Approved Minutes - Housing and Communities 25 02 26
West Dunbartonshire Council · 25 February 2026
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 25 February 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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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, 25 February 2026 at 10.01 a.m. Present: Provost Karen Murray Conaghan, and Councillors Ian Dickson, Gurpreet Singh Johal, David McBride, Michelle McGinty, Lawrence O’Neill, Lauren Oxley, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Hazel Sorrell and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Peter Barry, Chief Officer – Housing Services; John Kerr, Housing Development and Homelessness Manager; Nicola Pettigrew, Housing Operations Manager; Claire McKay, Housing Development Co-ordinator; Beats Csibi, Housing Development Officer; Christopher Anderson, Section Head and Principal Solicitor; and Nicola Moorcroft, Committee Officer. Also attending: Divisional Commander Gary I’Anson, Chief Inspector Lynn Edwards and Chief Inspector Simon Shanks, Police Scotland; Group Commander Kevin Rennie and Watch Commander Chris Spence, Argyll and Bute, East and West Dunbartonshire, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Apology: An apology for absence was intimated on behalf of Councillor Kevin Crawford. Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal in the Chair STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING Councillor 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 any of the items of business on the agenda.
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RECORDING OF VOTES The Committee agreed that all votes taken during the meeting would be carried out by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record. 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 Meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee held on 19 November 2025 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 Quarter 3 on local policing in West Dunbartonshire. After discussion and having heard the Divisional Commander and both Chief Inspectors, in further explanation of the report 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 appropriate performance data against priorities in the West Dunbartonshire Local Fire and Rescue Plan. After discussion and having heard the Group Commander and Watch Commander in further explanation of the report and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the update provided. MORE HOMES WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE – WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUPPLY DELIVERY PROGRAMME A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing Services providing an update on progress with West Dunbartonshire’s More Homes Programme which oversees the delivery of the Council’s new homes building programme.
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After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing Services, the Housing Development and Homelessness Manager, and the Housing Development Co-ordinator in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed: (1) to note the contents of the report and the progress made to date in the delivery of the Council’s More Homes West Dunbartonshire approach; (2) to note the completion of the Gilmour Avenue development in January 2026; and (3) to invite the Chief Officer – Housing Services to carry out the procurement of, and to subsequently award, the contract up to budgeted costs, for the new build development at the former Frank Downie Care Home at Ottawa Crescent, Dalmuir. HOUSING EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN UPDATE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing Services providing an update on the Housing Emergency Action Plan (HEDAP) which was formulated to address the emergency following the Council’s housing emergency declaration on 1 May 2024. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing Services, the Housing Development and Homelessness Manager, and the Housing Operations Manager, in 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 Action Plan as summarised in paragraphs 4.1 to 4.10 of the report and in the action plan update within Appendix 1 to the report; (2) to note the update from a second West Dunbartonshire Housing Summit which took place on 2nd February 2026, as detailed in paragraph 4.3 of the report; (3) to note the further updates on the Scottish Government response to the national emergency, detailed in paragraphs 4.11 to 4.16 of the report and what this means for West Dunbartonshire Council’s Housing and Homelessness Services; (4) to note: (i) the Housing Bill received Royal Assent on 6 November 2025 as detailed in paragraph 4.17 of the report; and (ii) the sections to be taken forward in 2026/27; (5) to note the Housing First Service had been expanded utilising additional funds from the Scottish Government as detailed in paragraph 6.4 of the report; and (6) to note the Chief Officer – Housing Services would continue to bring an update report to future Housing and Communities Committee meetings.
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HOUSING CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing Services providing an overview of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) proposed capital investment and spending plans and assessing options for future investment. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing Services, the Housing Development Homelessness Manager, and the Housing Operations Manager, in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the contents of the report and the financial pressures on the Council’s Housing Revenue Account and the actions that have been taken to improve the wider health of the HRA and ensure tenant and service investment priorities are delivered, including the reduction in the borrowing requirement in 2025/2026 by £6m, as outlined in paragraph 4.10 of the report; (2) to approve that the Council’s Better Homes Investment Programme proceeds as detailed in paragraphs 4.14 to 4.20 through Option 2, which would see a proposed 50% reduction in capital spend on environmental works form part of the tenant rent consultative exercise for 2027/28, which will commence in October 2026, subject to discussion with tenant representatives; (3) to approve the delivery of the Council’s More Homes Affordable Housing Supply Programme set out in the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) and proceeds as detailed at paragraphs 4.37 to 4.47 of the report, and with Option 2 to target the delivery of 25 new council homes every year from 2028/29-2031/32, subject to ongoing review in terms of deliverability and affordability and discussion with tenant representatives; (4) to note the remedial actions led by the Chief Officer – Housing Services to address the financial challenges, by progressing a plan to replenish and maintain HRA reserves to above prudential levels and work towards a CFCR (Capital Financed from Current Revenue) strategy, it being noted that the aim of the approach is to reduce future borrowing as seen with the £6m borrowing reduction in 2025/26 and mitigate future borrowing cost risks, while still delivering tenant and service investment priorities; and (5) to invite the Chief Officer – Housing Services to fully refresh the HRA 30-year business plan and develop a future rental and investment strategy and report back to the Housing and Communities Committee later in the year. LOCK-UP AND GARAGE SITE REVIEW UPDATE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing Services providing an update on the ongoing review of Lock-Ups and Garage sites managed within the Housing Revenue Account, seeking approval for the introduction of a refreshed Lock-Up policy and revised guidance for the operation of garage sites, and outlining the condition and future approach for the 14 garage site plots located at Portpatrick Road, Old Kilpatrick.
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After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing Services and the Housing Development Officer in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to approve the refreshed Lock-Up Policy which formed Appendix 1 to the report; (2) to note the revised Garage site procedure which formed Appendix 2 to the report; (3) to note the actions being taken in relation to the Portpatrick Road garage sites which will see:- (a) notices to quit being issued to all garage plot tenants, effective from 1 April 2026; (b) all tenants being requested to remove their garage structures by the termination date; and (c) any structures not removed being demolished by the Council, with all associated costs recharged to the relevant tenant; and (4) that a list of letting statistics be circulated to all Committee Members, for all lock-ups and garages within their particular Ward. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 OCTOBER 2025 (PERIOD 7) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources advising of the 2025/2026 HRA budget position on 31 October 2025 and the forecast position of the HRA reserves as of 31 March 2026. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing Services in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the HRA was forecasting a 2025/26 surplus of £1.087m, a projected favourable variance (underspend) of £1.052m; and (2) to note the forecast 31 March 2026 HRA reserve position of £1.698m which was £0.538m above the HRA prudential target of £1.160m. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) CAPITAL BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 OCTOBER 2025 (PERIOD 7) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the HRA capital programme to 31 October 2025 (Period 7).
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After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing Services and the Housing Development Homelessness Manager, in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the position of the 2025/26 HRA capital budget and the HRA capital plan as at 31 October 2025; (2) to note project life performance as monitored against a £345.311m project life expenditure estimate, a £80.378m project life income estimate and a £264.933m five-year borrowing requirement; (3) to note all projects were currently on track to achieve planned completion dates and that eleven projects were forecast to deliver a total underspend of £7.999m against their five-year project life budgets; (4) to note in-year financial performance is monitored against a 2025/26 capital expenditure budget of £55.547m, 2025/26 capital income budget of £6.290m and a one-year borrowing requirement of £49.257m; and (5) to note there was an anticipated underspend of £9.475m against 2025/26 budgets reducing the forecast one-year borrowing requirement to £39.782m. GENERAL FUND HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES FINANCIAL REPORT 2025/26 AS AT PERIOD 7 (31 OCTOBER 2025) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the financial performance to 31 October 2025 (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 Services in further explanation, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the account currently showed a projected annual favourable variance of £0.244m; and (2) to note the progress on efficiencies incorporated into 2025/2026 budgets. The meeting closed at 11.39 a.m.