Approved Minutes Housing & Communities 26 02 25
West Dunbartonshire Council · 26 February 2025
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 26 February 2025 and its agenda
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HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE At a Hybrid Meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee held in the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton on Wednesday, 26 February 2025 at 10.04 a.m. Present: Provost Karen Murray Conaghan and Councillors Ian Dickson, Gurpreet Singh Johal, David McBride, John Millar, Lawrence O’Neill, Lauren Oxley, Chris Pollock, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Hazel Sorrell and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Barry - Chief Officer, Housing and Employability; John Kerr, Housing Development and Homelessness Manager; Nicola Pettigrew, Housing Operations Manager; Claire McKay, Housing Development Coordinator; Mikayla Deeley, Senior Housing Development Officer; Michael McDougall, Manager of Legal Services; Nicola Moorcroft and Lynn Straker, Committee Officers. Also attending: Divisional Commander Gary I’Anson and Chief Inspector Simon Shanks, Police Scotland; Group Commander Barrie McCutcheon, Argyll and Bute, East and West Dunbartonshire, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal in the Chair STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal, Chair, advised that the meeting was being audio streamed and broadcast live to the internet and would be available for playback. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST It was noted that there were no declarations of interest in the item of business on the agenda. RECORDING OF VOTES The Committee agreed that all votes taken during the meeting would be done by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record.
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OPEN FORUM The Committee noted that no open forum questions had been submitted by members of the public. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of the Meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee held on 20 November 2024 were submitted and approved as a correct record. SCRUTINY REPORTS (a) POLICE SCRUTINY REPORT A report was submitted by the Divisional Commander, Police Scotland providing an update for reporting period April to December 2024 on local policing in West Dunbartonshire. After discussion and having heard Divisional Commander I’Anson and Chief Inspector Shanks in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the update provided. (b) FIRE AND RESCUE SCRUTINY REPORT A report was submitted by the Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service providing performance data for Quarter 3 (2024/25) measured against priorities in the West Dunbartonshire Local Fire and Rescue Plan. After discussion and having heard Group Commander McCutcheon in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the update provided. TENANT PARTICIPATION SURVEY 2024 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability providing the results of a comprehensive Tenant Satisfaction Survey which had been carried out, and will be reported to the Scottish Housing Regulator as part of the 2024/25 Scottish Social Housing Charter requirements. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the contents of the report and recognise the significant increase in levels of tenant satisfaction across all areas of Housing and Homelessness Services, from the previous survey carried out in 2022;
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(2) to acknowledge the efforts of staff across Housing and Homelessness Services and tenant representatives, in achieving such positive tenant satisfaction results; (3) to note that the satisfaction data would be reported to the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) as part of our Annual Return on the Charter (ARC); (4) to note and invite the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability to ensure the tenants spending priorities, sourced through the survey feedback, noted at paragraph 4.28 of the report, is reflected in the delivery of investment priorities over the next 3-year period; (5) that the key findings are shared with the West Dunbartonshire Tenants and Residents Organisation (WDTRO), Scrutiny Panel and tenants more widely via the spring edition of Housing News; and (6) to note that all service areas across Housing will be tasked to use the full survey report as part of our wider assessment of performance, which would inform actions that form part of our broader Charter Improvement Plan. HOUSING EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability providing an updating on the Housing Emergency Action Plan (HEDAP) which was formulated to address the emergency following the Council’s housing emergency declaration on 1st May 2024. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability, the Housing Development and Homelessness Manager and the Housing Operations Manager, further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the progress to date and the implementation of the key actions of the Housing Emergency Declaration Action Plan as summarised in paragraphs 4.1 - 4.6 of the report and in the action plan update within Appendix 1 of the report; (2) to note the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability would provide a verbal summary of the Housing Summit held 10 February 2025 and future actions; and (3) to note the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability would continue to bring an update report to future Housing and Communities Committee meetings, regarding the Housing Emergency declaration.
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“MORE THAN A ROOF” - WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL HOUSING SOLUTIONS STRATEGY 2025-2028 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability seeking approval of the new housing solutions strategy “More than a Roof” 2025 - 2028. This new strategy will succeed West Dunbartonshire’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) strategy “Home at the Heart” as the key strategic response to homelessness and housing access in West Dunbartonshire. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability and the Housing Development Coordinator in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the contents of the report and approve the new West Dunbartonshire Council Housing Solutions Strategy ‘More Than a Roof’ in Appendix 1 of the report; (2) to note the detailed consultative process carried out in developing the strategy, inclusive of direct engagement with individuals with lived experience of homelessness and housing crisis summarised in Appendix 2 of the report; (3) to invite the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability to fully implement the Housing Solutions Strategy within the referenced time; (4) to invite the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability to direct the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan funding award from the Scottish Government to the delivery of the new strategy’s key objectives; and (5) to note that an annual update and progress report would be provided to the Housing and Communities Committee at the first Housing Committee of each calendar year. MORE HOMES WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE – WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUPPLY DELIVERY PROGRAMME A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability providing an update on progress with West Dunbartonshire’s More Homes Programme which oversees the delivery of the Council’s new homes building programme. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability, the Housing Development and Homelessness Manager and the Senior Housing Development Officer in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the content of the report and the progress made, to date, in the delivery of the Council’s More Homes West Dunbartonshire approach; including the first handover of new homes at the Zero Carbon Clydebank East Development, which represents the 500th new build the Council developed under the current More Homes programme; and
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(2) to note the remedial actions undertaken by Council Officers in response to Connect Modular, entering into administration as the Gilmour Avenue Housing Development contractor. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) CAPITAL BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 OCTOBER 2024 (PERIOD 7) A report was submitted by Chief Officer - Resources providing an update on the HRA capital programme to 31 October 2024 (Period 7). After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability and the Housing Development and Homelessness Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the current position of the 2024/2025 HRA capital budget and the HRA capital plan; (2) to note that in year financial performance is monitored against the 2024/2025 capital expenditure budget of £73.664m and the 2024/2025 capital income budget of £10.003m, a one-year borrowing requirement of £63.661m; (3) to note that project life performance is monitored against a five-year project life expenditure budget of £319.738m and a project life income budget of £54.577m, a five-year borrowing requirement of £265.161m; (4) to note that there are eighteen projects reporting off-track with an anticipated over/under spend against the 2024/2025 budgets, with a forecast net underspend of £2.918m in 2024/2025; and (5) to note that all projects were currently on-track to achieve planned completion dates and to deliver within their respective five-year project life budgets. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 OCTOBER 2024 (PERIOD 7) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Resources advising of the 2024/2025 HRA revenue budget position on 31 October 2024 and the forecast position of the HRA reserves as of 31 March 2025. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability, in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the HRA revenue account forecasts an adverse variance of £1.317m. If required, the adverse variance would be offset by using HRA reserves of £0.968m and a General Fund reserve contribution of £0.349m;
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(2) to note that the HRA would be expected to develop a repayment plan to replenish the HRA reserves to meet the prudential target and reimburse the General Fund for any contribution made towards the HRA deficit; and (3) to note that work would continue to identify efficiencies across all areas of the HRA revenue account budget to minimise the adverse variance. GENERAL FUND HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES FINANCIAL REPORT 2024/25 AS AT PERIOD 7 (31 OCTOBER 2024) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Resources providing an update on the financial performance to 31 October 2024 (Period 7) of General Fund Revenue services under the remit of the Housing and Communities Committee. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the contents of the report showing the revenue budget forecast to underspend against budget by £0.029m (0.9 %) at the year-end; and (2) to note the progress on efficiencies incorporated into budgets for 2024/25. The meeting closed at 11.48 a.m.