Approved Minutes - Housing and Communities 13 05 26
West Dunbartonshire Council · 13 May 2026
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 13 May 2026 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, 13 May 2026 at 2.00 p.m. Present: 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 Barry, Chief Officer – Housing Services; John Kerr, Housing Development and Homelessness Manager; Nicola Pettigrew, Housing Operations Manager; Claire McKay, Housing Development Co-ordinator; Alan Young, Housing Asset and Investment Manager; Christopher Anderson, Section Head and Principal Solicitor; and Nicola Moorcroft and Lynn Straker Committee Officers. Also attending: Divisional Commander Gary I’Anson and Chief Inspector Lynn Edwards, Police Scotland; Group Commander Kevin Rennie and Group Commander Brian Wardle, Argyll and Bute, East and West Dunbartonshire, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Provost Karen Murray Conaghan and 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. 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
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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 Meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee held on 25 February 2026 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 4 on local policing in West Dunbartonshire. After discussion and having heard the Divisional Commander and the Chief Inspector, 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 Commanders in further explanation of the report and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the update provided. HOUSING SERVICES DELIVERY PLAN 2025/26 YEAR-END PROGRESS AND HOUSING SERVICES DELIVERY PLAN 2025/26 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing Services setting out the year- end progress of the 2025/26 Delivery Plan and presenting the new Delivery Plan for 2026/27. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing Services, the Housing Development and Homelessness Manager, the Housing Operations Manager and the Housing Asset and Investment Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the progress achieved at year- end and the new Plan for 2026/27.
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HOUSING EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN 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 1st May 2024. 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 progress to date and the implementation of the key actions of the Housing Emergency Action Plan as summarised in paragraphs 4.1 - 4.10 of the report and in the action plan update within Appendix 1 to the report; (2) to note the addition of three actions to the action plan following the housing summit, in paragraph 4.4 of the report; (3) to note the updated statistics in paragraph 3.7 of the report related to 2025/26; (4) to note update that an additional three actions have been added to the plan following the housing summit as noted in paragraph 4.3 of the report; (5) to note updates on the Scottish Government response to the national emergency in paragraphs 4.11 to 4.15 of the report and what it means for West Dunbartonshire Council’s Housing and Homelessness Services; (6) to note some key dates for parts of the Housing Act Scotland 2025 in paragraph 4.16 of the report; and (7) to note the Chief Officer – Housing Services would continue to bring an update report to future Housing and Communities Committee meetings. MORE HOMES WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE – WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL’S 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 home building programme. 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 content of the report and the progress made to date in the delivery of the Council’s More Homes West Dunbartonshire approach including the successful award nominations for the Willox Court and Mount Pleasant developments;
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(2) to note the successful completion of the new Willox Court development in February 2026; (3) to note that the Chief Officer – Housing Services will carry out the procurement of, and subsequently award, the contract up to the budgeted costs for the projects at Gray Street and 28 Bridge Street, Alexandria; (4) to note the lifting of the temporary letting suspension at Young Street sheltered housing complex; and (5) to note the new resource planning allocations for West Dunbartonshire for the next four years. WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL’S TENANT PARTICIPATION STRATEGY 2025-28 – ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing Services providing an update on the implementation of “Involving You to Improve Housing Services”, West Dunbartonshire’s Tenant Participation Strategy, which covers the period 2025-28. 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 progress and achievements made in relation to the implementation of the strategy’s action plan; and (2) to commend the key role played by tenant representatives in the Housing Service’s partnership approach to improving housing in West Dunbartonshire. PROCUREMENT OF THE PROVISION OF FURNITURE FOR SUPPORTED AND TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing Services seeking approval to initiate a procurement process for the provision of furniture and household items for the Council’s supported and temporary accommodation. Having heard the Chief Officer – Housing Services in further explanation, the Committee agreed:- (1) to approve the initiation of a procurement process for the provision of furniture for supported and temporary accommodation; and (2) to grant delegated authority to Chief Officer – Housing Services, in consultation with the Procurement Manager, to award the procurement for Provision of Furniture for Supported and Temporary Accommodation, provided the contract cost is within the approved budget and the tender being in line with normal tender parameters.
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HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 JANUARY 2026 (PERIOD 10) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources advising of the 2025/2026 HRA budget position on 31 January 2026 and the forecast position of the HRA reserves as of 31 March 2026. After discussion, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the HRA forecasted a 2025/26 surplus of £1.079m, a projected favourable variance (underspend) of £1.044m; and (2) to note the forecast 31 March 2026 HRA reserve position of £1.690m which was £0.530m above the HRA prudential target of £1.160m. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) CAPITAL BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 JANUARY 2026 (PERIOD 10) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the HRA capital programme to 31 January 2026 (Period 10). After discussion and having heard officers 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 on 31 January 2026; (2) to note the project life performance was 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 that eleven projects were forecast to deliver a total underspend of £9.249m against their five-year project life budgets; (4) to note that in-year financial performance was monitored against a 2025-26 capital expenditure budget of £55.547m, a 2025-26 capital income budget of £6.290m and a one-year borrowing requirement of £49.257m; and (5) to note that there was an anticipated underspend of £10.477m against 2025-26 budgets reducing the forecast one-year borrowing requirement to £38.780m. GENERAL FUND HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES FINANCIAL REPORT 2025/26 AS AT PERIOD 10 (31 JANUARY 2026) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the financial performance to 31 January 2026 (Period 10) of General Fund Revenue services under the remit of the Housing and Communities Committee.
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After discussion, 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 3.01 p.m.