Item 11 - Appendix 1
West Dunbartonshire Council · 21 August 2024
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 21 August 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 Theme 1 - Deliver and maintain More Homes - West Dunbartonshire approach to the delivery of affordable housing. Responsible Lead Timescale for Completion Continue to lobby SG for increase in AHSP funding in partnership with COSLA/SOLACE/ALACHO HACC Committee/ Convener Aug-24 Refresh Strategic Housing Investment Plan to ensure the delivery of new homes to meet acute housing need in West Dunbartonshire John Kerr/Scottish Government More Homes Team Sep-24 Deliver new Strategic Housing Investment Plan Jamie Dockery Oct-24 Deliver the Council's approved new build programme for 24/25 helping meet the identified housing need. Mikayla Deeley/ Dawn Conner Mar-25 Examine ways to accelerate new build delivery considering housing emergency declaration More Homes Project Board Sep-24 Scale up and extend the Buy Back Scheme to meet the key housing demand factors including the provision of temporary accommodation Laura Hanna Oct-24 Explore innovative housing investment and partnership models to maximise housing investment approaches John Kerr Dec-24 In partnership with the Scottish Government review the planning and consenting system considering the national housing emergency to increase the scale and pace of development across all tenures Peter Barry/Alan Douglas Dec-24 Review HRA resource allocation across the Council to help facilitate/deliver new build programme John Kerr Dec-24 Explore an approach to develop modular and other forms of innovative housing by working in partnership with other housing providers John Kerr Dec-24 Examine the capacity of the HRA to deliver agreed housing ambitions Peter Barry/ Laurence Slavin Jan-25 Engage with public and private sector landowners to increase the HRA landbank and support development in line with the refreshed Strategic Housing Investment Plan John Kerr Mar-25 Review Affordable Housing Design Standard John Kerr Mar-25 Increase provision of Mid-Market Rent properties as a viable housing option for homeless and housing applicants John Kerr Apr-26 Housing Emergency Declaration Action Plan (HEDAP) ITEM 11 - APPENDIX 1
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2 Theme 2 - Make Best Use of Existing Stock Responsible Lead Timescale for Completion Continue to Improve our approach to empty council homes with a strengthened focus on reducing void time and letting longer term empty homes and negating any use of unsuitable accommodation. Martin Feeney Aug-24 Consider a fixed term moratorium on non-essential housing repairs to focus activity around bring empty homes back into use Martin Feeney Aug-24 Develop a process including exploring potential partnering arrangements to address lengthy delays by energy suppliers in the reletting process. Nicola Pettigrew Oct-24 Accelerate the reduction of private sector empty homes by delivering a new Long Term Empty Homes Strategy Empty Homes Strategy Karen Rae Nov-24 Deliver with tenant representatives a new repairs policy Stefan Kristmanns Nov-24 Ensure new repairs policy achieves key objectives Martin Feeney Nov-25 Review and promote Allocations Policy flexibilities and enhanced Transfer Incentive Scheme linked to the review of the Housing Allocations approach Claire McKay Dec-24 Actively introduce a pre letting process initially linked to the transfer led allocation process for new build social housing Nicola Pettigrew Dec-24 Deliver the recommendations from the Supported Housing Review Claire McKay Dec-24 Carry out a comprehensive assessment of our housing stock to ensure it can deliver the key priorities within the Local Housing Strategy Jackie McRory Feb-25 Continue to roll out our approach to address condensation, dampness and mould within our homes through the use of smart technology that strengthens housing management Emily Dorrian Mar-25 Deliver new proactive approach to ensure our housing stock continues to meet all statutory compliance requirements John Kerr Mar-25 Maximise use of Home Swapper to meet rehousing need of transfer applicants Nicola Pettigrew Mar-25 Review of all current lease agreements within context of housing emergency (e.g., Safe as Houses scatter flats and impact on generating homelessness) John Kerr Mar-25 Deliver housing Capital Investment Programme to ensure all homes meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard Alan Young Mar-25 Maximise the use of existing housing systems to support effective stock management Graham Watters Mar-25
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3 Theme 3: Enhancing housing access & prevention of homelessness Responsible Lead Timescale for Completion Develop and implement transfer led approach to new build housing allocations John Kerr Aug-24 Strengthen strategic leadership approach with HSCP regarding housing emergency Leadership level discussions with HSCP regarding housing emergency in terms of supported housing inclusive of solutions for pathway 7 cases and housing access to meet shared objectives Peter Barry/ Margaret Jane Cardno Sep-24 Establish a Task Force approach to engage public bodies to promote prevention measures linked to the Housing (Scotland) Bill John Kerr Sep-24 Develop a new refreshed strategic approach to the prevention of homelessness through the delivery of a Housing Solutions Strategy Claire McKay Nov-24 Full implement the introduction of the Housing Solutions Service following on from the Homelessness Service redesign Joanne Sutherland Dec-24 In partnership with Violence Against Women Partnership deliver a refreshed focus on preventing negative housing situations as a result of domestic abuse. Claire McKay Dec-24 In partnership with local RSLs develop and implement a common application form for all social housing providers in West Dunbartonshire as part of the development of a Common Housing Register this will help to better capture need, in terms of accessibility and dementia etc., Claire McKay Dec-24 Introduce a comprehensive housing options interviews at application stage to manage demand and options Joanne Sutherland Jan-25 Review remit of Housing Allocations Panel to reflect a homelessness prevention perspective (domestic, at risk, others that would otherwise present) Claire McKay Jan-25 Deliver a refreshed process which will ensure that time in minimised for children in all forms of temporary accommodation Claire McKay Jan-25 Design and deliver a dynamic public awareness campaign focused on the realities of homelessness and housing need Lauren Crooks Jan-25 Review of Pathway 1 cases (i.e., those homeless but not in temporary accommodation) over 6 months to assess if in stable accommodation (and close if this is confirmed) Joanne Sutherland Mar-25 Introduce a consistent assessment of housing and support needs regardless of if a tenant or presenting as homeless Housing Support and Resettlement Coordinator Mar-25 Develop and implement a new approach to resettlement and humanitarian schemes Housing Support and Resettlement Coordinator Mar-25
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4 Minimise and eradicate the use of unsuitable accommodation for homeless households Joanne Sutherland Mar-25 Deliver the outcomes of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan Claire McKay Apr-25 Explore expanding a homelessness prevention approach and better managed demand for temporary accommodation Joanne Sutherland Apr-25 Introduce a "Mediation First" approach to housing applications for 16-19 year-olds (as a homelessness prevention approach) Joanne Sutherland Dec-25 Implement a ‘One Door’ preventative housing access system under one service to prepare for new prevention duties. John Kerr Dec-25 Upscale the Housing First programme through collaborative commissioning Housing Support and Resettlement Coordinator Mar-26 Deliver and implement in partnership with RSL a Common Housing Register for West Dunbartonshire Claire McKay Mar-26
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Theme 4: Strengthen the Financial viability and capacity of the Housing Revenue Account and associated Housing and Homelessness budgets Responsible Lead Timescale for Completion Complete the review of Building Services Repairs and Maintenance service costs to deliver immediate efficiencies to the HRA Martin Feeney Dec-24 Explore innovative housing investment and partnership models to maximise housing investment approaches John Kerr Dec-24 Carry out review of HRA contributions to other non-housing Council service areas Peter Barry Dec-24 Examine the capacity of the HRA and the Council's General Fund to deliver agreed housing ambitions Peter Barry/ Laurence Slavin Jan-25 Develop a 3 year rental strategy in partnership with tenants to ensure tenant priorities and strategic housing ambitions can be delivered Stefan Kristmanns Feb-25 Review Building Services structures and external contractors to ensure best value Peter Barry Mar-25 Working with other local authority partner re-examine housing finance position in Scotland to promote the delivery of new social housing including the treatment of historic HRA Capital Debt HACC Committee/ Convener Mar-25 Review homelessness services funding with aim of being able to reduce level of temporary accommodation and free up staff resource Peter Barry/ Laurence Slavin Mar-25 Develop a refreshed funding delivery model for the delivery of new housing in light of increased borrowing levels exploring increased grant benchmark levels John Kerr Mar-25 Working with national partners including COSLA directly lobby the Scottish Government to ensure the cost of achieving net zero in social housing in met with national funding to ensure rental income can be utilised for improving current and developing new social housing. HACC Committee/ Convener Mar-25