fourth annual review of the council’s Rapid Re-housing Transition Plan covering the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 was approved by Housing and Technical Resources Committee in August 2023. 3.2. The plan recognised the good progress which had been made over 4 of the 5-year RRTP lifespan, delivering against high level objectives aimed at preventing homelessness wherever possible, otherwise minimising its impact through speedy resolution and effective person-centred support as required. 3.3 Key highlights include:- • New affordable housing supply continued to increase 165 properties purchased in the year. • High level of tenancy sustainment was maintained for former homeless households with 91% of tenancies continuing beyond 12 months • Annual targets for percentage of social housing allocated to homeless households were exceeded by both RSLs and council at 62.9% and 43.5%, respectively. • The Council’s stock of temporary accommodation was increased by over 15% to help address additional demand • 100% of homeless households who required support were provided with Housing Support Officer assistance to meet their needs. 13 67
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• Repeat homelessness remained low at 3.6% over 2023/24 3.4. Progress was made in the early years of the plan against a challenging set of circumstances including the outbreak of Covid-19, cost of living crisis and significant increase in demand for homeless assistance. 3.5. However last year’s review noted that by the fourth year of the RRTP (financial year 2022/2023) the cumulative pressures leading to sustained increased demand for homelessness assistance had impacted on the council’s performance. Whilst a majority of RRTP measures continued to show positive progress achieving target objectives, the key strategic indicators including presentation numbers, overall caseload, and timescale to resolve homelessness declined. 3.6. Annual review of the council’s 2022/2023 RRTP was submitted to the Scottish Government on 30 June 2023. 3.7. The annual review for 2023/2024 concludes the 5-year lifespan of the council’s RRTP 2019-2024. There has been no communication from the Scottish Government as yet in relation to any continuation of RRTP or proposed introduction of any alternative strategic framework. A final year review submission has been requested and will be submitted by the deadline of 11 October 2024. 3.8. Despite uncertainty over next steps, Scottish Government officials have advised that there will be 2 years additional funding, on the same basis of RRTP taking account of the national position of high and increasing levels of homelessness. 3.9. To date South Lanarkshire Council has received £3,120,784, made up of £2,659,892 over the 5 years of the plan, with additional allowance of £460,892 for 2024/2025. There is no confirmation of level of award for 2025/2026 or any future year’s funding. 3.10. It is worth noting progress made over the initial years of the of the RRTP aided the Council in managing the significant challenges faced in the last 2 years. 3.11. However, sustained increased demand has significantly impacted on performance and costs involved in delivering the homeless service. In response a range of actions were outlined to the Housing & Technical Committee on 7 February 2024. The approved actions have been progressed over recent months and a progress update is provided at section 5 of this report. 4. Annual Review 2023/2024 4.1. The RRTP review is structured around 5 high level priority objectives. There are 53 indicators against which the Council and its partners monitor progress, comprising 33 actions and 20 measures. In accordance with wider reporting arrangements across the Council, these indicators are categorised into ‘blue’, ‘green’, ‘amber’, and ‘red’ depending on the progress made against them. 4.2. It has proven an extremely challenging year both locally and nationally in terms of maintaining progress. It has been reported nationally that homelessness figures are at the highest they have been since records began in 2002. 4.3. Despite the most challenging of contexts positive progress was made, with 89% of the indicators on track, to achieve the projected outcomes within the identified timescales. Table 1 below, details the categorisation of the 53 indicators. 68
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Table 1: Categorisation of RRTP indicators 2023/2024 Status Measures Actions Total % Blue 0 11 11 21% Green 13 21 34 64% Amber 1 0 1 2% Red 5 0 5 9% Report later/Contextual 1 1 2 4% Totals 20 33 53 100% 4.4. Table 1 illustrates that good progress continues to be made within RRTP, with 11 indicators completed, 1 showing minor slippage and 5 with major slippage. 4.5. A summary of progress within each of the 5 Priority Objectives has been provided in at Appendix 1. Full details and progress against all indicators are provided in the RRTP Annual Review 2023/2024, attached as Appendix 2. 5. Homeless Pressures 5.1. Reports presented to Housing and Technical Resource Committee on 7 February 2024 and the Executive Committee on 12 June 2024 detailed the unprecedented pressures currently facing homelessness services in South Lanarkshire, highlighting that:- there was no sign of abatement in the significant increase in the levels of homelessness experienced in South Lanarkshire over the last 2 years the extremely challenging circumstances are not affecting South Lanarkshire in isolation but are mirrored by trends being experienced across Scotland. 5.2. This spike in demand has impacted on the quality of service, in particular the ability to meet temporary accommodation needs within suitable accommodation. As a result of this and other factors relating to the affordable housing supply programme, the Executive Committee unanimously agreed to declare a housing emergency in South Lanarkshire on 12 June 2024. 5.3. Against 3 principal measures of homelessness, over the last 2 years the Council experienced:- • a 28% increase in the number of people applying to the council for assistance due to homelessness • a 38% increase in the number of people recorded by the council as homeless • a 101% increase in the backlog of urgent need homeless households awaiting housing 5.4. A range of actions were proposed to mitigate the impact of increased demand, founded on maintaining a person-centred approach to address four key issues, which are to:- • address the significant increase in the number of households in temporary accommodation • maintain a sufficient supply of appropriate temporary accommodation • improve the timescales for homeless households to be allocated a suitable permanent home • reduce the number of children who are currently experiencing homelessness 69
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5.5. Since the actions were agreed in April 2024 good progress has been made with implementation, including the following:- • housing staff briefed across all teams • relevant procedures updated • all homeless applicants contacted and advised of change to approach in relation to application preferences under urgent homeless priority • discussion with all applicants to complete updated housing plan (c 1600) • revised monitoring in place (with focus on children affected by homelessness) 5.6. Robust monitoring of the impact of housing pressure response actions is in place within the Resource with a focus on key indicators, such as, level of presentations, temporary accommodation supply and demand, timescales in temporary accommodation, lets to homeless applicants, homeless appeals, and case closure outcomes. 5.7. Table 4 below sets out key indicators monitoring the impact of changes implemented since April 2024 in comparison to the same period the previous year. Table 3 Comparison of Key Homelessness Measures 2022/2023 and 2024/2025 Homelessness Measures SLC 2024/2025 Q1 % Change Q1 2023/24 - 2024/25 SLC 2023/2024 Q1 SLC 2022/23 Q1 No. Homeless applications received 623 - 8.78% 683 569 No. Homeless / Potentially homeless decisions 541 + 6.50% 508 417 Caseload active 1619 +21.09% 1337 808 Average case closure timescale 282.08 +33.69% 211.00 228.33 Lets to UH 58.24 -12.09% 66.10 54.70 Permanent Offers refused 28 +86.67% 15 12 Appeals received 74 +19.35% 62 29 UH tenancy sustainment 95% +1.06% 94% 93.4% Outcomes (Percentage of homeless households provided with a Scottish Secure Tenancy (SST)) 57.82% -11.83% 65.58% 54.60% 5.8. It is worth noting actions implemented since April 2024 have had limited time to show any impact up to the end of Quarter 1 at the end of June 2024. 5.9. Despite homeless presentations continuing at a higher rate than previous years, latest statistics show a decrease of 8.78% in comparison to Quarter 1 the previous year (2023/2024), which was trending c.20% above the previous year’s level of presentations. 70
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5.10. Positive homeless decisions have increased in comparison to the previous year by 6.50% because of the number of applications carried forward into the year. However, this is a reducing trend compared to the previous year’s percentage increase and it is anticipated this will further reduce, if reduction in presentations is sustained. 5.11. The caseload or backlog remains high and increasing due to availability of housing falling short of demand and the sustained surge in demand over the last two financial years, despite a high number of properties available for let going to urgent homeless applicants (66.10% in 2023/2024). 5.12. There has been no reduction to date in timescales to resolve homelessness which have increased from 228.33 days at Quarter 1 2022/2023 to 282.08 for the same period in 2024/2025, an increase of 23.5%. 5.13. To generate an increase in turnover of housing one of the measures approved by the Housing and Technical Committee was to increase lets to the Transfer list via reduction to the Homeless list (UH), thus generating additional turnover, meeting greater housing need including secondary lets to UH. Turnover has slightly increased from 489 lets at Q1 2023/2024 to 530 lets Q1 2024/2025 (7.7% increase) providing a larger pool of properties available for secondary lets to urgent homeless households. 5.14. Subsequently lets to homeless households have decreased at this early point in the year, sitting at 58.24% for Q1, however increased turnover will assist more broadly in increasing overall stock available to meet need, including that of homeless households. 5.15. There has been an increase in appeals against permanent offers of housing to homeless applicants and in refusal of offers as had been expected with a change in approach. It is anticipated negative outcomes will reduce as the new housing plan approach beds in. 5.16. To date there is no impact on the level of complaints received by the service, tenancy sustainment, or other indicators such as applications withdrawn or lost contact, however the full range of performance measures remain under constant review. 6. Homelessness Strategic Plan 2024/2025 6.1. With future requirements of RRTP unknown it is proposed that partners locally will continue to focus strategic activities on the priority objectives detailed within the RRTP. However, given recent development of a range of actions in response to system pressures, it is proposed that the Homelessness Strategic Plan 2024/2025 will also incorporate the high-level actions which are being progressed to address these pressures. 6.2. The proposed plan, attached as Appendix 2 has also been developed to continue direct alignment with the Local Housing Strategy. The proposed approach provides an effective way for the Council and partners to ensure a continued focus on high level priorities with measurable actions to drive delivery and monitor progress. 6.3. One change incorporated within the structure of the Homelessness Strategic Plan is an amendment to original objectives, where it is proposed that RRTP priority objectives 4 and 5 are merged within the new plan in relation to Housing First. This takes account of the scale of progress, local context, and funding limitations, whilst maintaining a commitment to deliver this focused approach to reducing homelessness and exploring 71
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opportunities to deliver in collaboration with the Health and Social Care Partnership and wider partners as a priority. 7. Priorities for 2024/2025 7.1. For the coming year, 2024/2025 priorities centre around addressing homeless pressures, building on learning through RRTP delivery and continuing work with community planning partners delivering services focused on preventing homelessness. 7.2. Detailed below is a summary of some if the key priorities to be progressed during 2024/2025, set out in full within the annual review:- • Continue to deliver affordable homes for social rent • Ongoing focus on prevention of homelessness, particularly in relation to households with children through continuing to maximise social lets to homeless households and continued support to access and sustain in relation to the private sector • Further progress the homelessness directions contained within the Strategic Commissioning Plan • Continue to develop, promote, and monitor the Private Sector Access and Sustainment Service • Complete review of support service provision and identify proposals • Continue the focus on joined up approaches and avoid long-term duplication of services 8. Next Steps 8.1. The outcomes from the RRTP Annual Review 2023/2024 will be presented to the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership Board for noting later in the year. 8.2. It is proposed that a new Homelessness Strategic Plan replaces the RRTP for 2024/2025 combining ongoing RRTP actions alongside newly developed actions in response to significant homeless demand pressures, subject to guidance from the Scottish Government. 8.3. It is further proposed that the Housing and Technical Resources Committee is updated on a 6-monthly basis on progress against Homeless Strategic Plan priorities. 9. Employee Implications 9.1. There are no employee implications as a result of this report. However, there are permanent employees within the Housing establishment funded via RRTP, ongoing consideration given to these post and employees given future funding uncertainty. 10. Financial Implications 10.1. The Scottish Government has provided £3,120,754 in funding to assist in the development and implementation of the RRTP, including allocation for 2024/2025. 10.2. As part of the ongoing RRTP monitoring and review process, consideration is given by all partners on how to further embed RRTP activities into mainstream services. At the same time partners will continue to identify opportunities to access additional funding, which is required to meet not only RRTP objectives, but also to support achievement of national objectives detailed within the Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan. 10.3. Again, it is worth noting uncertainty around future funding, a risk for the Council in relation to RRTP funded support services which have operated at full capacity through the lifespan of the plan, in addition to internal RRTP funded posts. 72
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11. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 11.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy which impacts on the natural environment, climate change or sustainability. 12. Other Implications 12.1. the content of this report will contribute to the evidence to support the requirements of the Annual Assurance Statement. 12.2. There are no additional risks associated with this report. 13. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 13.1. An equality impact assessment was carried out on the RRTP. The assessment confirmed that the plan will make a positive contribution to the promotion of equalities 13.2. A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) pre-screening determination was completed as part of the development of the RRTP 2019-2024. This confirmed there is no requirement for a separate SEA to be carried out for the RRTP 13.3. The RRTP was developed and co-produced with a range of key partners and stakeholders. These groups have confirmed their commitment to work together to ensure the delivery of the priority outcomes. Through the Homelessness Strategy Group, these partners have been involved in monitoring and reviewing progress of the plan Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 31 July 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes • Focused on people and their needs • Caring, connected, sustainable communities • People live the healthiest lives possible • Our children and young people thrive. • Good quality, suitable and sustainable places to live List of Background Papers • South Lanarkshire Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2019-24, Housing and Technical Resources Committee Report, 23 January 2019. • Annual Review of the South Lanarkshire Rapid Rehousing Plan 2021/22. Housing and Technical Resources Committee Report, 30 June 2023. Contact for Further Information If you would like further information, please contact: Jacqueline Fernie, Homelessness and Housing Support Manager Jacqueline.fernie@southlanarkshire.gov.uk Linzi Brunton, Strategy Co-ordinator (RRTP) Linzi.Brunton@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 74
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Appendix 1 Summary of RRTP Year 5 Achievements RRTP Priority Objective Achievement 1. Prevent homelessness occurring and significantly reduce homelessness • Further increase in affordable housing during 2023/24 with a total of 269 new/additional homes added to the council’s stock. • Continued partnership with Right There to support access and sustainability of tenancies in the Private Rented Sector. In 2023/24 there were 29 people helped through the scheme. • Delivery of pathway approach to meeting support needs, tailored approach for prison discharge, young care leavers and those affected by domestic abuse. • Approaches to the service for Housing Options increase over 2023/24 by almost 12% to 1086 households. Amber measure in the previous year now on target and green. 2. Significantly reduce time spent by households in temporary accommodation and minimise moves before moving to a settled home • Further 12 temporary tenancies were flipped to Scottish Secure Tenancies, a total of 117 properties since the beginning of the plan, above the original 100-unit target. Area Teams continue to achieve a balance between flipping and keeping quality temporary accommodation in the right places to meet the needs of homeless households. • The Council and its HomeFinder Registered Social Landlord (RSL) partners continue to maximise the percentage of lets to be directed to those on the Homeless List. In 2023/24, 63.7% of council properties were let to homeless applicants. HomeFinder RSLs collectively let 43.5% of vacant properties to homeless households. • Percentage of homeless households provided with a Scottish Secure Tenancy (SST) moved from an amber measure to green in 2023/24 with an increase of nearly 5% to 62.6%. • The level of repeat homelessness remained low at 3.6% over 2023/24. 75
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RRTP Priority Objective Achievement 3. Improve and increase the provision of housing support for households to live independently within communities • For another year 100% of homeless households who required support, were provided with Housing Support Officer assistance. • This year the Housing Pathways approach for all care experienced young people continued. Target of 95% of all active throughcare HomeFinder applications having a person-centred housing pathway in place was exceeded at 100%. 4. Expand the scope of Housing First and capacity of our Housing First approach to be the first response for households with multiple complex needs • South Lanarkshire Council in partnership with The Salvation Army continue to work to deliver Housing First support to individuals with multiple complex needs. In 2023/24 a further 4 individuals were supported through Housing First totalling 40 supported since the service began. 5. Enhance integration of partnership working to embed RRTP through a whole systems approach • Between the four Council operated employability programmes there were a total of 2540 people supported, 620 people gained sustainable employment and 861 people accessed further education or training. • Close partnership working continues to develop and progress specific ‘Directions’ within the Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022-25. Progress made over last year includes positive partnership with community links health team. The council has also successfully agreed an information sharing arrangement with the National Health Service enabling data trend analysis to understand links between health and homelessness data with a view to aiding preventative activity. 76
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A 13 77
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1 South Lanarkshire Council Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan Annual Review 2023/24 78
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2 Contents Foreword ................................................................................................................................. 3 1. Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 4 2. Homelessness Trends in the Year ................................................................................. 8 3. Year Five progress ....................................................................................................... 14 4. Proposed Changes to Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) ............................. 22 5. Priorities for 2024/25 .................................................................................................... 22 Appendix 1: Update on RRTP Action Plan for 2023/24 ..................................................... 24 79
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3 Foreword Councillor Davie McLachlan Chair of Housing and Technical Resources Committee I’m delighted that despite the significant challenges we’ve encountered over the past year, the fifth year of South Lanarkshire’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan has involved a number of key successes. While the demand for homelessness services has seen a significant rise, both locally and nationally, our local services have risen to the occasion, preventing homelessness where feasible and when, providing suitable accommodation and support services when required. This review highlights the extensive work carried out over the year and our unwavering dedication to delivering high-quality, person-centred services that yield positive and lasting results. We continue to focus on our priority of delivering additional council homes and collaborating with our housing association partners to significantly increase the availability of affordable homes, a crucial factor in achieving the substantial reduction in homelessness at the core of our plan. As we transition from the final year of the plan, I am confident that we will continue to build upon the excellent work and outcomes we have already achieved, despite the most challenging of circumstances. We are committed to maximising opportunities to expand the supply of affordable housing, prevent homelessness whenever possible, and respond effectively with suitable accommodation and support packages. This forms the basis for our collective efforts to make a significant impact on homelessness and achieve the outcomes we aim for. Councillor Joe Fagan Chair of South Lanarkshire’s Community Planning Partnership Board In recent years, our communities have dealt with significant challenges in fulfilling their basic needs. This year’s review showcases the magnitude and character of the efforts that we, along with our partners have made to combat homelessness under the most trying circumstances. This review underscores a fraction of the remarkable work carried out daily across the Community Planning Partnership to enhance the lives of South Lanarkshire’s residents. Over the past year, the emphasis has remained on preventing homelessness. When prevention is not feasible, we strive to mitigate the impact on individuals, families, and communities by providing high-quality temporary housing as quickly as possible. We must persist in our collaborative efforts, building on the strength of the Community Planning Partnership to comprehend needs, respond effectively to heightened pressures, and continue our journey towards effective change in addressing homelessness across South Lanarkshire. 80
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4 1. Executive Summary In reviewing the fifth year of the plan the Homelessness Strategy Group reflected on the changing environment in which partners operate, not least the unabated spike in homelessness nationally, the cost-of-living crisis and wider increasing pressures in the housing system. A summary of the key highlights over the last year, the fifth year of the RRTP include: - • Housing First target achieved with 40 households being supported over the lifespan of the plan. • The level of repeat homelessness remained low at 3.6% over 2023/24. • New supply continued to increase over the year with acquisitions increasing by almost 3 times from the previous year with a total of 165 properties purchased in the year. • Annual targets for percentage of social housing allocated to homeless households were exceeded by both RSLs and council at 62.9% and 43.5% respectively. • High level of tenancy sustainment was maintained for former homeless households with 91% of tenancies still being in place after 12 months. • A further 12 temporary accommodation properties were converted to secure tenancies during 2023/24. • The council’s stock of temporary accommodation was increased by over 15% to help address additional demand. • 100% of homeless households who required support were provided with Housing Support Officer assistance to meet their needs. • Success continued in the pathway approach for care experiences young people, those affected by domestic abuse with 100% of cases having a housing pathway offered. 1. Background 1.1 National Context In October 2017, the Scottish Government established the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group (HARSAG) to develop solutions to end homelessness. Final recommendations included a requirement local authorities develop a 5-year Rapid Re- housing Transition Plan (RRTP), setting out the local context and detailing the actions which partners would take to achieve a step change in reducing homelessness. Within the past year the Scottish Government and number of Local Authorities including South Lanarkshire declared housing emergencies. At their national conference on 5 March 2024, the Chartered Institute of Housing, declared a ‘Scottish Housing Emergency’ and not long after on the 15th May 2024 the Scottish Government declared a nationwide housing emergency. Despite the tangible success that has been achieved over the last 5 years significant challenges have been faced in the later years of the plan, these are: • a spike in demand for homelessness assistance • significant increase in the number of people homeless at any one time • significant numbers of people in temporary accommodation 81
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5 • extreme pressure on the supply of appropriate temporary accommodation • ensuring access to the required number of permanent homes Nevertheless, the Scottish Government has yet to confirm the requirements and expectations for RRTPs from 2024 onwards, although commitment to extend RRTP funding has been confirmed, with local authority allocation for 2024/25 now confirmed. 1.2 South Lanarkshire Context South Lanarkshire remains a top performing local authority, however Table 1 below shows over the last two years there has been a concerning downturn comparing 2021/22 performance to year end 2023/24. Whilst the increase in demand reduced over the last year, this is in the context of comparison against 2021/22 where demand rose sharply in the final months of the financial year and 2022/23, a year of unprecedented high levels of demand. Against three principal measures of homelessness, South Lanarkshire experienced: - • a 28% increase in the number of people applying to the council for assistance due to homelessness • a 38% increase in the number of people recorded by the council as homeless • a 101% increase in the backlog of urgent need homeless households awaiting housing The table below shows the year on year increase in demand for homelessness assistance between 2021/22 and 2023/24 Table 1 Baseline 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 % Increase from 21/22 to 23/24 % increase from 22/23 to 23/24 Homeless Applications 1928 2090 2225 2134 2502 2728 27.84% 9.03% Homeless Decisions 1941 1763 1658 1652 2144 2277 37.83% 6.20% Homeless Caseload 892 956 969 785 1309 1579 101.15% 20.63% A report to Housing and Technical Resources Committee on 7 February set out the severity of the challenges facing homelessness services stemming from sustained increased levels of demand. The report also detailed a range of actions which are being progressed to help address the emergency homelessness situation. It should be emphasised the statutory and demand-led nature of the homelessness service means that the objective is only to partially mitigate the impact of the emergency situation which cannot be fully address the scale of demand if it is continued over the longer term. Nationally and locally it is accepted that the long term answer has to be based upon delivery of an adequate supply of affordable housing These measures are however founded on maintaining a person-centred approach to address 4 key issues, which are to: - 82
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6 • address the significant increase in the number of households in temporary accommodation. • maintain a sufficient supply of appropriate temporary accommodation. • improve the timescales for homeless households to be allocated a suitable permanent home. • Reduce the number of children who are currently experiencing homelessness. The council will continue to work with partners to progress the range of actions approved to address the housing and homelessness situation set out above. The proposed RRTP revised outcome framework for 2025/26 will incorporate these actions required to address the current situation along with continuation and strengthening of key areas of partnership focus. 1.3 Co-production and Oversight of the RRTP The Homelessness Strategy Group who are responsible for monitoring and reporting in relation to the RRTP continued to meet throughout 2023/24. A system of quarterly monitoring of the RRTP Measures and Actions was continued through 2023/24. Senior managers from Housing and Technical Resources also attended regular meetings of the Housing Options West HUB meeting and represent the West HUB at the National Homeless Prevention RRTP subgroup, benefiting from shared learning across authorities and Scottish Government updates and discussions. During 2023/24, further work continued to strengthen partnership links, ensuring homelessness and its wider impact is appropriately reflected in each strategy/plan. 1.4 Funding The total funding that was originally sought to support delivery of the South Lanarkshire RRTP in was £7.31million. Since the first award of funding from the Scottish Government in 2019, and taking account of the confirmed award (2024/25 of £460,892) a total of £2,659,892 has been awarded to support the development and implementation of RRTP, the breakdown is as follows: RRTP funding received by year Amount 2019 £105,000 (start-up funding) 2019/20 £461,000 2020/21 £453,000 2021/22 £282,000 2022/23 £445,000 2023/24 £453,000 2024/25 £460,892 83
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7 The partnership plan therefore had to be reviewed and scaled back. Despite this the additional funding and focused partnership approach delivered opportunities for learning which informed service planning and delivered positive outcomes. Progress made in early the early years of the RRTP in preventing and reducing homelessness, strengthened the partnership’s position to deal with the scale of challenges faced over the last two years. A summary of the key areas which have been progressed during the year using funding received from the Scottish Government’s Ending Homelessness Together Fund is detailed below: - • Continuation of specialist support services to meet a range of complex need. This included service to address repeat homelessness, people with multiple needs (in particular addiction and mental health). Work in this area was further assisted through funding provided by the Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP). • Continued development and delivery of the Housing First approach to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, offering greater choice and support to access and make a house a comfortable home. • Continued focus on homeless prevention at points of transition in people’s lives, including the further development of the Sustainable Housing on Release for Everyone (SHORE) approach. • Continued delivery and further development of o approaches to Gender Based Violence and o housing pathway planning for young people moving on from care. • Maintained services to prevent homelessness in the private sector through the Private Sector Access and Sustainment Service delivering advice along with practical and financial support to access and sustain private tenancies. From the outset RRTP funding has been used to help establish or further develop key aspects of the RRTP. It should be emphasised that the overwhelming level of resources that partners have contributed to support delivery of the RRTP are out with the scope of RRTP funding. 1.5 Other funding sources Throughout the period of the RRTP local partners have worked together to actively consider alternative funding routes to take forward priority activities and identify opportunities for mainstream services and budgets to be revised or re-focused to help deliver RRTP priorities. Progress was made in the year with: • The Alcohol and Drug Partnership who confirmed an allocation of £40,000 in year five of the plan to deliver services specifically designed to meet the needs of vulnerable women with addictions. The ADP are also considering opportunities to further support prevention activity during 2024/25 including funding to increase SHORE, residential pathway planning and intensive support activities. • South Lanarkshire Council contributed £15,000 towards delivering the SHORE project with a further £16,000 confirmed for 2024/25. • The Women Thriving Together Project was funded by ADP and provided two 21-hour Support Worker posts within Blue Triangle Housing Association to support women impacted by domestic abuse alongside drugs and alcohol. 84
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8 • South Lanarkshire Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Partnership (VAWAGSP), gathers representatives from local partners and national agencies meet to share knowledge, develop practice and improve joint working and communication between partners with the aim of improving outcomes for those affected by gender- based violence. Through links with the VAWAGSP, the Resource worked with Say Women to provide practical and emotional support to women in South Lanarkshire who had experienced sexual abuse, with the aim of preparing them for independent living and sustain a tenancy. Between October 2023 and February 2024, a part time worker from Say Woman led a conversation café with staff members to explore opportunities for joint working, referral routes and outcomes for women engaging in this service. During the lifetime of the project one young person was supported. • Housing and Technical Resources’ Gender Based Violence Working Group meets quarterly to co-ordinate the development and delivery of housing and homelessness services to those affected by gender-based violence and to ensure that the Resource is contributing to the delivery of the Make a Stand Pledge and Equally Safe Strategy. Key areas of work undertaken over the last year include the development of an action plan to direct and focus the work of the group, the review of the domestic abuse pathway plan and a review of the Women’s Aid contract to take account of future needs. A key area of focus for the group in the future will be the development of a housing domestic abuse policy. 2. Homelessness Trends in the Year 2.1 Humanitarian Assistance Over the first five years of the Syrian Resettlement Programme (now United Kingdom Resettlement Scheme) South Lanarkshire’s partnership, supported over 200 individuals referred to the local authority for assistance under refugee resettlement arrangements. The unexpected Ukrainian emergency situation resulted in significant resettlement need across neighbouring countries, including the UK. South Lanarkshire Council supported approximately 1,000 individuals through welcome (hotel) accommodation, and over 100 households have been accommodated across social housing options (170 individuals) alongside supporting a larger number move onto settled accommodation within and out with the local authority area over the last 2 years. It is worth noting Home Office projections, and actual arrivals to the UK via all humanitarian routes across refugee programmes and unplanned asylum show no signs of reducing, in fact proportionate share across Scotland’s local authorities, including South Lanarkshire, is set to increase. UK and Scottish Government grant funding fully cover’s the financial outgoings of the Refugee Resettlement service, however the impact of demand does generate wider costs not covered by the level of grant awarded for resettlement purposes given additional demand for temporary and permanent housing and wider services such as health and education. A key focus in South Lanarkshire is our partnership approach to planning to meet need as far as possible across the partnership delivering the best possible service to those seeking refuge and mitigating any negative impact in relation to community, resource and service pressures alongside competing priorities. 2.2 Homelessness demand 85
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9 o Figure 1 below demonstrates the trend in the number of homelessness presentations received between 2003/04 and 2023/24, measured against the number of cases where the council had a duty to house the applicant and the number of cases that resulted in a Scottish Secure Tenancy being allocated upon case closure. Figure 1 – Homelessness trends 2018/19 – 2023/24 • Although in the last year the rate of increase in presentations has slowed from the previous year there has now been a 30.5% increase in the number of homeless presentations over the lifespan of the plan, from 2090 in 2019/2020 to 2728 in 2023/24. This is likely to be due to the external economic issues affecting the housing market including the reduction in turnover/availability, pressures in the private rented sector and the “cost of living crisis.” • Since the beginning of the plan there has been a rise of 29.2% in the number of households the council had a duty to house from 1763 in 2019/20 to 2277 in 2023/24. Again, the increase was not as high as the previous year at 6.2%. • The removal of consideration of local connection within Scotland in November 2019 leading to out of area presentations (c240 in current year to date) has contributed to increased demand as well as significant housing need arising from humanitarian programmes, considerably above the expected local commitment. • Figure 1 also reiterates the extreme pressure experienced over the last two years with the worrying incline comparing 2021/22 performance to 2023/24 cited at 1.2 above. • Despite the surge in homelessness, as demonstrated in figure 2, there has been a continued high level of success in tenancy sustainment, with 91% of homeless households sustaining their tenancy for over 12 months in 2023/24. This shows the positive impact achieved through sustainment services such as Homestart. 86
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10 Figure 2 – Tenancy sustainment levels over the lifespan of RRTP • Lets to homeless households both by the council and RSL partners have increased by over 5% and 7% respectively over the last year (63.7% for council and 45.3% RSLs) assisted by an increase of 7% in the total number of properties available to let. • Figure 3 below shows that despite the council having let over 6500 properties to the urgent homeless list and lets from RSL’s over and above this, over the lifespan of the plan the number of people who are homeless awaiting a permanent home has almost doubled in the same period. Figure 3 – South Lanarkshire Council lets to homeless 2.3 Reasons for homelessness Figure 4 below provides a summary of the higher percentage of reasons for homelessness in South Lanarkshire in from 2019/20 to 2023/24. Figure 4 – Reasons for homelessness 49.17% 51.40% 61.06% 53.35% 58.14% 63.68% 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 Baseline 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Total number of lets Total numner of lets to Urgent Homeless % lets to Urgent Homeless 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 Baseline 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Tenancy sustainment levels for previously homeless households 87
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11 While the overall increase in demand is in line with national trends the reasons for presenting remain similar across the lifespan of the plan in terms of percentage of overall presentations. The changes in the most common reason for presenting are detailed below; • Being asked to leave current accommodation remains the most common reason for homelessness in South Lanarkshire at 25.7% which is a slight decrease on 2022/23 level of over 28% and less than the average over the 5 years of the plan, 28.7%. • Dispute with a violent partner account for 14.44% of all homeless presentations in South Lanarkshire, a slight increase of less than 1% on the previous year and just over 1% higher than the 5-year average. • Previous reviews had seen an increase in the levels of homelessness from private rented across subcategories e.g., Landlord leaving the sector, however 2023/24 has shown a slight reduction from the previous year 2022/23 at 11.54% and 10.99%. during 2023/24 This does however remain higher than the 5-year average of 9.26%. 2.4 Prevention of Homelessness Housing Services continued to focus on preventing homelessness as far as possible, increasingly challenging in the context of shrinkage of the private sector and extreme pressure on affordable housing across tenures. During 2023/24 1086 households approaching the housing options service were assisted to prevent homelessness occurring with 60.87% of cases closed with successful prevention outcomes, below the internal target of 70%. On this basis through the review process a national comparison was carried out to consider South Lanarkshire’s performance against peer authorities, this showed that; • The national rate of approaches is 157 per 10,000 households, though this varies greatly between local authorities. Locally approaches in 2022/23 were lower than the target of the RRTP nationally, South Lanarkshire accounted for the 12th highest level across all 32 authorities, which was 63 approaches per 10,000 households, 2%. • In terms of the % of homelessness prevented from these outcomes South Lanarkshire were place 11th in comparison to other local authorities. In the Prevent 1 report South Lanarkshire detailed that homelessness was prevented in 68% of cases, this was 20% more than the national average shown in figure 6. 88
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12 • Where the approach has led to the outcome of a securing a local authority or Registered Social Landlord tenancy South Lanarkshire were placed 4th in terms of percentage of outcomes at 12%, 7% higher than the national average. • South Lanarkshire were placed 5th nationally in terms of outcome being housed in the private sector preventing or resolving homelessness at 6%,4% above the national average. Internal review is underway considering the councils Housing Options service and approach to homeless prevention, conclusions and recommendations will be presented to Housing Services Management Team early in 2024/25 which may result in some service re-design. Figure 6 – West Hub and Peer comparison of % of homelessness prevented outcomes 2.5 Affordable Housing Supply (Social Rented) 2.5.1 Figure 7 below, provides details of the increase in social rented council stock across the four localities during the lifespan of the RRTP. Figure 7 – Total Social Rented Council Housing Supply (non-sheltered) Description Clydesdale East Kilbride Hamilton Rutherglen/ Cambuslang South Lanarkshire RRTP Baseline (2018/19) 4799 5266 9767 4747 24,579 2022/23 Additions 7 92 79 55 233 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% % of homelessness prevented LA/RSL Tenancy PRS Tenancy Moved-in with friends/ relatives Lost Contact/ Not known Remained in current accommodation Other (known) % of homelessness prevented 89
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13 2023/24 Additions 13 136 108 12 269 Total 4909 5,707 10,079 5,074 25,769 • As well as additional council stock there has been in increase in RSL stock of 107 properties in 2022/23, 177 in 2023/24 and over 7,700 in total over the lifetime of the RRTP. • Executive Committee in November 2022 committed to a target of 1,300 additional council homes by March 2027. Additional supply will be delivered through a combination of acquisition of existing homes and new builds. • Acquisitions are an opportunity to immediately increase provision of council stock in high pressure housing areas, helping to meet homelessness demand. To meet increased demand, significant increase in number of properties acquired on previous years has been achieved for 2023/24 (165), with an expanded market purchase scheme implemented. • In 2023/24 there were 104 new build completions. Significant increase in number of completions is expected in 2025/26 and 2026/27 as sites at design and planning phase move towards completion. • It is important to highlight that the program relies on grant funding and while confirmation of allocation is pending there is an expectation the Scottish Government will reduce allocation for 2024/25 following national budget confirmation. Implications from this, including impact to meeting homelessness demand through increased supply is a concern and discussions are ongoing with Scottish Government representatives. 2.6 Temporary Accommodation • In addition, the council’s core temporary accommodation provision of self-contained furnished properties, ordinary homes, across our communities, has increased by almost 100 over 2023/24 to 704 units. • One of the most significant manifestations of the pressure on services during the year has been significant use of B&B. For a considerable period of time B&B only used on a minimal basis however, B&B usage constituted the greatest increase in temporary accommodation placements during the year, with a 146% increase since the same period last year, impacting on the council’s performance in relation to breaches of the unsuitable accommodation order. There have been 13 breaches recorded in the course of the year and significant overspend in available budget based on historical use of bed and breakfast accommodation, £30k budget v over £140k spend during 2023/24. • A contributing factor to increased demand for temporary accommodation is again the removal of consideration of local connection (within Scotland) resulting in c240 out of area presentations Housing Services upheld its duty to accept in terms of assessing circumstances and providing temporary accommodation during assessment period. Approximately 80% of those presenting out with area are found to be homeless and the council therefore hold a duty to accommodate in settled housing. The remaining 20% are found either to be not homeless or have no local connection (last settled address was out with Scotland, commonly England or Ireland). 2.6.2 The process of “flipping” temporary units to Scottish Secure Tenancies has continued, with 117 units having been converted to a permanent home for homeless households since the implementation of the RRTP in 2019 with a focus on planning for longer term cases. 2.7 Repeat Homelessness 90
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14 2.7.1 During 2023/24, the level of repeat homelessness remained static at 3.6%. There continues to be an increased focus on support, particularly for those with complex needs, which contributes to improvements in tenancy sustainment and prevention of repeat homelessness. Analysis of repeat homelessness is continuous informing future service development. 3. Year Five progress 3.1 Tackling homelessness requires a shared commitment from a range of agencies and partners in the public, private and third sectors. As such the RRTP was co-produced and annually reviewed with partners and stakeholders involved in the decision-making process for agreeing ongoing priority actions contained within the plan. 3.2 Reviewing the plan The Homelessness Strategy Group has responsibility for monitoring progress in relation to the RRTP and overseeing the annual review, including the evaluation of progress against actions and measures set out within the action plan and consideration of the appropriateness of the actions identified. In the course of evaluating the fifth year of the RRTP, it’s clear that improvements have been made, leveraging the robust partnerships already in place. This has facilitated continuing development and enhancement of crucial work areas, which has been essential given the persistently demanding circumstances. 3.3 Review Scorecard To monitor progress against each of the five priority objectives in the RRTP, a traffic light scoring system is used. Attached to the priorities are 53 indicators comprising of 33 actions and 20 measures. A further category of blue was an addition to the second annual review and highlights actions which have been completed. Figure 9 below provides a summary of the position in relation to the progress made towards the achievement of the five priority objectives of the RRTP during 2023/24. Over 89% of indicators were either achieved or were close to target. Figure 9: Scorecard RRTP Scorecard 2023/24 Blue Green Amber Red Grey Total Prevent homelessness occurring and significantly reduce homelessness 0 10 0 4 0 14 Significantly reduce time spent by households in temporary accommodation and minimise moves before moving to settled homes 1 10 0 1 0 12 Improve and increase the provision of housing support for households to live independently within communities 5 6 1 0 0 12 Expand the scope and capacity of our Housing First approach to be the first response for households with multiple complex needs 4 4 0 0 2 10 91
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15 Enhance integration and partnership working to embed RRTP through a whole systems approach 1 4 0 0 0 5 All 11 34 1 5 2 53 Colour Progress Blue Complete Green Achieved/on target Amber Minor slippage Red Significantly off target Grey Report Later/Contextual 3.4 Key Highlights of Progress Made in Year 5 Detailed below are key highlights of the progress that has been made towards delivering the actions and measures outlined for Year four for each of the five RRTP priority objectives. Some examples of service user feedback and case studies have also been provided to demonstrate the positive outcomes achieved. A summary of progress made in Year five, in relation to all actions and measures detailed in the RRTP Action Plan is also attached as Appendix 1. Priority Objective 1: Prevent homelessness occurring and significantly reduce homelessness • A further improvement of availability in affordable housing has been seen in 2023/24 with a total of 165 properties purchased through the Council’s Open Market Purchase Scheme. Additionally, 104 new homes were completed. • There has been a continued partnership approach with Right There to support access and sustainability of tenancies in the Private Rented Sector through continuation of the Innovation Fund. In 2023/24, with 29 people helped through the scheme. • The Women Thriving Together Project was funded by ADP and provided two Support Worker posts within Blue Triangle Housing Association to support women impacted by domestic abuse alongside drugs and alcohol. The service supported women to become active members of their community and to engage in social networking opportunities as well providing activities to encourage women to stay safe in their own homes. • South Lanarkshire Council worked in partnership with Say Women between October 2023 and February 2024 to provide outreach specialist emotional support for young women aged 16 to 25. The part-time worker led a conversation café with staff members to explore opportunities for joint working, referral routes and outcomes for women engaging in this service and supported one young person. • Ongoing pathway approach to support those affected by domestic abuse with a view to preventing homelessness wherever possible. During 2023/24 we have continued to provide housing representation at every MARAC, sharing relevant information on victims and perpetrators and taking away appropriate actions agreed at each meeting with the goal of maximising safety planning to safeguard victims. • Officers have established a presence at Beacons recovery hub services within South Lanarkshire providing information and assistance with homelessness prevention, homelessness case information, repairs and other general housing enquiries. 92
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16 • Contact is being made by the Breaking the Cycle support team to all people presenting with children or any indication of domestic abuse out of hours to proactively identify support options at the earliest opportunity. Case Study: Breaking the Cycle Family Comp – 1 adult, 3 children, 14,9,3 Miss L and her children were placed into emergency Family 1st Stop Accommodation at East Kilbride fleeing domestic abuse. Miss L is originally from Poland and has lived in Scotland for approximately 4 years after meeting her partner and subsequently having their daughter. Miss L has no support or friends in Scotland and was living a very isolated lifestyle with her partner and her three children. Miss L and her children required support to register with GP and a referral was made to Health and Homeless for support. Specific requirements in relation to the future offer of housing were also discussed with the local housing team. Miss L had fled from her partner on two previous occasions where she has come home and the door has been locked and she has had to find alternative accommodation for herself and her two eldest children as her partner refused to hand over their youngest daughter. This time Miss L felt it was different and was determined she wasn’t returning to her partner and will pursue her own safe permanent tenancy for her children. We discussed a referral to Women’s Aid which Miss L eventually declined. Further accommodation was sourced for Miss L and her children, and she required support with utilities and setting up the temporary tenancy. Miss L agreed to short term support as she was struggling with practicalities of moving and setting up the tenancy. The council’s intensive family support service Breaking the Cycle (BTC) sourced household goods and supported Miss L with setting up utility accounts and generally settling into her new home. Miss L was struggling with Christmas presents for the children and BTC managed to source gifts from Christmas appeal and also digital access with a laptop and Wi-Fi. BTC referred Miss L to Routes to Work who engaged with Miss L and supported her to create a CV and look at job opportunities. The support case was later closed following a home visit where Miss L agreed that all identified support needs had been met i.e. health, benefits, education, accommodation and employment and she was well settled 93
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17 Priority Objective 2: Significantly reduce time spent by households in temporary accommodation and minimise moves before moving to a settled home • Despite the increase in demand for temporary accommodation a further 12 temporary tenancies were flipped to Scottish Secure Tenancies, a total of 117 properties since the beginning of the plan, above the original 100-unit target. Area Teams continue to achieve a balance between flipping and keeping quality temporary accommodation in the right places to meet the needs of homeless households. • The Council and its HomeFinder Registered Social Landlord (RSL) partners continue to maximise the percentage of lets to be directed to those on the Homeless List. In 2023/24, 63.7% of council properties were let to homeless applicants. HomeFinder RSLs collectively let 43.5% of vacant properties to homeless households. • Percentage of homeless households provided with a Scottish Secure Tenancy (SST) moved from an amber measure to green in 2023/24 with an increase of nearly 5% to 62.6% an area there was confidence would be improved over the past year. • The level of repeat homelessness remained low at 3.6% over 2023/24. • Against RRTP intentions temporary accommodation was increased during 2023/24 a direct result of increased demand for homelessness assistance, including temporary accommodation and in line with the councils objective to meet temporary accommodation needs in good quality housing, ordinary homes within our communities thus reducing the negative impact of homelessness as far as possible. 94
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18 Case Study: Flipped Tenancy Service user and his partner with their four sons had been residing in their private rented property for 3 years. The service user was a full-time carer for his wife who suffered from issues with her mental health and the currently living circumstances were causing further distress. The family presented to the council due to various issues with repairs including no heating and no hot water in property, issues with rats and an incident where his partner fell through the flooring leaving a hole. When Service user contacted the landlord for an update, they became verbally abusive towards him. The family also became a target of ASB in the area. With support Environmental Health visited and declared the property below the tolerable standard and unsuitable for the family to continue residing there. Housing Support Officer assessment lead onto the family being supported through the process of making a homeless application and placed in temporary accommodation. The Housing Support Officer worked with the family to complete a detailed housing plan so we could establish the best areas to be rehoused permanently. A referral to Money Matters and an application for a Community Care Grant was also supported. Following the agreed plan of action, the family had settled into the Temporary Furnished Flat quickly. The family relationships improved greatly, the kids settled and school and his partner was linked in with a CPN advising her mental health was also improving. It was agreed to ‘flip’ the tenancy to a Scottish secure tenancy to allow the family to remain settled and avoid any further moves. The positive outcomes for this case: - • Multi agency approach met support needs. • Person centred housing plan identified most appropriate accommodation option. • Appropriate offer of housing through flipping tenancy preventing further disruption. Positive relationships established should there be any future need for advice or support. 95
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19 Priority Objective 3: Improve and increase the provision of housing support for households to live independently within communities • Continued focus on prevention of homelessness, particularly in relation to households with children through maximising social lets to homeless households and continued support to access and sustain in relation to the private sector. Approaches to the service for Housing Options increased over 2023/24 by almost 12% to 1086 households. • For another year 100% of homeless households who require support, were provided with Housing Support Officer assistance. • Procurement commenced to further increase the supply of First Stop Accommodation. The objective being to establish a single provider to deliver, supported Accommodation, out of hours services and outreach housing support. It is anticipated that this will be one lead provider with subcontractors and the new contact estimated to be in place for October 2024 • This year the Housing Pathways approach for all care experienced young people continued. The target of 95% of all active throughcare homefinder applications having a person-centred housing pathway in place was exceeded at 100%. Case Study: Throughcare Pathway Support Worker became involved with Mr N when they met at a Christmas Lunch within the Social Work base. Mr N is a young person who originally came from Shetland and continues to be supported by Shetland Local Authority. As he was not originally a South Lanarkshire Young Person, he had not been picked up the regular joint meetings between Housing & Social Work so he did not have a current housing application on. Support Worker completed a housing application with Mr N and added him onto the joint spreadsheet so he could be discussed at further meetings. A housing pathway was carried out him, clarifying his areas of choice. Mr N worked full time with a travel agency and had recently been offered a position to progress to Cabin Crew. At a joint meeting between social work & housing, Mr N was discussed as a concern as he stayed in a private let that the landlord had decided to sell. Mr N was potentially homeless and had no alternative accommodation even on a temporary basis. Housing was able to consider his application and match him to a property in his area of choice. He accepted the offer and was excited about the future with a new home and job. Mr N said, “I am very thankful for all the help housing has provided in getting me a home as I was concerned, I would end up homeless”. Although Mr N was not originally on the joint spreadsheet, we were able to rectify this and find out about his current situation prior to him requiring temporary accommodation. Housing was proactive in identifying a suitable property resulting in a positive outcome. 96
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20 Priority Objective 4: Expand the scope and capacity of our Housing First approach to be the first response for households with multiple complex needs • South Lanarkshire Council in partnership with The Salvation Army continue to work to deliver Housing First support to individuals with multiple complex needs. • In 2023/24 a further 4 individuals were supported through Housing First totalling 40 supported since the service began. Case Study: Housing First Service Mr F had over 10 homeless presentations prior to working with the Housing First Service. Over the period he had been in and out of emergency accommodation and struggled with his mental health addiction which resulted in criminal activity and several custodial sentences. Mr F was very institutionalised advised he could not manage on the ‘outside’ and he spent more time in prison. He felt prison was his only option when things became unmanageable, knowing he was safe, fed and away from society. Mr F had never had a tenancy as he was never out of prison long enough. On his release he was referred to Housing First after his case was highlighting. Mr F now has his tenancy in an he always wanted, there have been no prison admissions since working with the service and now attending support groups. Mr F is now discharged from Housing First as he feels that he has received the support he required. Priority Objective 5: Enhance integration and partnership working to embed RRTP through a whole systems approach • Between the four Council operated employability programmes there were a total of 2540 people supported, 620 people gained sustainable employment and 861 people accessed further education or training. • Through 2023/24 the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) continued to collaborate with the council and various third sector organisations to prioritise access to training, skills development and employment for claimants impacted by homelessness. • VASLAN maintained its representation within the RRTP partnership through 2023/24, with the aim of promoting awareness of third sector support in South Lanarkshire. • Aligned to the intentions in the Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022 – 2025, there has been a continued commitment to improving homelessness prevention. 3.5 Key Areas for Improvement 3.5.1 Progress is being made with 89% of indicators on the RRTP Action Plan being complete, on target or close to target, however five measures are now categorised a red and these will continue to be areas of focus and improvement during 2024/25. Details of these are noted 2 Table A below outlines the 5 red measures. the context as and monitoring arrangements Table A – Red Measures 1st 97
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21 Reference Measure Comment M1.1 Number of homeless presentations As previously reported it was anticipated that the target for this measure would be unlikely met due to the emergency homeless situation A report to Housing and Technical Resources Committee on 7 February set out the range of actions which are being progressed to help address this. It should be emphasised the statutory and demand-led nature of the homelessness service means that the objective of the actions is only to partially mitigate the impact of the emergency situation and cannot be expected to fully address the scale of demand if it is continued over the longer term. M1.2 Level of Homeless Households (homelessness caseload at year end) In line with the previous red measure there was no sign of abatement in the significant increase in the levels of homelessness experienced in South Lanarkshire over the last two years. The extremely challenging circumstances are not affecting South Lanarkshire in isolation but are mirrored by trends being experienced across Scotland. The measure will continue to be a focus throughout 2024/25. M1.5 Increase the number of accredited landlord properties In the context of limited supply against high demand for available properties further limiting housing options. The reducing number of landlords in the sector is resulting in this measure proving difficult to increase and a proposal to amend the measure in line with the associated action to ‘Continue to promote’ this service would be more appropriate. M1.6 Number of homeless households whose housing needs are met in the private rented sector This year (2023/2024), 300 homeless presentations were received due to the loss of a private sector tenancy, this accounts for 11% of all homeless presentations. At the same time, challenges accessing the private rented sector is contributing to additional homelessness demand. Prevention activities continue, although it is increasingly difficult as the private sector market is proving to be less accessible or sustainable for customers. Focus remains on partnership working to meet support needs, provision of housing options advice and support to access and sustain private sector housing via 3rd sector partnership. 98
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22 Reference Measure Comment M2.8 Number of homeless households who spend more than 12 months in temporary accommodation Demand from temporary accommodation has grown significantly beyond previous trends or projections, in short space of time. Supply has increased at speed, as far as possible to meet demand, with 100 additional temporary furnished units identified in the last year. A range of other work is being progressed to help mitigate the situation. . 4. Proposed Changes to Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) 4.1 The annual review provides the opportunity to assess and report on the progress made against each of the actions and measures contained within the plan. It also allows for a general re-examination of the RRTP, to ensure that the objectives, actions, and measures identified, remain appropriate, relevant, and measurable. 4.2 While there is no specific requirement to continue or prepare a new RRTP, with additional funding for RRTP confirmed for 2024/25, it is proposed to continue the current RRTP for a further year to ensure a continuity of focus. 4.3 Dependant on guidance from the Scottish Government a rebrand of the RRTP is being proposed as Transition Plan may not be the appropriate term moving forward, Homelessness Strategy has been suggested as an option with links into the Local Housing Strategy. 4.4 With the future requirements of RRTP unknown the resource would hope to retain commitment to the priority objectives set at the introduction of the plan, combining Priority objective 4 and 5 in the new plan. This is due to Housing First remaining a commitment however funding has restricted the ability to upscale this. Combining with the multi-agency focused outcome in the potential for a multi-agency approach to this. 4.5 Table B below shows specific proposal for amendment to measure M1.5 in line with changes in the Private rented sector. Table B – Proposed changes to measure Reference Measure Proposed change M1.5 Increase the number of accredited landlord properties Continue to promote landlord accreditation and training from Landlord Accreditation Scotland 5. Priorities for 2024/25 5.1 The review also provides an opportunity to set out the key priorities going forward and the future of the RRTP. 5.2 A summary of these to be progressed during 2023/24 are detailed below: - • Reduce the number of children affected by homelessness • End repeat offers of temporary accommodation related to challenging behaviour 99
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23 • Work with customers to ensure that they are queuing for an appropriate range of areas • Focus on meeting housing need to resolve homelessness within a reasonable timescale • Queue applicants with minority access to children for multi storey properties • Continue pilot of use of furnished properties as emergency accommodation • Continue work to expand core temporary accommodation provision • Consider appropriate balance between lets to urgent homeless applicants and transfer applicants to optimise availability and meet wider housing need • Continue discussions with key partners including RSL’s and the Scottish Government to increase supply of affordable homes for social rent. • Continue support to enable people to access and sustain tenancies in the private sector. • Supporting development of the new Strategic Commissioning Plan, to ensure appropriate linkages to future homelessness planning • Continue to maintain and develop links to the Local Child Poverty Action Plan. • Monitor specific pathways for victims of domestic abuse, and young care leavers. • Further develop the approach for individuals released from prison by expanding the service by linking in with female prisons. • Continue the Housing First approach. • Continue to convert temporary units to permanent accommodation where possible. • Continue the focus on joined up approaches and avoid long-term duplication of services especially with health and social care partnerships and community justice in line with impending prevention duties. 5.3 Funding the RRTP during 2024/25 Scottish Government Funding During 2023/24, the Scottish Government’s Ending Homelessness Together Fund confirmed a funding allocation of £460,892 for year five for South Lanarkshire. Partners agreed that this would be used to further embed and progress the following RRTP actions: - • The continuation of specialist support services currently provided by Blue Triangle Housing Association for intensive floating support services to individuals with complex needs. • Continuation of funding dedicated officer posts to support victims of domestic abuse. • Continued support of the Private Sector Access and Sustainment Service and expansion of the Innovation Fund administered by Right There. • Continuation of funding dedicated officer posts to support young care leavers now funded through Social Work Resource. • Continuation of funding dedicated officer to support SHORE standards for individuals entering and leaving prison. • Continuation of the Housing First programme. Other Funding Sources The Homelessness Strategy Group actively consider other potential funding routes to meet future resourcing requirements of the RRTP. Partners have committed to work collaboratively to identify funding opportunities in 2024/25. 100
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24 Appendix 1: Update on RRTP Action Plan for 2023/24 Priority Objective 1: Prevent homelessness occurring and significantly reduce homelessness RRTP Measures Target RRTP Baseline Progress 2023/24 Lead M1.1 Number of homeless presentations Maintain or reduce 1,928 2728 HTR M1.2 Level of Homeless Households (homelessness caseload at year end) Maintain or reduce 892 1579 UH, 6 deferred HTR M1.3 Number of affordable homes added to the housing supply (new and OMP) Annual target will be set and detailed in the Strategic Local Programme Agreement, developed between SLC and the Scottish Government RSL 283 To be reported later HTR / RSL SLC 193 269 M1.4 New supply affordable housing suitable to meet particular needs Annual target will be set and detailed in the Strategic Local Programme Agreement, developed between SLC and the Scottish Government 170 20 HTR / RSL M1.5 Increase the number of accredited landlord properties +9% from LHS baseline 1,068 787 HTR M1.6 Number of homeless households whose housing needs are met in the private rented sector Increase 2020/21 50 24 HTR 101
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25 Priority Objective 1: Prevent homelessness occurring and significantly reduce homelessness Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead A1.1 Set housing supply targets for new build properties and ensure contribution to meeting homelessness needs are considered in the planning process Aligned with Strategic Housing Investment Plan and the Local Housing Strategy. Annual target will be set and detailed in the Strategic Local Programme Agreement, developed between SLC and the Scottish Government. The council’s target for additional supply will be delivered through a combination of acquisitions of existing homes and new builds. The council approved target of 1300 additional homes will require to be reviewed in light of a significant reduction in the grant funding available to support the programme HTR/RSL A1.2 Increase number of properties acquired through Open Market Purchase (OMP Scheme) to support conversion of temporary accommodation to secure tenancies and rehousing in pressure areas Annual target to be agreed in Strategic Housing Investment Plan. The SHIP target to purchase 120 homes in the year was significantly exceeded with165 properties purchased. Acquisitions provide an opportunity to immediately increase council stock in high pressure areas, helping to meet homelessness demand. HTR Priority Objective 1: Prevent homelessness occurring and significantly reduce homelessness Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead A1.3 Continue to develop and promote the landlord accreditation scheme Deliver two private landlord forums per annum in partnership with the Landlord Accreditation Scotland South Lanarkshire Council has continued to promote the accreditation scheme at forum meetings and the Council’s websites. There are 787 registered landlords in South Lanarkshire. Again, this year the number of accredited landlords has decreased despite the high levels of engagement at our landlord forum and ongoing promotion of the PSASS service. HTR 102
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26 A1.4 Provide funding to incentivise landlords to access accreditation and training from Landlord Accreditation Scotland Annual fees provided and accreditation monitored The council continues to fund and work in partnership with Landlord Accreditation Scotland who provide training to private landlords. HTR A1.5A Expand the Private Sector Access and Sustainment Service administered by Right There Service Expanded Monitor effectiveness of increased capacity and widening scope of service delivery Right There (formerly Ypeople) provide expert advice and assistance, assessing housing needs, risk to sustainment in particular financial risk and assist households to access and sustain private sector accommodation. Additionally, to increase partnership working with landlords and letting agencies. In 2023/24 £350 of financial assistance was provided through Guarantee Bonds in place of a cash deposit. The service is continually promoted to landlords, to gain their support in encouraging access to the fund. The service has also expanded through work with the Jubilee Key Scheme who provide a limited amount of financial assistance to those supported. Quarterly reporting to the Homeless Strategy Group monitors the effectiveness of the service and opportunities for development. HTR /Right There A1.6A Deliver and continue to develop Private Sector Innovation Fund administered by Right There - providing financial support to private rented tenants to prevent homelessness. Service continues to be delivered in accordance with – commissioning contract. The Innovation Fund administered by Right There's Private Sector Access and Sustainment Fund (PSASS), has seen increased demand. In 2023/24 there were 29 successful referrals and the spend was £16,500 with £3500 paid back in. HTR/ Right There Priority Objective 1: Prevent homelessness occurring and significantly reduce homelessness Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead 103
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27 A1.7A Continue to develop and implement approaches to prevent youth homelessness, with a particular focus on pathway approach to meeting the needs of care experienced young people. Continue to deliver personalised and planned approach to provision of housing for young people leaving care. New Pathway Approach implemented by March 2023 This year we continued our Housing Pathways approach for all care experienced young people within the Throughcare system. Partners set a target in the year for 95% of applicants in the throughcare route to have a person-centred housing pathway agreement in place and achieved 100% at the end of quarter four. HTR A1.8 Continue to develop and implement approaches to support victims of domestic abuse and prevent homelessness. Enhance the development of the housing pathway for victims of domestic abuse , considering legislative changes and good practice During 2023/24 we have continued to provide housing representation at every MARAC, sharing relevant information on victims and perpetrators and taking away appropriate actions agreed at each meeting with the goal of maximising safety planning to safeguard victims. 104
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28 Priority Objective 2: Significantly reduce time spent by households in temporary accommodation and minimise moves before moving to settled homes RRTP Measures Target RRTP Baseline Progress 2023/24 Lead M2.1 Temporary Accommodation Supply Complete review of options for the provision of temporary accommodation in 2022/23 in conjunction with implementation of the Temporary Accommodation Strategic Plan to maintain optimum supply. Units 530 Units 704 HTR M2.2 Percentage of social housing allocated to homeless households by all social housing providers in South Lanarkshire 50-60% Set target subject to annual review 49.2% SLC 29.4% RSL 62.90% 43.50% HTR/RSL M2.3 Percentage of homeless households provided with a Scottish Secure Tenancy (SST) Maintain/improve on LHS baseline of 61.2% 61.2% 62.60% HTR M2.4 Percentage of former homeless households provided with an SST that maintain their home for more than 12 months Maintain/improve on LHS baseline of 88% 88% 91% HTR M2.5 Average time spent in temporary accommodation Reduce from 192 days 192 days 181.50 days HTR M2.6 Number of temporary accommodation units converted to SST Up to 100 units converted over 5-year period 12 units (117 in total) HTR 105
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29 Priority Objective 2: Significantly reduce time spent by households in temporary accommodation and minimise moves before moving to settled homes RRTP Measures Target RRTP Baseline Progress 2023/24 Lead M2.7 Percentage of all homeless presentations which are repeated (within 12 months) Reduce to less than 3% 4.5% 3.6% HTR M2.8 Number of homeless households who spend more than 12 months in temporary accommodation Reduce by 50% on baseline 120 143 HTR Priority Objective 2: Significantly reduce time spent by households in temporary accommodation and minimise moves before moving to settled homes Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead A2.1A Maximise the potential for converting temporary accommodation to a Scottish Secure Tenancy where the property meets the needs of the household Review best practice and identify suitable households and units 12 units were flipped during 2023/24. This continues to be an area of consideration and Area Teams continue to achieve a balance between flipping and maintaining a lever of temporary accommodation in the right places to meet the rising levels in demand. HTR A2.2 Increase percentage of allocations to homeless households SLC aligned with Local Letting Plans. RSL partners as per agreed targets The council continues to allocate more than 50% of available homes to homeless households. Cumulatively RSL HomeFinder partners allocated 43% of vacant properties to homeless households in 2023/24. To support delivery of the RRTP, the council continues to work with RSLs to secure the necessary proportion of their vacant properties are directed towards meeting the needs of homeless households during the year. HTR 106
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30 Priority Objective 2: Significantly reduce time spent by households in temporary accommodation and minimise moves before moving to settled homes Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead A2.3 Review number of properties currently used as temporary accommodation in line with demand. Reconfigure targets for temporary accommodation provision in 2022/23 subject to analysis confirmed in Temporary Accommodation Strategic Plan Targets re-configured using modelling tool HTR A2.4 Regularly review rent charges for temporary accommodation to ensure it remains a financially viable option for all homeless households. Aligned with Homelessness Business Plan Focus remains in supporting service users in financial difficulties and annual consultations continue to focus on and ensuring rent remains affordable. HTR Priority Objective 3: Improve and increase provision of housing support for households to live independently within communities RRTP Measures Target RRTP Baseline Progress 2023/24 Lead M3.1 Number of people accessing Housing Options (prevention) services 1,000 964 1086 HTR M3.2A Percentage of homeless households who require support, provided with Housing Support Officer assistance Maintain at 100% 100% 100% HTR 107
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31 Priority Objective 3: Improve and increase provision of housing support for households to live independently within communities RRTP Measures Target RRTP Baseline Progress 2023/24 Lead M3.3 Percentage of looked after young people accessing and sustaining accommodation that meets their needs Determine baseline Increase annually 95% 94% HTR Priority Objective 3: Improve and increase provision of housing support for households to live independently within communities Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2022/23 Lead A3.1 Increase housing support service provision to improve homelessness prevention and support tenancy sustainment across all tenures. Review current service provision The Wellbeing Web was introduced 2022/23 to enable SLC to monitor and track progress of households engaged with Housing Support Workers. The tool demonstrates the level of housing support needs, particularly in relation to managing the home, finances, mental and physical health and employment and education. The tool is person centred and focuses support provision on tenancy sustainment and prevention. The Wellbeing Web was further reviewed in 2023/24 by staff providing the front-line services. This resulted in a reviewed template and reporting tool which has become easier to work with and will continue to be reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure effectiveness. The reviewed tool is more efficient freeing up recording time to allow increase provision of support. HTR 108
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32 Priority Objective 3: Improve and increase provision of housing support for households to live independently within communities Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead A3.2 Increase provision of support from all services to support new tenancies, including improvements to housing starter/furnishing packs and incentives to encourage uptake of offers. Review and develop Implement and monitor effectiveness HomeStart came to a close 31 March 2024 with work carried out with area teams to consider how best to redistribute the good practice areas of the role within existing housing options teams. HTR A3.3 Monitor current Housing Options approach, and ensure adequate resourcing to meet any future increase in demand Annually monitor resourcing requirements and report through annual review A review of the Housing Options service is underway which is due for completion in 2024/25. HTR A3.4 Deliver Housing Options and homelessness awareness training to young people, targeting high schools in areas identified with high homelessness rates amongst young people Monitor and report Improved awareness of housing options and homelessness by secondary school pupils due to the development of a film that incorporated into the school curriculum with active participation from homeless service users. Service users enjoyed this experience and considered it valuable to provide an overview of the impact of homelessness HTR Priority Objective 3: Improve and increase provision of housing support for households to live independently within communities Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead A3.5 Review access to Scottish Welfare Fund with a view to ensuring Complete Review Implement any actions from review Review complete with good partnership working across services with regular liaison meetings, good communication and awareness of urgency for homeless households. SWF team utilised HTR 109
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33 effective and appropriate access for homeless households. additional funding to increase support to homeless household aiding sustainment over the last year. A3.6 Review current provision and need for outreach housing support and agree future service arrangements Complete Review. Current services/contracts due to end and implement revised arrangements as result of review Prior Information Notice (PIN) returns received in February 2024 to seek information on potential providers and their ability to provide the desired services. The new contract is looking for one contractor to provide First Stop Accommodation, Supported Accommodation, Out of Hours Services and Outreach Housing Support. It is anticipated that this will be one lead provider with subcontractors however awaiting legal guidance on this. New contact estimated to be in place for October 2024 HTR A3.7 Ensure ‘care experience’ is identified as a support need for any young people presenting as homeless and directed towards appropriate case managed pathway. Monitor and report Use of pathway plan, which compliments with wider Children’s Plan enables comprehensive person-centred housing and support planning and delivery. There have been positive outcomes and improvements to processes due to effective joint working between Housing and Social Work. The housing & social work joint working protocol was approved launched in December 2023 with follow up sessions carried out early 2024. The protocol will continue to be monitored and reported to senior management annually. HTR Priority Objective 3: Improve and increase provision of housing support for households to live independently within communities Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead A3.8 Complete a Wellbeing Assessment for all children and young people who are homeless Monitor and report (annually) A process for a “request for assistance” is now in place to highlight affected children both to health visitors and school nurses. Housing and NHS Lanarkshire Health Improvement team working towards developed a process for wellbeing HTR 110
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34 assessments for children affected by homelessness through the school nurse service. A3.9 Promote digital inclusion for households who are homeless Maximise funding for the provision of digital equipment and two year’s unlimited internet access for homeless households Since 2019 108 homeless households and vulnerable young adults have benefited from the continued efforts to challenge digital exclusion through the Bringing IT Home project. Each household has received a piece of digital equipment and two years of unlimited internet access. HTR Priority Objective 4: Expand the scope and capacity of our Housing First approach to be the first response for households with multiple complex needs RRTP Measures Target RRTP Baseline Progress 2023/24 Lead M4.1 Number of current households receiving Housing First Support Phased increase to 40 3 40 HTR M4.2A Number of Housing First planning cases handled by health professional led multi-agency care management approach. Baseline to be established - To be reported later HTR/HSCP 111
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35 Priority Objective 4: Expand the scope and capacity of our Housing First approach to be the first response for households with multiple complex needs Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead A4.1 Expand Housing First across South Lanarkshire 40 cases to be progressed on period of RRTP - 2019-24 During 2023/24, an additional 4 cases were included in the programme bringing the total households who have been supported to 40 meeting the target set at the beginning of the RRTP. HTR A4.2 Evaluate Housing First pathfinders and increase scale/scope of approach aligned to case conference criteria and pathways approach Evaluation Report to be completed To be reported later HTR A4.3A Complete development of the Temporary Accommodation Strategic Plan and progress implementation Implementation of Temporary Accommodation Strategic Plan and reconfiguration of temporary accommodation model. The Temporary Accommodation Strategic Plan has been developed which enables a complete understanding of how temporary accommodation is used and how it can be best developed to meet demand. It has been agreed that due to the increase in demand on the homeless service the modelling tool which was developed in support of the plan in 2021/22 and continues to inform the provision of temporary accommodation. HTR A4.4 Work with Scottish Prison Service and Addiewell prison to implement SHORE standards for people entering and exiting prison, including a priority focus for short- sentence prisoners on remand. Explore additional options for dedicated staff resources Implementation plan agreed and implemented from 2020/21 There is currently 1 full-time SHORE post funded by RRTP (split into two part-time posts) and a further full-time post funded by ADP to support households in prison and those leaving prison with substance and alcohol challenges into sustainable housing solutions on liberation. The ADP funded post supports the wider project work undertaken by SACRO on behalf of South Lanarkshire to support offenders. HTR 112
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36 Priority Objective 4: Expand the scope and capacity of our Housing First approach to be the first response for households with multiple complex needs Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead There were 442 new SHORE cases during 2023/24, of these 50 received admission appointment and 197 received liberation appointments (45%). Significantly, 70 households were supported through SHORE to return to their previous tenancy and a further 9 received their own tenancy after liberation. A4.5 Increase awareness and increase training offered to front line services to support people impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) from being homeless Evaluate requirement to raise awareness of partners in relation to ACEs. Service Development Sessions continue to be delivered to Housing Officers and Housing Support Officers across locality operational teams to raise awareness of trauma and providing a psychologically informed environment. HTR A4.6 Identify requirements for intensive trauma informed and PIE residential supported accommodation to meet the needs of extremely vulnerable groups Complete scoping report Service Development Sessions are still being conducted for Housing Officers and Housing Support Officers throughout local operational teams. The aim of these sessions is to enhance understanding of trauma and to foster a psychologically informed environment. HTR A4.7 Promote ‘routine enquiry’ across all health and care services, including visiting outreach, to identify housing provision and financial security Monitor and report via Health and Homelessness Steering Group Aligned to the intentions in the Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022 – 2025, there has been a continued commitment to improving homelessness prevention. The specific directions have provided opportunity to improve early intervention where recognised triggers of homelessness are identified however evidencing this has been limited in terms of formal reporting. HTR/HSCP 113
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37 Priority Objective 4: Expand the scope and capacity of our Housing First approach to be the first response for households with multiple complex needs Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead Arrangements are in place between housing and the University Health and Social Care Partnership to progress this direction and reporting in 2024/25. A4.8 Prioritise access to general medical and universal health screening services for homeless people, including primary care (GP), prescribing, dentists, etc Monitor and report via Health and Homelessness Steering Group During 2024/25 work will continue to explore opportunities to expand and evidence prevention activity through priority access through the reestablishment of the Health and Homeless Steering Group. This group will also focus on preparation work around legislation and statutory guidance on new prevention of homelessness duties for public bodies in the forthcoming Housing Bill. HTR/HSCP Priority Objective 5: Enhance integration and partnership working to embed RRTP through a whole systems approach RRTP Measures Target RRTP Baseline Progress 2023/24 Lead M5.1 Number of training and employment pathways for homeless households To be agreed To be agreed 4 FCR 114
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38 Priority Objective 5: Enhance integration and partnership working to embed RRTP through a whole systems approach Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead A5.1 Work with DWP to further develop use of discretionary support funding for homeless households to undertake appropriate training to develop skills and resilience to improve access to employment Agree pathways for accessing discretionary support with DWP The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is persistently collaborating with the council and various third sector organisations. Their goal is to guarantee that claimants, who are either homeless or on the verge of homelessness, receive appropriate and prompt assistance. Pathways are in place with every Jobcentre having a designated Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for claimants who are homeless or are under threat of becoming homeless. These SPOCs have strong links to the Local Authority and other partners and providers and work collaboratively to signpost and support this priority group. HTR/DWP A5.2 Explore options for improving digital connectivity for all homeless households, increasing engagement with services, and enabling improved tenancy management Explore options for expansion of project Utilising RRTP funding, the Bringing IT Home project was expanded. Since 2019 108 homeless and vulnerable households have been provided with digital devices and unlimited internet access for 2 years. A top up opportunity has opened going into 2024/25 for additional devices. HTR A5.3 Ensure effective training for staff is in place on awareness of the third sector support available to people at risk of homelessness in each locality Implement improvements as required VASLAN maintains its representation within the RRTP partnership, with the aim of promoting awareness of third sector support in South Lanarkshire. TS 115
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39 Priority Objective 5: Enhance integration and partnership working to embed RRTP through a whole systems approach Actions Target/Milestone Progress in 2023/24 Lead A5.4 Contribute to ongoing development and review of homelessness business plan to ensure sufficient resources available to continue to provide high quality services to homeless households Implemented recommendations as required The advancement of the Homelessness Business Plan is consistently tracked throughout the year. This is done via monthly performance reports and reviews conducted at the middle and end of the year. HTR 116
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Homelessness Strategic Plan 2024/2025 Appendix 2 In our ever-evolving landscape of addressing homelessness, adaptability and strategic planning are paramount. As we revisit our RRTP action plan, we recognise the need for clarity, alignment, and purpose. This revised plan aims to provide a concise overview of our priority outcomes, measures and actions alongside mitigations approved to tackle the homeless emergency situation. The annual review for the final year of the RRTP 2023/2024 provided the opportunity to assess and report on the progress made against each of the actions and measures contained within the plan. It also allows for a general re-examination of the RRTP, to ensure that the objectives, actions, and measures identified, remain appropriate, relevant, and measurable. While the RRTP placed a renewed focus on partnership planning across Scotland, locally partners have, over the last 20 years maintained a consistent strategic focus on homelessness. Accordingly, while there is no specific requirement to continue or prepare a new RRTP to ensure a continuity of focus partners locally have agreed to continue the current RRTP for a further year. A report to Housing and Technical Resources Committee on 7 February 2024 set out a range of actions to help address the emergency homelessness situation. These measures of these are incorporated within an updated RRTP outcome framework for 2024/2025 with a dual focus, namely detailing the; 1. the actions identified to address the emergency situation; and 2. partnership actions which will be progressed to continue and further develop key areas previously included within the RRTP 2019/2024 While future requirements in relation to RRTPs at a national level remain to be clarified, this strategic plan reflects the continuing commitment of the Council and Community Planning Partners to the priority objectives set out in the original document. For the purposes of the strategic plan priority objectives 4 and 5 have been combined This reflects, that while partners remain committed to progressing Housing First funding restrictions significantly limit the ability to upscale activity in this area. Combining the priority objectives provides for a greater multi agency focus within the outcome, emphasising the need for a for a multi-agency approach to this. Priority Outcomes: 1. Prevent homelessness occurring wherever possible thus reducing its impact 2. Limit time spent by households in temporary accommodation and minimise temporary accommodation moves before moving onto settled homes 3. Ensure housing support provision meets the level and type of need for households to live independently within communities 4. Enhance integration and partnership working to embed RRTP through a whole systems approach 5. Implement and monitor the Homeless Demand Pressures Mitigations 13 119
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The plan has been reviewed to enhance efficiency and streamline processes to optimise resource utilisation. By doing so the plan will be impact driven by ensuring that every action and measure contributes directly to our vision: ‘Homelessness in South Lanarkshire is significantly reduced, with homeless households moving to a settled home as quickly as possible’. This will also strengthen collaboration and concentrate on partnership working in line with the impending prevention duties for seamless implementation. Actions: The plan sets out actionable steps, assigns responsibilities, and establishes clear timelines. The plan also incorporates the mitigations set to tackle the homeless pressures. Regular progress assessments through the continuation of the Homeless Strategy Group will guide the course of the plan. The document will be open to adjustments and improvements as we progress and learn from our experiences. Completed actions will be removed from the plan to ensure the document remains concise. Homeless Strategic Plan Strategic Outcome 1: Prevent homelessness occurring wherever possible thus reducing its impact Actions Ref. Action Start Milestone/Target Lead Partner A1.1 Minimise increase in level of homelessness or maintain homelessness levels 2024/2025 Annual Housing and Technical Resources A1.2 (EA)* Reduce the number of children affected by homelessness 2024/2025 Annual Housing and Technical Resources A1.3 Promote homeless prevention activities to prevent homeless as far as possible 2024/2025 Annual Housing and Technical Resources A1.4 (EA)* Complete review of prevention approach and implement identified service improvements 2024/2025 March 2025 Housing and Technical Resources A1.5 (EA)* Undertake annual update of Temporary Accommodation Strategic Plan with ‘ordinary homes’ objective 2024/2025 Annual Housing and Technical Resources 120
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Measures Ref. Measure Baseline 2023/24 Target Responsibility M1.1 Number of homeless presentations 2728 Maintain or reduce Housing and Technical Resources M1.2 Level of Households Homeless (homelessness case load at year end) 1579 Maintain or reduce Housing and Technical Resources M1.3 Meet targets set for percentage of social housing allocated to homeless households by all social housing providers in South Lanarkshire SLC 62.90% RSL 43.50% 50-60% Housing and Technical Resources RSL Strategic Outcome 2: Limit time spent by households in temporary accommodation and minimise temporary accommodation moves before moving onto settled homes Actions Ref. Action Start Milestone/Target Lead Partner A2.1 (EA)* Review existing homelessness cases to ensure people appropriately queued to resolve homelessness 2024/2025 6 monthly report on progress Housing and Technical Resources A2.2 Minimise the number of moves between types of accommodation by utilising emergency accommodation 2024/2025 Annual Housing and Technical Resources 121
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A2.3 Increase affordable housing supply by progressing actions within the LHS and SHIP to increase supply through new build, acquisitions and bringing long term empty properties into use. 2024/2025 Aligned with Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) and the Local Housing Strategy (LHS). Annual target will be set and detailed in the Strategic Local Programme Agreement, developed between SLC and the Scottish Government. Housing and Technical Resources RSL Scottish Government A2.4 (EA)* Complete the Personal Housing Plan review. 2024/2025 April 2024 Housing and Technical Resources Measures Ref. Measure Baseline 2023/24 Target Responsibility M2.1 Reduce the average time spent in temporary accommodation 181.5 days Manage in line with Temporary accommodation model requirements Housing and Technical Resources M2.2 Convert temporary accommodation units to SST wherever possible 12 10 Housing and Technical Resources 122
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RSL M2.3 Increase the number of affordable homes added to the housing supply (new and market purchase) SLC 269 RSL 177 Aligned with the SHIP Housing and Technical Resources RSL M2.4 Number of long term empty properties are brough back into use in South Lanarkshire 28 15 Housing and Technical Resources M2.5 Increase the number of homeless households whose housing needs are met in the private rented sector 24 Increase on previous year Housing and Technical Resources Strategic Outcome 3: Ensure housing support provision meets the level and type of need for households to live independently within communities Actions Ref. Action Start Milestone/Target Lead Partner A3.1 Monitor, evaluate and adapt housing support services to improve homelessness prevention and support tenancy sustainment across all tenures 2024/2025 Annual Housing and Technical Resources 3rd Sector Partners A3.2 Complete an assessment of the support the availability of housing support services 2024/2025 Annual Housing and Technical Resources 123
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A3.3 Continue to develop and implement approaches to prevent youth homelessness, with a particular focus on pathway approach to meeting the needs of care experienced young people 2024/2025 95% pathway plans in place 95% sustainment Housing and Technical Resources Social Work Resources A3.4 Deliver Private Sector Innovation Fund and Sustainment service providing financial support to private rented tenants to prevent homelessness 2024/2025 Widen scope of service delivery Housing and Technical Resources Right There A3.5 Prepare and publish a domestic abuse policy setting out how tenants affected by domestic abuse will be supported and a view to preventing homelessness 2025/2026 Publish Policy Housing and Technical Resources A3.6 Implement new commissioning approach 2024/2025 Introduce consortium approach to commissioning Housing and Technical Resources Corporate and Finance A3.7 Implement actions of Housing Support Review 2024/2025 New Housing Support lead role Housing and Technical Resources Measures Ref. Measure Baseline 2023/24 Target Responsibility M3.1 Ensure all homeless households who require support are provided with Housing Support Officer 100% Maintain 100% Housing and Technical Resources 124
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assistance, including specialist and intensive where required Salvation Army Blue Triangle Housing Association M3.2 Maintain or improve the percentage of former homeless households provided with an SST that maintain their home for more than 12 months 91% Maintain/improve on Housing and Technical Resources M3.3 Sustain a low percentage of all homeless presentations which are repeated (within 12 months) 3.6% Reduce to less than 3% Housing and Technical Resources M3.4 Reduce the number of homeless presentations that result in the application being withdrawn 1.9% Reduce form the previous year Housing and Technical Resources M3.5 Reduce the number of homeless applications were contact is lost with the applicant 5.7% Reduce form the previous year Housing and Technical Resources M3.6 Continue to develop and implement approaches to support victims of domestic abuse and prevent homelessness 100% 100% HTR representation at MARAC Housing and Technical Resources BTHA Say Women M3.7 Continue to deliver SHORE standards for people entering and exiting prison 533 Double interactions from 2022/23 Housing and Technical Resources ADP Social Work Resources 125
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Strategic Outcome 4: Enhance integration and partnership working to embed RRTP through a whole systems approach Actions Ref. Action Start Milestone/Target Lead Partner A4.1 Continue our Housing First approach to be the first partnership response for households with multiple complex needs 2024/2025 Maintain Housing and Technical Resources A4.2 Expand workforce development and training across partners Ensure training and development across partners contains effective communication, coordination, and referral processes to ensure that individuals receive the right support and services at the right time (Ask & Act) 2024/2025 Ongoing All specified bodies Measures Ref. Measure Baseline Target Responsibility M4.1 Number of new Housing First cases in year 4 Maintain Housing and Technical Resources Salvation Army SACRO M4.2 Promote ‘routine enquiry’ across all health and care services through the review of the Strategic Commissioning Plan - Increase Health & Social Care Partnership 126
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and in line with the forthcoming Prevention Duties Housing and Technical Resources M4.3 Prioritise access to general medical and universal health screening services for homeless people, including primary care (GP), prescribing, dentists, etc Increase Health & Social Care Partnership Housing and Technical Resources M4.4 Increase awareness of homelessness issues and services, particularly within the Third Sector Access to pathways monitored via VASLAN and third sector agencies Housing and Technical Resources VASLAN M4.5 Deliver Housing Options and homelessness awareness training to young people, targeting high schools in areas identified with high homelessness rates amongst young people - Housing and Technical Resources Education Resources M4.6 Continue to explore employment and training pathways for homeless/potentially homeless households Access to pathways monitored via Employability Housing and Technical Resources Employability DWP 127
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M4.7 Promote Digital Inclusion for homeless/potentially homeless households Access to services monitored via FIN Sub-Group Housing and Technical Resources Financial Inclusion Network Digital Inclusion Subgroup Strategic Outcome 5: Implement and monitor the Homeless Demand Pressures Mitigations (EA)* Measures Ref. Measure Start/Baseline Target Responsibility Progress M5.1 Homeless Pressures Update Report to Housing Committee 2024/25 February 2025 Housing and Technical Resources M5.2 Continue to brief staff on further actions and service developments to address pressure on homelessness service 2024/25 March 2025 Housing and Technical Resources M5.3 Review scrutiny group findings on access to homeless service and incorporate improvements as appropriate. 2024/2025 September 2024 Housing and Technical Resources M5.4 Consider wider urgent need – SHORE, GBV, Housing First - impact 2024/2025 March 2025 Housing and Technical Resources 128
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M5.5 Review of webpages 2024/2025 June 2024 Housing and Technical Resources M5.6 Communicate approach/implementation plan to staff: • Staff • Tenants & customers (UH applicants) • Elected Members • Partners - H&SCP, 3rd Sector, ADP, CAB • Trade Unions • Regulator 2024/2025 May 2024 Housing and Technical Resources M5.7 Revise communications to ensure effectively reference the current pressure on service Consider strapline on emails for homeless service 2024/2025 2024 Housing and Technical Resources M5.8 Routine Performance monitoring will inform ongoing evaluation 2024/2025 Ongoing Housing and Technical Resources A M5.9 Develop revised Homeless induction and L & D programme 2024/2025 August 2024 Housing and Technical Resources 129
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M5.10 Implementation of HOME system 2024/25 January 2025 Housing and Technical Resources • *EA – Emergency Action 130
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Greenhills Hall and Library, East Kilbride – Lease to Loaves and Fishes under Community Asset Transfer Lite 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to: advise the committee of the competing requests for a concessionary lease of Greenhills Hall and Library, East Kilbride, through the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) Lite process seek approval to the lease the hall to Loaves and Fishes on principal terms and conditions as set out in Section 6 of the report 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the subjects Greenhills Hall and Library, 14 Greenhills, Square, East Kilbride, G75 8TT be leased to Loaves and Fishes subject to the terms and conditions outlined in Section 6 of the report; and (2) that the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), in conjunction with the Head of Administration and Legal Services, be authorised to conclude all matters in respect of the lease and enter into the necessary legal agreements on terms which are in the best interests of the Council. 3. Background 3.1. Greenhills Hall and Library are owned by South Lanarkshire Council and managed on the Council’s behalf by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC). 3.2. The SLLC Board decided in February 2024 that it could not sustain service delivery for a number of facilities including Greenhills Hall and Library, and that these would be returned to the Council. In recognition of the potential impact upon communities the Council invited local organisations to express interest in these properties through Community Asset Transfer (CAT), with support from the Community Fightback Fund (CFF) and the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) to keep facilities open while this process took place. 3.3. At the Executive Committee meeting of 27 March 2024, temporary delegated authority was granted to the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) for the period 19 June 2024 to 18 September 2024, to enter into short-term lease agreements, however, this excluded the situation where more than one organisation expressed interest in the same property. 14 131
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4. Greenhills Hall and Library 4.1.1. 2 organisations have approached the Council with a request for an annual lease of Greenhills Hall and Library to enable the facilities to remain open for community use, on the basis that the lease will enable them to operate the facility whilst testing the viability of a future CAT. 4.1.2. At this point, this is not a formal CAT request in terms of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. However, the application to lease has been assessed following the established CAT procedure. The Community Asset Transfer Working Group has recommended that one of the applicants be granted a 100% rent reduction for the annual lease for this one-year period and it is anticipated that a formal CAT application will be developed during that time. 4.2. The extent of the property is shown on the attached plan at Appendix 1 and, as there is no change of use or development proposed, planning consent will not be required. 4.3. Expressions of interest have been received from two organisations. 4.4.1. Loaves and Fishes is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) Company Registration No SC009413. Loaves and Fishes as an organisation has been operating since 1992 and has a strong committee and volunteer base. They currently sustain their operation from commercial premises and would appear to have the financial and business acumen to manage the complex estate involved in this transaction. 4.4.2. The purpose of the organisation is:- ♦ the prevention or relief of poverty by providing free food and other support for those in need due to financial hardship 4.4.3. The proposal is for Loaves and Fishes to move to the premises, which will allow the current activity to grow, and also move it to the area of most need in East Kilbride, allowing easier access for the local and wider community. The organisation has indicated that they will work with other community organisations and support wider community to access this building. They wish to apply for the hall and the adjoining library in order to deliver a wider range of services. 4.4.4. They are in discussions with local charity Waist Not Want Not regarding a joined-up provision of services which helps those most in need, potentially through a sub-lease of the library premises to them. Waist not Want Not to have indicated they are keen to continue to offer the community access to books and confirmed they already have “book bug” trained staff who could facilitate this as part of their offering. 4.5.1. East Kilbride Vineyards Church is a single tier SCIO, Company Registration No SC049657. Its constitutional form date is given as 3 October 2019. The organisation operates under the auspices of an elected board with 4 trustees. It is, therefore, not eligible for a full CAT but would be adequate for a 1 year concessionary lease. 4.5.2. The organisation currently only rents space, and does not own or manage any property, which may be an issue in terms of managing a venue the size of Greenhills Hall. It would appear to have some members with skills which may be able to assist in this respect. The church is operated in a financially prudent manner but would have to face the new challenge of meeting the high operational costs of the facility on an ongoing basis. 132
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4.5.3. The purpose of the organisation is to advance the Christian religion for the public benefit in accordance with its statement of faith in the UK and the world through the:- ♦ organisation and provision of Christian worship ♦ provision of such facilities and services as are appropriate for the church, to enable it to fulfil its mission to the members of the church, visitors to the church and local community and wider community ♦ provision of facilities for Christian training and service ♦ support and provision of Christian evangelism and outreach ♦ provision of assistance to the wider Christian church in its ministries 4.5.4. The church has 56 active members and 36 volunteers who are involved in its current service delivery, which includes the operation of a small foodbank from Greenhills Hall, working in conjunction with the East Kilbride Integration Network to offer service delivery to their client group and the provision of a church. 4.5.5. The lease of the property would offer a place of worship and a community centre that serves the area, continue, and grow the existing foodbank provision and develop a community café. In addition, the group would work in conjunction with partner agency, the East Kilbride Integration Network, to fully develop the space for activities operated by and on behalf of both organisations. 5. Assessment 5.1. The property is suitable for either of the proposed uses and the grant of the annual lease will enable the facility to remain open and relieve the council of the costs of empty property rates, utility charges, insurance costs and repairs. 5.2. Although this is not a formal CAT request, both organisations will have the opportunity to adapt their constitutions to comply with the terms of the Community Empowerment legislation during the 1 year lease, if required. 5.3. A public consultation exercise was carried out between 20 May 2024 and 14 June 2024 to ascertain the level of support for the interested parties. ♦ Loaves and Fishes received 138 positive responses which originated from individuals of all ages supporting their proposal and their proposed sub-let of space to Waist Not Want Not. These comments were largely from local participants who welcomed Loaves and Fishes moving their premises to a more suitable location where it could be accessed more easily. Two objections were received regarding the Loaves and Fishes/Waist Not Want Not proposal ♦ Vineyards Church received 2 positive comments ♦ a further 10 comments were received which indicated they were positive towards the change of use but didn’t clarify which organisation they supported ♦ 2 objections were made on the premises being transferred from SLLC management 5.4. Consideration has been given to the strengths, weaknesses and risks associated with both applications, taking into account that the applications are both for just a 1 year lease. On balance, it is believed that the application by Loaves and Fishes is the stronger of the two interests for the following reasons:- ♦ strong evidence of need and close connections with the local community ♦ financial resilience and experienced committee ♦ well-established and sustainable organisation 133
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5.5. The risks associated with the proposed lease are considered low, given both the status of the organisation and that the request is for a year-to-year lease. 5.6. The Council has no alternative operational requirement for the subjects. Should the lease prove unsustainable for the applicant, the Council will have the ability to resume full ownership and consider the future of the property. However, it is anticipated that a formal application for CAT will be forthcoming. 6. Proposal 6.1. It is proposed to lease the subjects at Greenhills Hall and Library, East Kilbride, to Loaves And Fishes on the following principal terms and conditions:- ♦ the lease will be to Loaves and Fishes ♦ the lease will be for a period of one year ♦ the date of entry to be agreed ♦ the rental shall be £1 per annum, if asked ♦ the lease to be fully repairing and insuring. Neither tenant nor the landlord will be responsible for any major repair works that may be required to the premises ♦ the tenants will be required to obtain and exhibit as required, public liability insurance to the value of £5 million for any one claim ♦ the council will insure the property and recover the costs from the tenants ♦ the property will be used as a community hall and offices ♦ the tenants to be responsible for any rates or property charges resulting from their occupation and use of the subjects ♦ assignation and subletting (excluding hourly lets) will not be allowed without the council's express consent ♦ each party to be responsible for their own legal costs. However, the tenants will require to pay any registration fees and Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) if required 6.2. At the expiry of the lease, the Council will consider renewal of the lease subject to being satisfied as to the operation of the subjects by the tenants. 7. Employee Implications 7.1. SLLC have confirmed that all of their staff will be redeployed to other facilities. 8. Financial Implications 8.1. If the lease outlined in this report is approved by committee, it will remove the costs of operating this asset from the limited-period Community Fightback Fund that was established by the council in February 2024. 9 Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 9.1. There are no issues in relation to climate change, sustainability and the environment contained within this report. 10. Other Implications 10.1. None. 11. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 11.1. Consultation has taken place with the Community Participation Team, Legal Services and Community and Enterprise Resources and with communities through the Planning Portal. 134
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11.2. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function, or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 22 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient, and transparent Caring, connected, sustainable communities Previous References ♦ None List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Craig Jardine, Head of Property Services Ext: 4073 (Tel: 01698 454073) email: craig.jardine@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 135
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: High Blantyre Hall - Lease to 3rd Blantyre Community Group under Community Asset Transfer Lite 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] advise the committee of competing requests for a concessionary lease of High Blantyre Hall through the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) Lite process seek approval to the lease to 3rd Blantyre Community Group on the principal terms and conditions as set out in Section 6 of the report [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that High Blantyre Hall, 22 Cemetery Road, Blantyre, Hamilton, G72 0HA be leased to 3rd Blantyre Community Group subject to the terms and conditions outlined in Section 6 of the report; and (2) that the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), in conjunction with the Head of Administration and Legal Services, be authorised to conclude all matters in respect of the lease and enter into the necessary legal agreements on terms which are in the best interests of the Council. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. High Blantyre Hall is owned by South Lanarkshire Council and managed on the council’s behalf by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC). 3.2. Following a review of its business plan, the SLLC Board decided in February 2024 that it could not sustain service delivery for a number of facilities including High Blantyre Hall, and that these would be returned to the council. In recognition of the potential impact upon communities the council invited local organisations to express interest in these properties through Community Asset Transfer (CAT), with support from the Community Fightback Fund (CFF) and the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) to keep facilities open while this process took place. 3.3. At the Executive Committee meeting of 27 March 2024, temporary delegated authority was granted to the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) for the period 19 June 2024 to 18 September 2024, to enter into short term lease agreements, however this excluded the situation where more than one organisation expressed interest in the same property. 15 139
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4. High Blantyre Hall 4.1.1. 2 organisations have approached the council with a request for an annual lease of High Blantyre Hall to enable the facility to remain open for community use, on the basis that the lease will enable them to operate the facility whilst testing the viability of a future CAT. 4.1.2. At this point, this is not a formal CAT request in terms of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. However, the application to lease has been assessed following the established CAT procedure. The Community Asset Transfer Working Group has recommended that that one of the applicants be granted a 100% rent reduction for the annual lease for this one-year period and it is anticipated that a formal CAT application will be developed during that time. 4.2. The extent of the property is shown on the attached plan at Appendix 1 and as there is no change of use or development proposed, planning consent will not be required. 4.3. Expressions of interest have been received from 2 organisations. 4.4.1. The 3rd Blantyre Community Group, a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) Company Registration No. SC053558, is a recently established organisation, set up by 3rd Blantyre Scout Group to lease and manage the facility on its behalf. 4.4.2. Then 3rd Blantyre Scout Group has been in operation for over 100 years. It currently hall hires locally. However, this arrangement is now looking less firm, and the group wishes to secure its future by having a set of premises where it can have long-term sustainability and grow. The group currently has more than 100 active participants and already carries out partnership work in conjunction with other local organisations. 4.4.3 The Scout Group has a strong, established board of 9 trustees, with a wide diversity of skills, and in addition it has an adult leadership team of 20 adults. The newly established organisation has shared trustees and will link closely with the existing scout organisation to deliver the project. The new organisation has been established due to Scout Groups operating under a national set of articles which are not ideal for those organisations which wish to take on leases as they are unincorporated and leave the members at risk. The establishment of a separate entity to manage halls has been a practice adopted on a number of occasions by Scout Groups and provides the strength of the existing organisation and also the associated indemnity which is advisable for most membership charities to have. 4.4.4. The 3rd Blantyre Community Group’s proposal is to centralise its activity in these premises and grow its existing membership, offering more evening activities linked to scouting, meeting an identified demand. In addition, the group wishes to reopen the community centre and make it available to existing and new user groups to ensure it serves the local area best and is sustainable. The group has already had discussions with a number of these groups which have added in letters of support to the application. The grant of an annual lease will allow the organisation to assess the viability of the proposal and develop proposals for a future, longer term agreement or purchase. 4.5.1 Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission Motherwell is a local branch of a national CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) Company Registration No. 1173537, Catholic- Syro-Malabar Eparchy of GB. The CIO was registered on 22 June 2017, though the organisation appears to have been established in 2002. Its recorded purposes are:- 140
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⧫ the organisation of the celebration of sacraments and religious services, prayer meetings, missions and similar events ⧫ the provision of accommodation and other support for clergy (including in retirement) and other individuals engaged in the advancement of the objects ⧫ the advancement of education in accordance with the teaching of the Catholic Church and the training of individuals and groups and the production and distribution of literature and the broadcasting of information using modern media to enlighten others about the Catholic faith ⧫ the relief of poverty and suffering and other such charitable purposes for the benefit of the public as are consistent with the doctrines of the Catholic Church ⧫ the acquisition, provision and maintenance of land and buildings to be used primarily for the above purposes, and also to be available for hire or use by other community groups ⧫ any other related activities which support the promotion of Christian beliefs in the UK or overseas, including donations to individuals or organisations engaged in the promotion of the Christian faith ⧫ any other activities which are requisite for the achievement of the objects of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain 4.5.2. The organisation has a congregation of between 400 and 500 participants who reside throughout the Lanarkshire area. It has a group of 18 trustees who operate the local organisational activities and make decisions on behalf of the group. 4.5.3. Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission Motherwell’s proposal is to operate the premises primarily as a church and gathering space for activities for its congregation. The group has also intimated that it would allow other groups and the local community to utilise the facility when it is not using it. However, there is no detail on this or evident links with existing community organisations. The nationwide organisation is financially viable, however limited funding at a local level could be a challenge to the organisation maintaining and operating the hall longer term. 5. Assessment 5.1. The property is suitable for either of the proposed uses and the grant of the annual lease will enable the facility to remain open and relieve the council of the costs of empty property rates, utility charges, insurance costs and repairs. 5.2. Although this is not a formal CAT request, both organisations will have the opportunity to adapt their constitutions to comply with the terms of the Community Empowerment legislation during the one-year lease if required. 5.3. A public consultation exercise was carried out between 5 June 2024 and 4 July 2024 to ascertain the level of support for the interested parties. ⧫ the 3rd Blantyre Community Group received 138 positive responses from a variety of local residents and organisations citing their long history, strong partnership working and inclusivity ⧫ Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission Motherwell received 444 positive responses which largely would appear to have originated from their congregation through Lanarkshire and beyond ⧫ a further 67 comments were received which indicated they were positive towards the change of use but didn’t clarify which organisation they supported ⧫ 5 objections and 1 neutral comment were made on the premises being transferred from SLLC management 141
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5.4. Consideration has been given to the strengths, weaknesses and risks associated with both applications, taking into account that the application is for just a one-year lease. On balance, it is believed that the application by the 3rd Blantyre Community Group is the stronger of the two for the following reasons: ⧫ well-established group ⧫ strong links with the local community ⧫ financial stability ⧫ commitment to providing access to wider community 5.5. The risks associated with the proposed lease are considered low, given both the status of the organisation and that the request is for a year-to-year lease. 5.6. The Council has no alternative operational requirement for the subjects. Should the lease prove unsustainable to the applicant, the council will have the ability to resume full ownership and consider the future of the property. However, it is anticipated that a formal application for CAT will be forthcoming. 6. Proposal 6.1. It is proposed to lease the subjects at High Blantyre Hall to 3rd Blantyre Community Group on the following principal terms and conditions: ⧫ the lease will be to 3rd Blantyre Community Group ⧫ the lease will be for a period of one year ⧫ the date of entry to be agreed ⧫ the rental shall be £1 per annum, if asked ⧫ the lease to be fully repairing and insuring. Neither tenant nor the landlord will be responsible for any major repair works that may be required to the premises ⧫ the tenants will be required to obtain and exhibit as required, public liability insurance to the value of £5 million for any one claim ⧫ the council will insure the property and recover the costs from the tenant ⧫ the property will be used as a community hall and offices ⧫ the tenants to be responsible for any rates or property charges resulting from their occupation and use of the subjects ⧫ assignation and subletting (excluding hourly lets) will not be allowed without the council's express consent ⧫ each party to be responsible for their own legal costs, however, the tenants will require to pay any registration fees and Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) if required 6.2. At the expiry of the lease, the council will consider renewal of the lease subject to being satisfied as to the operation of the subjects by the tenants. 7. Employee Implications 7.1. SLLC have confirmed that all of their staff will be redeployed to other facilities. 8. Financial Implications 8.1. If the lease outlined in this report is approved by committee, it will remove the costs of operating this asset from the limited-period Community Fightback Fund that was established by the council in February 2024. 9 Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 9.1. There are no issues in relation to climate change, sustainability and the environment contained within this report. 142
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10. Other Implications 10.1. None. 11. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 11.1. Consultation has taken place with the Community Participation Team, Legal Services and Community and Enterprise Resources and with communities through the Planning Portal. 11.2. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function, or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 22 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient, and transparent Caring, connected, sustainable communities Previous References ♦ None List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Craig Jardine, Head of Property Services Ext: 4073 (Tel: 01698 454073) email: craig.jardine@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 143
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Calderwood Hall, East Kilbride – Lease to Calderwood Baptist Church under Community Asset Transfer Lite 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- advise the committee of competing requests for a concessionary lease of Calderwood Hall through the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) Lite process seek approval to lease to Calderwood Baptist Church on the principal terms and conditions as set out in Section 6 of the report 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the subjects at Calderwood Hall, Blackbraes Road, East Kilbride, G74 3JT be leased subject to the terms and conditions outlined in Section 6 of the report; and (2) that the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), in conjunction with the Head of Administration and Legal Services, be authorised to conclude all matters in respect of the lease and enter into the necessary legal agreements on terms which are in the best interests of the Council. 3. Background 3.1. Calderwood Hall is owned by South Lanarkshire Council and managed on the council’s behalf by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC). 3.2. The SLLC Board decided in February 2024 that it could not sustain service delivery for a number of facilities including Calderwood Hall, and that these would be returned to the Council. In recognition of the potential impact upon communities the Council invited local organisations to express interest in these properties through Community Asset Transfer (CAT), with support from the Community Fightback Fund (CFF) and the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) to keep facilities open while this process took place. 3.3. At the Executive Committee meeting of 27 March 2024, temporary delegated authority was granted to the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) for the period 19 June 2024 to 18 September 2024, to enter into short term lease agreements, however, this excluded the situation where more than one organisation expressed interest in the same property. 16 147
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4 Calderwood Hall 4.1.1. 2 organisations have approached the council with a request for an annual lease of Calderwood Hall to enable the facility to remain open for community use, on the basis that the lease will enable them to operate the facility whilst testing the viability of a future CAT. 4.1.2. At this point, this is not a formal CAT request in terms of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. However, the application to lease has been assessed following the established CAT procedure. The CAT Working Group has recommended that that one of the applicants be granted a 100% rent reduction for the annual lease for this 1 year period and it is anticipated that a formal CAT application will be developed during that time. 4.2. The extent of the property is shown on the attached plan at Appendix 1, and as there is no change of use or development proposed, planning consent will not be required. 4.3. Expressions of interest have been received from two organisations. 4.4.1. Calderwood Baptist Church is currently an unincorporated registered charity (SC021228) which is suitably constituted for the agreement of an annual lease. However, it is not suitably constituted for a full CAT. 4.4.2. The purpose of the organisation is to support their congregation and in turn provide support and assistance to the wider community in any way they can. The organisation has an existing track record of building management and development, having previously acquired the Hunter’s House Museum from the Council a number of years ago and turning it into a successful café and meeting space. Calderwood Baptist Church is very visible at a local and area-wide level and is involved with the strategical development of services, not just in their local area but throughout the East Kilbride area. They have a strong financial model which would ensure their sustainability and ability to deal with the challenges of managing an aging facility. 4.4.3. The organisation wishes to continue to offer the diverse range of activities it currently runs from Calderwood Hall and consolidate and grow these to serve more of the local community. The organisation has a strong record of partnership working and its application is supported by a number of current hall users who wish to endorse their approach and are an integral member of the Connected Calderwood group which looks to improve service delivery to that community. 4.5.1. The 6th East Kilbride Scout Group is an unincorporated organisation which operates under a standard Scout governing document provided by the regional and national Scouting Committees. This document is generally not suitable for CAT and, being unincorporated, there is also a risk for its members in agreeing a CAT lite. Preliminary discussions with the group highlighted this issue and the group were given information and signposting on what they needed to do to comply with the CAT guidance. To date no new organisation appears to have been created or registered, however, this could be achieved during the 1-year lease period. 4.5.2. The troop has existed for a number of years and appears successful in terms of participation levels and operation. It currently leases a hall which is prohibitive in size and layout and their application aims to obtain a base of operations from which they can grow. 148
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4.5.3. The purpose of the organisation is to provide scouting to the young people of East Kilbride. They operate in line with most local Scout Groups, with a membership made up of parents, participants, and other interested parties. The trustees are elected from this grouping and in conjunction with the troop leaders manage the operations of the group. The troop currently has 5 trustees, 24 volunteers and 66 members. A number of members bring complementary skills which would benefit the organisation’s operation of this facility. 4.5.4. The purpose of the application is to establish a suitable base of operations for the Scout Group and meet the demand from young people who wish to participate, and to operate the community centre out with their core usage for local groups and the general public. 5. Assessment 5.1. The property is suitable for either of the proposed uses and the grant of the annual lease will enable the facility to remain open and relieve the council of the costs of empty property rates, utility charges, insurance costs and repairs. 5.2. Although this is not a formal CAT request, both organisations will have the opportunity to adapt their constitutions to comply with the terms of the Community Empowerment legislation during the 1 year lease if required. 5.3. A public consultation exercise was carried out between 14 May 2024 and 12 June 2024 to ascertain the level of support for the interested parties. ♦ Calderwood Baptist Church received 92 positive comments which were focused upon the facility being available to different groups and the wider community ♦ the 6Th East Kilbride Scout Group received 70 positive comments which were primarily focused upon the work the Scouts already do and how having a base would allow them to grow ♦ a further 15 comments were received which indicated they were positive towards the change of use but didn’t clarify which organisation they supported 5.4. Consideration has been given to the strengths, weaknesses and risks associated with both applications, taking into account that the application is for just a 1 year lease. On balance, it is believed that the application by Calderwood Baptist Church is the stronger of the two interests for the following reasons. ♦ history of developing and maintaining a facility ♦ strong partnership working within the local community ♦ proven track record 5.5. The risks associated with the proposed lease are considered low, given both the status of the organisation and that the request is for a year-to-year lease. 5.6. The council has no alternative operational requirement for the subjects. Should the lease prove unsustainable for the applicant, the Council will have the ability to resume full ownership and consider the future of the property. However, it is anticipated that a formal application for CAT will be forthcoming. 6. Proposal 6.1. It is proposed to lease the subjects Calderwood Hall to Calderwood Baptist Church on the following principal terms and conditions:- 149
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the lease will be to Calderwood Baptist Church the lease will be for a period of 1 year the date of entry to be agreed the rental shall be £1 per annum, if asked the lease to be fully repairing and insuring. Neither tenant nor the landlord will be responsible for any major repair works that may be required to the premises the tenants will be required to obtain and exhibit as required, public liability insurance to the value of £5 million for any one claim the Council will insure the property and recover the costs from the tenants the property will be used as a community hall and offices the tenants to be responsible for any rates or property charges resulting from their occupation and use of the subjects assignation and subletting (excluding hourly lets) will not be allowed without the council's express consent each party to be responsible for their own legal costs. However, the tenants will require to pay any registration fees and Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) if required 6.2. At the expiry of the lease, the Council will consider renewal of the lease subject to being satisfied as to the operation of the subjects by the tenants. 7. Employee Implications 7.1. SLLC have confirmed that all of their staff will be redeployed to other facilities. 8. Financial Implications 8.1. If the lease outlined in this report is approved by committee, it will remove the costs of operating this asset from the limited-period Community Fightback Fund that was established by the Council in February 2024 9 Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 9.1. There are no issues in relation to climate change, sustainability and the environment contained within this report. 10. Other Implications 10.1. None. 11. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 11.1. Consultation has taken place with the Community Participation Team, Legal Services and Community and Enterprise Resources and with communities through the Planning Portal. 11.2. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function, or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 22 August 2024 150
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Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient, and transparent Caring, connected, sustainable communities Previous References ♦ None List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Craig Jardine, Head of Property Services Ext: 4073 (Tel: 01698 454073) email: craig.jardine@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 151
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Stewartfield Community Centre, East Kilbride – Lease to East Kilbride Gymnastics Club 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] advise the committee of the withdrawal of Badminton Academy Social Enterprise (BASE) from the previously agreed asset transfer by lease for Stewartfield Community Centre, East Kilbride advise the committee of the request for asset transfer, by short term lease, of Stewartfield Community Centre, East Kilbride, to East Kilbride Gymnastics Club (EKGC) and request approval to the principal terms and conditions as set out in section 7 of the report [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s): [recs] (1) that the withdrawal of Badminton Academy Social Enterprise (BASE) from the previously agreed asset transfer of Stewartfield Community Centre, East Kilbride, be noted; (2) that Stewartfield Community Centre, East Kilbride be leased to East Kilbride Gymnastics Club, subject to the terms and conditions outlined in section 7 of the report; and (3) that the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), in conjunction with the Head of Administration and Legal Services, be authorised to conclude all matters in respect of the lease and enter into the necessary legal agreements on terms which are in the best interests of the Council. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. The Council owns Stewartfield Community Centre, East Kilbride, adjacent to Morrisons supermarket. The property is leased to South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) and consists of a main sports hall and smaller community hall. 3.2. At its meeting on 30 August 2023, the Housing and Technical Resources Committee approved the asset transfer by lease to Badminton Academy Social Enterprise (BASE). However, during negotiations between BASE and the Council to finalise the terms of the lease, BASE notified the council that they were unable to agree to the terms and conditions offered and accordingly withdrew their request. They also confirmed they did not wish to take the matter to appeal and ended negotiations. 17 155
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4. Property 4.1. The property, built in 1994, is situated within a small retail park next to Morrisons supermarket and is in good condition. It consists of a large sports hall and a smaller hall/ community space with car parking shared with the other retail park occupiers. 4.2. The facility particularly appeals to gymnastics, trampoline and badminton users as the large hall has a high roof. The only other facility in the area with a similar roof height is the John Wright Sports Centre. 4.3. This is an operational facility leased to SLLC which was identified as potentially “at risk” in the South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Review of 2021. Given negotiations towards an approved asset transfer, SLLC’s budget for 2024-2025 assumed this asset would no longer be operated by them, so there is no provision to meet the £140,000 overheads relating to the community centre in SLLC’s current budget. 5 New Applicant 5.1.1 Following the withdrawal of BASE, East Kilbride Gymnastics Club (EKGC), which had shown a previous interest in the building, indicated they now wished to apply for a short-term lease to keep the premises open whilst they applied for a full lease via the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) process. 5.1.2. On 4 June 2024 EKGC submitted an application for a one-year lease of the premises. 5.2.1. EKGC are a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), number SC039629, which was incorporated on 30 October 2013. Prior to this date the organisation operated from 4 June 2008 as an unincorporated charity. 5.2.2. Legal Services has confirmed that EKGC’s constitution is appropriate for both short-term lease and Community Asset Transfer by lease, that the organisation has not been established for private gain, and any surplus or assets have to be used for the benefit of the charity. 5.2.3. The organisation has 14 trustees and a wide membership. The Board meets regularly to make decisions and ensure the operation works appropriately. The organisation’s board has a wide array of knowledge and experience and has guided it through a sustained period of growth over the last number of years. 5.3.1. The proposal is to transfer the community centre via a 1 year lease at nominal rent. No major investment works are proposed or required at present. 5.3.2. The project is to create a gymnastics academy specifically focused on ASN and primary aged children and in doing so meet the demand the organisation has already created. The main sports hall will be used exclusively for gymnastics with the smaller hall continuing to be available for a wider range of uses and community activity. 5.4.1. EKGC has a proven track record of operating facilities and has an extensive and active volunteer base who would assist with the day-to-day operation of the facility. 5.4.2. The current operating practices of the organisation have allowed the organisation to operate to sustain and grow as well as generating a funding reserve which provides a degree of security in the proposed new activity from this venue. 156
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6. Assessment 6.1. EKGC has an experienced board and a close working relationship with the council and SLLC. 6.2. There are risks in terms of the viability of the project, particularly in the first year. Although specific funding sources have not been referenced within the application, EKGC has advised that the initial revenue costs will be covered by their reserves, and new income generation made possible by the lease of the venue. 6.3. Within its lease request, EKGC requested transfer by lease at a nominal rental of £1 per annum. If agreed, this will be reviewed when a full asset transfer request is made to ensure the level of community benefit is appropriate. 7. Proposal 7.1. It is proposed to grant a lease of Stewartfield Community Centre, East Kilbride, to EKGC on the following principal terms and conditions: the lease will be to East Kilbride Gymnastics Club the lease will be for a period of one year the date of entry to be agreed the rental shall be £1 per annum, if asked the lease to be fully repairing and insuring. Neither tenant nor the landlord will be responsible for any major repair works that may be required to the premises the tenants will be required to obtain and exhibit as required, public liability insurance to the value of £5 million for any one claim the council will insure the property and recover the costs from the tenants the property will be used as a sports facility and community centre the tenants to be responsible for any rates or property charges resulting from their occupation and use of the subjects assignation and subletting (excluding hourly lets) will not be allowed without the council's express consent each party to be responsible for their own legal costs. However, the tenants will require to pay any registration fees and Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) if required 8. Employee Implications 8.1. SLLC have confirmed that all of their staff will be redeployed to other facilities. 9. Financial Implications 9.1. As referenced at 4.3 above, there is no current budget for the ongoing running of this facility within SLLC’s budget. If the lease outlined in this report is approved by committee, it will remove these unbudgeted costs. 10 Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 10.1. There are no issues in relation to climate change, sustainability and the environment contained within this report. 11. Other Implications 11.1. None 12. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 12.1. Consultation has taken place with the SLLC, Community and Enterprise Resources, Planning, Legal and Finance Services as well as having been published for public consultation. 157
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12.2. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function, or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 22 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient, and transparent Caring, connected, sustainable communities. Previous References ♦ None List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Craig Jardine, Head of Property Services Ext: 4073 (Tel: 01698 454073) email: craig.jardin@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 158
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Eddlewood Park and Pavilion, Queens Drive, Hamilton – Lease to Eddlewood Football Association 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to - [purpose] advise the Committee of the request for a lease of Eddlewood Park and Pavilion at Queens Drive, Hamilton ML3 7ST to Eddlewood Football Association seek approval to the principal terms and conditions as set out in Section 5 of the report [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the subjects at Eddlewood Park and Pavilion be leased to Eddlewood Football Association subject to the terms and conditions outlined in Section 5 of the report; and (2) that the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), in conjunction with the Head of Administration and Legal Services, be authorised to conclude all matters in respect of the lease and enter into the necessary legal agreements on terms which are in the best interests of the Council. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. The subjects at Eddlewood Park, are currently, managed by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC). 3.2. The Pavilion is currently the subject of a sublease from SLLC to Eddlewood Football Association. 3.3. Eddlewood Football Association approached the Council with a request for a lease of the subjects to manage and develop the facility both in the short and longer term. The lease will enable them to invest in the pavilion and pitches including drainage improvements to the grass pitches. 3.4. This is a formal Community Asset Transfer request in terms of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. 3.5. Property 3.5.1. The extent of the property is shown on the attached plan at Appendix 1 and, as there is no change of use or development proposed, planning consent will not be required. 18 161
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3.6. Organisation 3.6.1. Eddlewood Football Association is a Scottish Chartable Incorporated Organisation charity number SCO52242. 3.6.2. The purpose of the organisation is to provide sports and football facilities, activities, and resources for the local community via Eddlewood Football Association. 3.7. Project 3.7.1. The proposal is for Eddlewood Football Association to lease the facilities to promote health, fitness and wellbeing via football and related activities. The grant of a long lease will allow the organisation to develop proposals for short and longer-term investment in the facility. 3.7.2. The organisation has several ideas, subject to funding, to develop the pavilion and the pitches on a phased basis with long term plans for a community hub, a MUGA, additional parking and a 4G all-weather floodlit pitch. 4. Assessment 4.1. The property is suitable for the proposed use and the organisation has the capacity and funds to manage the current facilities. 4.2. The grant of the lease will enable the facility to develop and relieve the Council of the costs of grounds maintenance charges. 4.3. The risks associated with the proposed lease are considered low, given the status of the organisation. 4.4. The Council has no alternative operational requirement for the subjects. 5. Proposal 5.1. It is proposed to lease the subjects at Eddlewood Park and Pavilion on the following principal terms and conditions: - ⧫ the lease will be to Eddlewood Football Association ⧫ the lease will be for a period of 19 years 364 days ⧫ the date of entry to be agreed ⧫ the rental shall be £1 per annum, if asked ⧫ the lease to be fully repairing and insuring ⧫ the tenants will be required to obtain and exhibit as required, public liability insurance to the value of £5 million for any one claim ⧫ the Council will insure the pavilion and recover the costs from the tenants ⧫ the subjects will be used as a football club pavilion, football pitches and construction of a community hub within 5 years of the date of entry (subject to landlords and statutory consents being obtained) and associated landscaping ⧫ the tenants to be responsible for any rates or property charges resulting from their occupation and use of the subjects ⧫ assignation and subletting (excluding occasional pitch usage and community hub use by third parties) will not be permitted without the Council's consent ⧫ the tenants are to refurbish the pavilion and complete the drainage improvements to the grass pitches within 12 months ⧫ the tenants have requested a right to buy within 5 years be included in the lease. This right is dependent upon the development and construction of the Community hub and pitch improvements within 5 years and will be the subject of a report to Committee at that time 162
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⧫ each party to be responsible for their own legal costs, however, the tenants will require to pay any registration fees and Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) if required. 5.2. At the expiry of the lease, the Council will consider renewal of the lease subject to being satisfied as to the operation of the subjects by the tenants. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. There are no employee implications associated with this report. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. The lease will result in an estimated reduction in workload of around £20,000 pa in grounds maintenance costs for South Lanarkshire Council. 8 Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 8.1. There are no issues in relation to climate change, sustainability and the environment contained within this report. 9. Other Implications 9.1. None 10. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 10.1. Consultation has taken place with the Community Participation Team, Legal Services and Community and Enterprise Resources. 10.2. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function, or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 12 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Caring, connected, sustainable communities. Previous References ♦ None List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Craig Jardine, Head of Property Services Ext: 4073 (Tel: 01698 454073) email: craig.jardin@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 163
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Appendix 1 164
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Housing and Technical Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 18 September 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Delegated Authority Report – Update 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- advise on transactions processed by delegated authority by Property Services during Quarter 1 of 2024/2025 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Housing and Technical Resources Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the transactions processed by delegated authority by Property Services during Quarter 1 of 2024/25, be noted; and (2) that the short-term leases for Feirniegair Hall, Carlisle Road, Hamilton and Elsrickle Hall, Elsrickle, be noted. 3. Background 3.1. The Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) has delegated authority to deal with various transactions, including:- ♦ leases of a value up to £50,000 per annum and a maximum period of 20 years ♦ rent reviews up to an increase of £20,000 per annum ♦ disposals up to a value of £200,000 ♦ acquisitions up to a value of £200,000 3.2. In addition, at the South Lanarkshire Council meeting on 27 March 2024, temporary authority was granted to the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), in conjunction with the Head of Administration and Legal Services, to enter into short term lease arrangements for the properties affected by the budget setting decisions made by the Council and South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture on 21 February 2024 and 28 February 2024 respectively. 3.3. This authority ran from 19 June 2024 to 18 September 2024. 3 leases have been completed during this period for the properties at:- ♦ Ferniegair Hall, Carlisle Road, Hamilton – Martial Arts Community Hub ♦ Elsrickle Hall, Elsrickle – Elsrickle Community Hub Limited ♦ Halfway Library – LEAP 19 165
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3.4. Delegated authority reports are prepared by case officers and submitted to the Head of Property Services for approval, once provisional agreement has been reached with the third party. A weekly list of approved reports is published on the Council’s intranet under “Estates Property Transactions”. 3.5. The delegated reports provide authority for officers to progress transactions and, where appropriate, to instruct Legal Services. The receipt of any monies arising from the transactions occurs at a date in the future once missives have been concluded and any suspensive conditions met. It should be noted that some transactions may never settle. 4. Summary Quarter 1, 2024/2025 4.1. The summary of transactions progressed under delegated authority during Quarter 1 of 2024/25 is shown in Appendix 1, column 2, however, can be summarised as follows:- Total number of transactions: 51 Total value of lease transactions: £103,075.60 per annum Total value of capital transactions: £3,914,700 Total number of miscellaneous transactions: 0 4.2. The overall profile of the volume and value of transactions during 2024/2025 generally compares with previous years. 5. Employee Implications 5.1. There are no employee implications. 6. Financial Implications 6.1. The rental income to the Council is increased as a result of the new lettings and lease renewals. 6.2. Disposals generate additional capital monies for the Council’s Capital Programme. 6.3. Acquisitions are carried out in accordance with project plans and approved capital budgets, to enable investment programmes to proceed. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no issues in relation to climate change, sustainability and environment contained within this report. 8. Other Implications 8.1. There is a low risk that the rental and capital receipts identified within these delegated authority reports are not achieved if, for reasons out with the Council’s control, the tenant/purchaser chooses not to proceed with the transactions. However, Property Services has in place procedures and consultations intended to minimise this risk. 9. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 9.1. Consultation takes place with the occupying Resource, Planning, Roads, and Legal Services, on a transaction-by-transaction basis as and when required. 9.2. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function, or strategy and, therefore, no impact assessment is required. 166
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Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 12 August 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient, and transparent Previous References Housing and Technical Resources Committee, 19 June 2024 Housing and Technical Resources Committee, 7 February 2024 South Lanarkshire Council, 27 March 2024 List of Background Papers Plans and drawings of the property involved in these transactions can be obtained from the Assets and Estates Team, Property Services Weekly List of Delegated Authority Transactions can be obtained on the Council’s intranet Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Craig Jardine, Head of Property Services Ext: 4073 (Tel: 01698 454073) email: craig.jardine@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 167
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Appendix 1 Delegated Authority Transactions Transaction Type Quarter 1 2024/25 No Value Lease Renewal 1 £34,500 New Lease/ Licence Landlords Consent 11 1 £68,575.60 £0 Assignation 0 £0 Rent Review 0 £0 Total Revenue 13 £103,075.60 Disposal 2 £114,250 Compensation 0 £0 Wayleave/Servitude 1 £450 Acquisition Title Waiver 35 0 £3,800,000 £0 Total Capital 38 £3,914,700 Miscellaneous 0 £0 168