11. Dir App - Post Pre Agenda - Local Housing Strategy - FINAL - 07-06-23
North Ayrshire Council · 13 June 2023
Back to Cabinet — 13 June 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 13 June 2023 Cabinet Title: Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 Purpose: To seek Cabinet approval of the proposed Local Housing Strategy 2023 - 2028 and associated action plan. Recommendation: That Cabinet approves the Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 at Appendix 1, and associated action plan at Appendix 2 for publication and submission to the Scottish Government. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 places a statutory duty on local authorities to produce a Local Housing Strategy, that sets out its strategy, priorities, and plans for the delivery of housing and related services. 1.2 The draft North Ayrshire Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 sets out the strategic priorities for tackling housing issues in the area over the next five years. 1.3 The Local Housing Strategy enables the Council to monitor progress against national and local priorities and targets. It is a statutory requirement for Local Housing Strategies to be kept under review; the Scottish Government expects all local authorities to review and report on progress annually. 1.4 The strategic ambition is for people to live in the right homes, in great places, with access to any support services they need. Four overarching outcomes have been established which have been agreed with local people and align to the four key strategies in the Scottish Government’s ‘Housing to 2040’ strategy: • More homes at the heart of great places • Affordability and choice • Affordable warmth and zero emissions • Improving the quality of our homes 1.5 The Council has taken a collaborative approach to the preparation of the Local Housing Strategy, with a range of stakeholders consulted on the draft document, including but not limited to: the Scottish Government; North Ayrshire tenants and residents; North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership; Public Health Scotland; Homes for Scotland; North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership; North Ayrshire Registered Social Landlords; and a range of Council services. The final draft consultation took place between 12 December 2022 and 11 February 2023, with the draft strategy being updated thereafter, where appropriate.
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2. Background 2.1 The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 sets out local authorities’ duties to prepare a Local Housing Strategy which details the Council’s strategy, priorities, and plans for the delivery of housing and related services. The 2001 Act states that the Local Housing Strategy must be: • supported by an assessment of housing provision including the need and demand for housing and related services • submitted to Scottish Ministers • kept under review by the Council 2.2 The Scottish Government expects all local authorities to review and report on progress annually. 2.3 The strategic priorities and actions for tackling housing issues in North Ayrshire over the next five years are set out within the draft North Ayrshire Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 detailed in appendix 1 and in the associated action plan detailed in appendix 2. 2.4 The Local Housing Strategy aims to support the housing needs and aspirations of all people regardless of background, financial position, or current situation. It will do so by engaging with and supporting people from seldom heard and minority groups. 2.5 The programmes set out within ‘Housing to 2040’ are seen as crucial to Scotland’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, recognising the links between good housing, vibrant communities and health and wellbeing outcomes. 2.6 The new Local Housing Strategy will build upon the progress made to date through previous strategies. Some of the key achievements to date are summarised in the new draft Local Housing Strategy, including: • Over 800 new social rented homes have been built (by the Council and our partners) • The Council housing rent structure has been revised, in consultation with tenants • A Local Lettings Initiative has been introduced on Arran • The North Ayrshire Empty Homes Loan Fund was established in partnership with the Scottish Government • A ‘multi-agency’ task force to address complex private sector property condition issues was established • Our public space CCTV service provision has been reviewed and enhanced • A new Safer North Ayrshire Strategy has been developed and implemented • All children affected by homelessness are linked with primary health care, temporary accommodation which supports study, and access to their wider social network • A 'Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan', has been prepared and implemented, including a 'Housing First' programme • As at May 2023, 642 displaced people from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine have been resettled and provided with support to enable them to successfully integrate within our communities • New specialist supported accommodation has been developed with the Health and Social Care Partnership. 2.7 The Local Housing Strategy sets a strategic ambition for housing in North Ayrshire “we
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want all our people to live in the right homes, in great places, with access to any support services they need”. To achieve this ambition, four overarching outcomes have been agreed with local people. The outcomes align to the four key strategies in the Scottish Government’s ‘Housing to 2040’ strategy. Some of the key actions have been detailed below. Outcome 1: More homes at the heart of great places – Our places support thriving and inclusive communities 2.8 The Local Housing Strategy aims to support the Council’s Community Wealth Building approach and Regeneration Delivery Plan to make our area more successful for everyone, improving our places, establishing thriving town centres, supporting health and well-being, and providing more opportunities for a better quality of life. Housing can make a strong contribution to regeneration by contributing to positive health outcomes and supporting a sense of community. An example of this is the redevelopment of the former King’s Arms hotel in Irvine. The Council took ownership of the dilapidated building and will commence works on site towards the end of 2023 to convert the property to provide six amenity flats in Irvine town centre. 2.9 A £10m commitment has been made to invest in Council housing estates between 2019 and 2029 to address issues such as low demand stock, poor external appearance, insufficient parking, antisocial behaviour, and lack of green space. This approach complements the Council’s ambitious housing development programme via the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP). An example of this is the demolition of low demand flatted blocks at four sites in the Garnock Valley, two of which are being replaced by new build housing as part of the SHIP. 2.10 The Local Housing Strategy sets out minimum housing supply targets for new build housing in the area. The targets were informed by the Housing Need and Demand Assessment 2020. A target of 1,625 new units of social housing, and 1,300 new units of private sector housing, have been identified for the five-year period. The Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2023 – 2028 will support the ambitions set out within the Local Housing Strategy by delivering new energy efficient homes throughout the area. The SHIP 2023-2028 was approved at Cabinet on 1 November 2022. Over the lifetime of the Local Housing Strategy, it is anticipated the following developments will be completed by the Council: Court Street, Largs; Afton Court, Stevenston; King’s Arms, Irvine; Nelson Street, Largs; Laburnum Avenue, Beith; Newhouse Drive, Kilbirnie; former Garnock Academy , Kilbirnie, former James McFarlane school, Ardrossan; former James Reid school, Saltcoats; former Stanecastle school, Irvine; Corsehillhead, Kilwinning; Bourtreehill Village, Irvine; Fullarton Street, Irvine; Ayrshire Central hospital site, Irvine; and Montgomerie Park, Irvine. 2.11 The Local Housing Strategy also supports the introduction of 20-minute neighbourhoods. This focuses on living well locally, giving people the ability to meet most of their daily needs nearby, to reduce the reliance on cars and promote walking, wheeling, and cycling routes. The aim is to create more resilient towns and villages and support a better quality of life for residents. A number of projects noted above support the 20-minute neighbourhoods, namely: Court Street, Largs; Afton Court, Stevenston; King’s Arms, Irvine; Nelson Street, Largs; former Garnock Academy site, Kilbirnie, former James McFarlane school, Ardrossan; Bourtreehill Village, Irvine; and Fullarton Street, Irvine. Outcome 2: Affordability and choice – Our people have affordable homes in the places they choose to live 2.12 Private housing (owned by individuals or private landlords) forms 73% of all homes in
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the area, with the remaining 27% being owned and rented by North Ayrshire Council and local Registered Social Landlords (RSLs). The cost of buying or renting a home in North Ayrshire is much lower than the national average. 2.13 There are approximately 1,500 second homes in the area, most of which are located on the islands. On Arran, one in four privately owned homes are second homes; on Cumbrae this rises to 43%. This reduces the number of homes available for local people and impacts house prices and private rent charges. The Scottish Government has committed to introducing legislation which will allow local authorities to cap the number of second homes in an area. The Arran Housing Task Force has been established, aimed at finding long-term solutions to Arran’s housing challenges. The Task Force involves a wide range of partners to address the issues which face island residents and businesses. 2.14 The Council will continue to support private landlords and homeowners to meet the highest tenancy and condition standards possible through the Scheme of Assistance by: • encouraging landlords and homeowners to address disrepair and recognise that they have primary responsibility for property maintenance; and • helping older people and people with accessibility needs, who are living in the private sector, to carry out adaptations which enable them to live in their homes for as long as they choose to. 2.15 The Strategic Housing Investment Plan is reviewed annually to establish affordable housing investment priorities which seek to address the key priorities established within the Local Housing Strategy. There were 3,327 applicants on the North Ayrshire Housing Register with an assessed housing need as at 31 March 2023. Of these applicants: • 81 required adapted homes following an Occupational Therapist assessment • 111 required larger homes (to accommodate six or more people) • 178 requested wheelchair accessible homes • 227 were assessed as homeless • 353 requested sheltered housing • 910 requested amenity homes 2.16 The numbers above are not mutually exclusive, for example, applicants can select both amenity and sheltered housing. 2.17 There is no limit to the number of letting areas that housing applicants can select and demand by locality is therefore assessed proportionately to reduce double counting. It is important to note that each housing allocation can impact upon demand in other areas. For example, if an applicant housed in the Three Towns also had Arran as an area of preference, this would reduce demand for housing in Arran. Demand for social housing by locality is noted in table 1 below: Table 1: Proportionate demand by locality for North Ayrshire Housing Register applicants Locality Proportionate demand % of proportionate demand Arran 113 3% Garnock Valley 305 9% Irvine 1,316 40% Kilwinning 461 14% Largs & Cumbrae 363 11%
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Three Towns 769 23% North Ayrshire 3,327 100% 2.18 The Council’s most pressured housing localities are Irvine, Kilwinning and Largs. Further analysis is required to determine housing pressures within the Arran and Cumbrae localities as the proportionate analysis is not effective in determining pressure within smaller localities. This work is underway for Arran through the Arran Housing Task Force. Demand for housing in Cumbrae is assessed annually as part of the review of housing demand by locality undertaken in the preparation of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan. 2.19 The Local Housing Strategy sets out the Council’s continued commitment to support the UK Government’s efforts to resettle refugees who have been displaced from their home countries. The Council has helped to resettle 642 displaced people from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine as at May 2023. The Council responded to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict in Ukraine by pledging a significant number of Council properties to provide accommodation for people fleeing the conflict. An example of this is the refurbishment of Glebe Place in Saltcoats, which was previously earmarked for demolition as part of the Estate Based Regeneration Programme. The project was fully funded by the Scottish Government and has reprovisioned 30 one-bedroom homes for those displaced by the war in Ukraine. 2.20 As reported to Cabinet on 21 March 2023, the Council has experienced increased demand for temporary and permanent housing as a result of homelessness. The pressure on accommodation almost resulted in a breach of our statutory duties during the last quarter of 2022/23. This means that going forward, there is limited scope to provide further social rented housing outwith the pledges already made across the various humanitarian programmes. Council officers will continue to work with the Scottish Government, COSLA and other local authorities to identify options to increase the supply of short, medium, and longer-term accommodation for the use of Ukrainian displaced households. 2.21 The Local Housing Strategy reaffirms our commitment to ensuring our Gypsy / Traveller site continues to meet the needs of our Gypsy / Traveller community. Work is currently underway to explore options to identify the most appropriate upgrades and changes to be carried out at the Redburn site. Homelessness 2.22 The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 places a statutory duty on local authorities to carry out an assessment of homelessness and to prepare and submit to Ministers, a strategy (as part of the Local Housing Strategy) for the prevention and alleviation of homelessness. 2.23 Levels of homelessness in North Ayrshire increased by 14% during 2021/22, with 1,141 households approaching the Council for homeless assistance. This compares to 1,098 presentations in 2019/20 and 1,004 presentations in 2020/21. The increase in 2021/22 is mainly as a result of customers delaying their approach to the Council for assistance at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020/21. 2.24 The main reason for homelessness in North Ayrshire is people being asked to leave the family home, which accounted for 23% of applicants, followed by relationship breakdowns (21%) and domestic violence (13%). 2.25 The Local Housing Strategy sets out the Council’s commitment working with partners to reduce domestic violence and achieve the Violence Against Women National
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Standards accreditation. 2.26 The Local Housing Strategy makes a commitment to ensuring that people leaving institutions including the armed forces, a health care setting or prison are not homeless at the point of discharge. 2.27 The strategy supports the ‘Housing / Throughcare’ protocol which details our integrated service response so that no young person becomes homeless on leaving care and that care leavers are provided with appropriate levels of support to achieve independence. 2.28 The Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2019-24 sets out how the Council and our partners will work together to implement a housing-led approach to meeting the needs of homeless households. Where it is not possible to prevent homelessness, the priority is to secure a settled housing option for every homeless household as quickly as possible. 2.29 Over the lifetime of the Local Housing Strategy, the Council will focus on the prevention of homelessness, working with partner agencies to consider risk and respond with early intervention to minimise the risk of homelessness. Private Sector and Empty Homes 2.30 The private rented sector accounts for 12% of North Ayrshire’s total housing stock, ranging from 10% to 14% across the localities. The private rented sector is a vital part of the housing supply. As well as being the preferred option for some, it also provides a housing option for people who cannot afford to buy, but who would have little chance of securing a social rented home. 2.31 More information on the condition of privately-owned and rented properties in North Ayrshire is required to focus efforts in improving property condition across the sector. The Scottish Government’s ‘Housing to 2040’ Strategy commits to the development of a rented sector strategy, with universal standards across social and privately rented housing. We await further guidance on this strategy to determine the relevant data required when developing a baseline for North Ayrshire. 2.32 Over the lifetime of the Local Housing Strategy, the Private Sector Housing Team will work with owners of ‘long-term’ empty homes (empty for more than one year), to bring these properties back in to use. Currently there are approximately 500 properties in North Ayrshire which are classed as ‘long-term’ empty. It is these properties that resources will target initially. Bringing these properties back in to use can help with regeneration and economic development ambitions. Outcome 3: Affordable warmth and zero emissions – Our homes are energy efficient and release less emissions 2.33 The Local Housing Strategy will continue to support the North Ayrshire Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, which aims to eradicate fuel poverty and achieve net-zero carbon status by 2030. 2.34 Fuel poverty tends to affect the most vulnerable people in our communities and evidence demonstrates that it is linked to poor health outcomes. The current cost of living crisis has placed a further burden on household income, with increasing food, transport, and energy costs. The Council aims to support residents by reducing fuel poverty and increasing affordable warmth. 2.35 Most social rented homes in North Ayrshire have now met the Energy Efficiency
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Standard for Social Housing (or ‘EESSH’) and a plan to deliver ‘EESSH2 by 2032’ is being prepared. Through our Financial Inclusion Strategy, we have referral pathways in place from advice services to specialist fuel poverty / energy advice services to ensure that people get help with, for example, debts to utility providers. Interventions include support to access discretionary grants to write off energy debts, or to set up repayment plans. They also provide advice and support in resolving disputes with suppliers and with the replacement of prepayment meters with credit meters. 2.36 The Council recognises that decarbonisation presents an additional challenge for low- income households and will only take forward actions where they have no negative impact on the rate of fuel poverty. Emissions can be reduced from homes by improving thermal efficiency and reviewing heating system options. Firstly, the amount of electricity that is needed to heat the home can be reduced by insulating roof spaces and walls, and secondly, the cost of electricity can be cheaper by fitting solar photovoltaic panels on properties and allowing tenants to benefit from this free source of electricity. Works have commenced to address this by installing solar photovoltaic panels and external wall insulation to homes as part of the Council’s roofing and rendering capital investment programme, either by way of a new installation or retrofitting. 2.37 The Scottish Government have also set out an agenda for modernising house building, particularly through offsite construction - an important tool in achieving good quality homes that meet net zero targets. Over the lifetime of this Local Housing Strategy, the Council will deliver the following projects using offsite construction methods; Afton Court, Stevenston, Laburnum Avenue, Beith; and Newhouse Drive in Kilbirnie. Outcome 4: Improving the Quality of our Homes – Our homes are in good condition and people can access any support services they need 2.38 The Council will continue to provide advice and information to the owners of private sector housing to prevent properties from falling into disrepair. The Council, and our partners, will support tenants and owners in the private sector to adapt their properties to allow them to live independently. 2.39 The Scottish Government aims to introduce a the ‘New Housing Standard’ between 2025 and 2030 which means that all homes (private and social) will have a duty to meet the same minimum condition standard. There will be no margins of tolerance, no exemptions and no ‘acceptable levels’ of sub-standard homes. Throughout the lifetime of this Local Housing Strategy the ‘pre-tenancy support service’ for landlords, which provides property inspections and tenancy agreement advice, will continue to be provided by the Private Sector Housing team. This helps act as a preventative approach to future property condition issues. 2.40 The ‘Housing Asset Management Plan’ supports the Local Housing Strategy by detailing how the Council will manage all housing assets. It describes how we will invest in our stock, including any retrofitting that may be required to ensure continued compliance with the Scottish Housing Quality Standard and the latest Energy Efficiency Standards for Social Housing. The plan also sets out how we will identify any assets which are coming to the end of their life. 2.41 The Local Housing Strategy supports the Housing Contribution Statement shared ambition with the Health and Social Care Partnership that everyone in North Ayrshire can have healthy and thriving lives. Work will continue with the Partnership, participating in their strategic groups and providing a strategic framework that supports the provision of safe and comfortable homes which allow people to flourish and maintain a healthy life in good places and support regeneration. On an operational level
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collaborative working will continue to support households with more complex needs, whether that be identifying bespoke housing or support solutions or prioritising repairs for vulnerable households. 2.42 Over the lifetime of the Local Housing Strategy we will continue to ensure the new housing being delivered offers enough flexibility to tenants, so that they will be able to remain living at home, independently, for as long as they wish, regardless of their stage in life. This means homes being delivered which are either built to be accessible to everyone, or which can be retrofitted with adaptations where needed. The Scottish Government has committed to a new ‘Scottish Accessible Homes Standard’ which will be part of national building standards by 2025/26. The accessible standard will see accessibility designed and built into all new homes, increasing the housing choices for people with disabilities and reducing the need for expensive retrofitting as people age or their needs change. 2.43 In 2021, an ‘assisted living exemplar’ housing model was piloted at the Flatt Road development in Largs which promoted independent living through assistive technology. The model recognised that while an individual’s care must be tailored to their specific needs, there are technologies which can offer benefits to most people who need extra support. Our pilot explored super-fast broadband and a range of smart technologies. These included smart heating, lighting, and door entry. The added benefit was that residents were also able to video call their family on the device. A particularly useful option during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a real step forward in minimising social isolation. 3. Proposals 3.1 It is proposed that Cabinet: (i) approves the North Ayrshire Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 (appendix 1); (ii) approves the North Ayrshire Local Housing Strategy Action Plan (appendix 2); and (iii) notes that the Local Housing Strategy will be reviewed and reported upon annually. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 The known financial implications arising from activities included within the Local Housing Strategy are accounted for within existing capital and revenue budgets. Business cases will be developed to support any new initiatives, as required. Human Resources 4.2 None. Legal 4.3 The Local Housing Strategy has been prepared in accordance with the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 which sets out local authorities’ duties to prepare a Local Housing Strategy detailing the Council’s strategy, priorities, and plans for the delivery of housing and related services. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 The Local Housing Strategy has been subject to an Equality Impact Assessment. The assessment found that the strategy would have a positive impact upon older people,
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children, younger people, people with disabilities and households in fuel poverty. The assessment found no negative or discriminatory effects on any of the equality groups. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 The Local Housing Strategy will continue to support the North Ayrshire Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy which aims to eradicate fuel poverty and achieve net-zero carbon status by 2030. Key Priorities 4.6 The Local Housing Strategy supports the Council Plan priority to provide affordable, modern and well-designed homes that meet residents’ needs. There is evidence that children and young people can benefit from improved cognitive development and a reduction in behavioural issues through living in a more attractive, warmer, and better ventilated environment. The strategy also supports the Council Plan priority that children and young people experience the best start in life. The strategy also aims to support our island communities and their economies. Community Wealth Building 4.7 A number of the initiatives detailed within the Local Housing Strategy will result in North Ayrshire Community Benefits, for example the training and employment opportunities presented through the delivery of; the Council’s house building programme, the wider Strategic Housing Investment Plan, Sheltered Housing reprovisioning programme and through the Estate Based Regeneration Programme. 5. Consultation 5.1 The Council has taken a collaborative approach to the preparation of the Local Housing Strategy, with a range of stakeholders consulted on the draft document, including but not limited to; the Scottish Government, North Ayrshire tenants and residents, North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership, Public Health Scotland, Homes for Scotland, North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership, North Ayrshire Registered Social Landlords, and a range of Council services. The final draft consultation took place between 12 December 2022 and 11 February 2023 with the draft document being updated thereafter, where appropriate. RUSSELL McCUTCHEON Executive Director (Place) For further information please contact Yvonne Baulk, Head of Housing & Public Protection, on 01294 324542. Background Papers 0
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Appendix 1 North Ayrshire Council Draft Local Housing Strategy 2023 - 2028
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1 Contents Draft Local Housing Strategy 2023 - 2028 ..................................................................... 0 Welcome ................................................................................................................... 2 Statutory Duties ...................................................................................................................... 2 Housing to 2040 ..................................................................................................................... 4 Locality Plans ......................................................................................................................... 4 Strategic Commissioning Plan ................................................................................................ 4 Collaboration .......................................................................................................................... 5 Impact .................................................................................................................................... 6 Evidence ................................................................................................................................ 6 Resources .............................................................................................................................. 7 Progress ................................................................................................................................. 7 More homes at the heart of great places .................................................................. 11 Stronger & More Vibrant Places ........................................................................................... 12 Attracting Investment ........................................................................................................... 15 Affordability & Choice .............................................................................................. 19 Affordable Housing Supply ................................................................................................... 20 Delivering Equality ................................................................................................................ 23 Homeless Prevention and Alleviation .................................................................................... 27 The Rented Sector ............................................................................................................... 37 Affordable Warmth & Zero Emissions ....................................................................... 44 Fuel Poverty ......................................................................................................................... 45 Emissions ............................................................................................................................. 47 Improving the quality of our homes ........................................................................... 51 Statement of Assistance ....................................................................................................... 52 New Housing Standard ......................................................................................................... 52 Housing Contribution Statement ........................................................................................... 55 Independent Living ............................................................................................................... 56 Care & Support .................................................................................................................... 59
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2 Welcome We want all our people to live in the right homes, in great places, with access to any support services they need. To achieve this ambition, we (the Council) have agreed four overarching outcomes with local people. Each of the chapters in this document is based on one of those outcomes, the delivery of which is supported by an action plan. While most actions are designed to apply to the area as a whole – some locations face unique challenges. In those cases, we have identified area-specific actions. This is particularly true for our island communities. Throughout this document, we have used plain English and avoided ‘jargon’. We have included links to supporting documents and where terms may be unfamiliar to the reader, definitions are provided by placing the cursor over the word in question. When developing this strategy, we complied with guidance and legislation. We have also made sure we have linked into the wider strategic landscape - in particular, the four key strategies detailed within the Housing to 2040 Scottish Government national strategy. This ensures the strategy is robust, fit for purpose and supports and promotes fairness and equality to everyone in our area. Our places support thriving and inclusive communities Our homes are in good condition and people can access any support services they need Our people have affordable homes in the place they choose to live Our homes are energy efficient and release less emissions Statutory Duties The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 places a statutory duty on local authorities to produce a Local Housing Strategy which sets out the strategy, priorities and plans for the delivery of housing and related services. A range of other legislation informs housing service delivery and the key legislative links to the Local Housing Strategy are noted below. Table 1: Legislative links to the Local Housing Strategy Legislation Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004 Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017
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3 Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 Equality Act 2010 Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019 Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 (as amended) Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 The Local Housing Strategy Action Plan can be found at appendix 1 to this document and sets out the key actions which will be taken forward during the lifetime of this strategy. These activities will be further supported by the housing actions already set out within the other strategic documents detailed in Table 2 below. There is also a range of strategic plans and policies which inform the Local Housing Strategy and which will help deliver key strands of the action plan (please note these lists are not intended to be exhaustive). Table 2: Other Strategic Influences (N.B: This list is not intended to be exhaustive) National Policy Ayrshire Flood Risk Management Plan Creating Places Designing Streets Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) Getting it Right for Every Child Green Infrastructure: Design and Placemaking Housing to 2040 National Planning Framework Place Principle Planning Advice Note 77: Designing Safer Places Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) Local Policy Ayrshire Local Flood Risk Management Plan Community Learning and Development Plan (north-ayrshire.gov.uk) Economic Development and Regeneration Strategy 2016-25 Empowering Inclusion Independent Advocacy Strategic Plan 2019-2021 Local Development Plan North Ayrshire Children’s Services Plan North Ayrshire Community Wealth Building North Ayrshire Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change Strategies North Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership Organisation Development Strategy 2018-2021 North Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership Strategic Plan “Caring Together"”
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4 North Ayrshire Local Outcomes Improvement Plan Open Space Strategy Reshaping Care for Older People in Ayrshire and Arran Safer North Ayrshire Strategy Housing to 2040 This Local Housing Strategy mirrors the format of the national housing strategy Housing to 2040, described as the “first ever long-term national housing strategy” which sets out a national vision for what housing “should look like and how it will be provided to the people of Scotland”. Recognising the links between good housing, vibrant communities, and health and wellbeing outcomes, the programmes set out in Housing to 2040 are seen as crucial to Scotland’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. There are four main ‘parts’ in the national strategy, each with its own overarching priority outcome, which we have adopted, to ensure the best housing outcomes for our people. North Ayrshire Council Plan 2019- 2024. The Council Plan sets out the policy direction for our local area, against two main objectives 1) ‘Aspiring Communities’ – “active and strong communities where children and young people experience the best start in life … [which] have a growing … economy, … people enjoy good life-long health and well-being, … [and] are safe”, and 2) ‘Inspiring Place’ - effective infrastructure, digital connectivity; affordable modern and well-designed homes that meet resident’s needs; vibrant welcoming and attractive places; and a sustainable environment. Locality Plans Locality planning is one of the ways local communities can work with public and third sector organisations to improve peoples’ lives and neighbourhoods. This approach focusses on ‘reducing inequalities’ and ‘enabling communities to participate in neighbourhood decisions.’ The Council has adopted and applied the place principles to service delivery ensuring that we work collaboratively with our partners and local people to maximise investment and economic growth. Each of the Council’s six localities has a plan that sets out the specific priorities for that area. Strategic Commissioning Plan Our Health and Social Care Partner works to ensure that people living, working within and visiting North Ayrshire have access to the support and services they require when needed. How the partnership works together to deliver high quality, safe and sustainable care, is set out within their Strategic Commissioning Plan for North Ayrshire. Housing has the potential to address health inequalities, Public Health Scotland’s ‘Healthy Housing for Scotland’ paper recognises that ‘adequate housing which is safe, accessible, available, appropriate and high quality is key to us achieving the highest attainable standard of health’.
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5 Collaboration It is those who live or work in North Ayrshire that are best placed to help us identify local challenges and solutions. Our strategy has been developed in collaboration with our communities, our community planning partners, and the organisations involved in supplying housing and housing support services. Our community involvement is founded on the ‘National Standards of Community Engagement.’ The standards have been woven into our consultation process and have ensured our engagement approach of ‘Opportunity and Influence’ has been realised. Influence is the power our people have, to shape and inform policy through their comments, views, and feedback. Opportunity has been maximised by providing a range of ways in which our stakeholders can engage with us. Below is a summary of the consultation methods used to inform the development of this strategy. Table 3: How we Consulted During the Development of this Strategy METHOD HNDA IMPACT ASSESSMENT LHS Discussion Groups - Focus Groups - Interviews - Professional Review Social Media Survey - Strategic Partnership Groups Targeted Stakeholders Tenant Participation (RTOs) Website Webinar/Workshops Meaningful and inclusive engagement will continue to be the foundation of everything we do during the lifetime of this strategy. This means ongoing tenant participation, resident collaboration in development and regeneration programmes, as well as opportunities for tenant led budgeting and business planning. The Council’s tenant led Housing Business Plan Group review the annual Housing Revenue Account 30-year business plan review. The Council is already engaging with seldom heard groups, for example, supporting tenants’ and residents’ groups to embrace all New Scots, helping to integrate them into local communities and offering opportunities for involvement. The Council also established a Tenants Group at our Redburn Grove travellers’ site to provide tenants the opportunity to have their say on the current and future site needs and ensure they have a voice in the community. The new Tenant Participation Strategy will set out how the Council will build on the work to date to remove barriers to involvement for seldom heard groups. The Council’s Community Learning and Development Plan identifies key themes and makes a commitment that North Ayrshire communities will have access to the Community Learning and Development support they need. All provision aims to be free at the point of access for all learners.
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6 Trauma informed practice can prevent further harm, remove barriers, support recovery, improve life choices and address inequalities. The community planning partners, including all Housing staff, have undertaken a suite of training in relation to adverse childhood experience and trauma informed practice. Impact We have undertaken a range of impact assessments relevant to the development of this strategy to ensure that fairness and equality were part of our policy planning throughout. These assessments have been drawn together into a single document for ease of reference. ‘Assessing Strategic Impact: Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028’. Below is a summary of impact assessments undertaken: • Child Rights and Wellbeing: The policy direction in our strategy will have an indirect impact on the lives of our children but will nonetheless, have a positive impact on their lives and wellbeing, either by improving living conditions, providing mechanisms to alleviate poverty, or providing child friendly estates. • Equality: The strategy has been assessed as having no negative or discriminatory aspects and many positive impacts on the equality groups. • Health Inequalities: This strategy has been assessed as promoting positive health outcomes for local people. • Human Rights: The Local Housing Strategy is the ‘parent’ strategy for, and will direct the provision of, housing related plans and policies in the area for the period 2023- 2028. We have assessed our policy direction against human rights considerations and are confident this document continues to protect these rights for the people of North Ayrshire. • Islands: Our islands impact assessment has helped ‘island-proof’ our strategy and ensure that policies meet the needs of our island communities. Whilst policy interventions in our strategy are intended to be rolled out across the whole of North Ayrshire, in some instances, island specific interventions have been identified to address island specific challenges. • Strategic Environmental Assessment Pre-Screening Notification: Submitted to the Scottish Government, noting that we had concluded our strategy is not likely to have any significant environmental effects (which are not already subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment elsewhere), and for this reason will not require a full strategic environmental assessment to be carried out. No further action requested by the SEA Gateway. Evidence This strategy is based on our Housing Need & Demand Assessment 2020 which has been designated as ‘robust and credible’ by the Scottish Government. Where figures are
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7 provided in this document, unless stated otherwise, they have been taken from the Housing Need & Demand Assessment. We have also carried out additional research as part of our collaboration approach, and corroborated feedback has been woven into this document. Resources We have developed our strategy mindful of the finite resources which are available to us. It is for this reason that value for money, economies of scale and pooling resources across partners underpin our goals. Our strategy supports our ‘Community Wealth Building’ approach to economic recovery in the area. Progress This is not our first local housing strategy, and we cannot move forward without considering and building on the progress we have already made. We have strived to continually improve our performance, learned lessons from the range of work and projects we have undertaken, and shared good practice along the way. The previous North Ayrshire Local Housing Strategy (2018-2022) set out a series of commitments against five outcomes. We have summarised our achievements against these priority areas of Supply, Condition, Place, Homelessness, and Support.
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8 Supply: The supply of housing meets the needs and aspirations of local people Increased the supply of land available for housing through the allocation of additional sites within our Local Development Plans Over 800 new social rented homes were built across our area (by the Council and our partners) Purchased 39 second-hand homes for use as social housing Purchased 21 empty homes and brought them back into use Reviewed our affordable housing policies and removed the requirement for developer contributions Reviewed, revised, and relaunched the North Ayrshire Allocation Policy Revised our Council housing rent structure, in consultation with our tenants Introduced a Local Lettings Initiative on Arran Provided the North Ayrshire Empty Homes Loan Fund in partnership with the Scottish Government Addressed the stock mismatch on Cumbrae by increasing all housing types, but focusing on the provision of 20 new amenity homes Condition: People live in good quality homes that they can afford to heat Reviewed and refreshed our Scheme of Assistance Established a ‘multi-agency’ task force who work together to address complex property condition issues in the private sector Introduced a new ‘Missing Shares’ approach to help owners in tenement blocks carry out essential common repairs Launched our ‘Pre-Tenancy Support Service’ to provide specialised advice and inspection services to private sector landlords and increase awareness about the required minimum standard of properties All but one of our new housing developments met the Scottish Government’s Greener Standard. The remaining ‘pilot project’ used off- site construction and achieved Bronze Active Status for Sustainable Buildings and Silver Status for Carbon Dioxide Emissions Built two ‘sustainable demonstrator’ homes, which showcased renewable energy systems, smart lighting, and home security controls, upgraded insulation, triple glazing, and various water conservation measures Engaged with young people, communities, and local businesses to tackle climate change Provide energy efficiency advice and utilise the Local Energy Advice Forum (LEAF) to provide holistic services to residents Secured funding to offer energy efficiency measures to ‘fuel poor’ and ‘extremely fuel poor’ households (e.g., external wall, loft and cavity wall insulation and solar PV technology)
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9 Explored and delivered our first district heating systems (in Stevenston, Dalry and Largs) Retrofitted solar PV panels on 500 properties Place: Our homes are located in strong, stable, and safe communities Launched our 10-year, £10 million Estate Based Regeneration Programme Considered the Place Standard as part of all new Council housing projects and encouraged our partners to use Designing Streets guidance for all sites Built new town centre homes in Stevenston, Saltcoats, Dalry, Irvine, Largs and Kilbirnie Sought to ensure that Secure by Design accreditation is obtained for all new Council housing projects and encouraged our partners to do the same Reviewed and enhanced our public space CCTV service provision Developed and implemented a new Safer North Ayrshire Strategy Homelessness: Homeless services focus on early intervention, prevention, and sustainable housing solutions Embedded housing options into our homeless processes Refreshed our housing support approach significantly increasing tenancy sustainment as a result Successfully closed two units of hostel provision and replaced it with a range of furnished accommodation across North Ayrshire Provided support to every homeless household Linked all children affected by homelessness with primary health care, and ensured their temporary accommodation supports study and access to their wider social network Developed a prison discharge protocol to minimise the risk of homelessness and repeat offending Prepared and implemented a 'Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan', which includes a 'Housing First' programme Established a specialist team to respond to the needs of homeless people with addictions and mental health issues Together with Health Improvement Scotland, maximised opportunities to prevent homelessness within health systems Started to develop pathways into employment for homeless people Support: People receive the support they need to live independently at home, for as long as possible Exceeded our target by building 170 new sheltered housing unit flats to date Refurbished 142 sheltered housing unit flats Exceeded our target and provided 48% of new builds that are suitable for older people Included amenity housing in all our new build sites Introduced community hubs in sheltered housing across the area Included dementia friendly designs in all our new build specialist housing All new homes are designed as ‘homes for life’ and easily adapted if the occupants need change
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10 Built a ‘demonstrator flat’ to showcase how assistive technology can enable independent living As at March 2023 we have helped resettle 642 displaced people from conflict areas in Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine and provided them with the support they need to successfully integrate within our communities Worked with the HSCP (Health and Social Care Partnership) to maximise the benefits of new specialist supported accommodation and developed a new supported accommodation housing model Exceeded our target and provided 15% of new builds that are suitable for wheelchair users Included new specialist housing in existing housing estates Developed a joint improvement group with the Health and Social Care Partnership, which focuses on improving service delivery of equipment and adaptations
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11 More homes at the heart of great places Our places support thriving and inclusive communities
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12 Stronger & More Vibrant Places Figure 1: North Ayrshire’s Locality Areas Located on the West Coast of Scotland and with a population of circa 135,000, North Ayrshire is a unique housing market area. It is a diverse mix of rural, urban, and island communities, split into six localities: Arran, Garnock Valley, Irvine, Kilwinning, North Coast & Three Towns. Whilst North Ayrshire is a ‘contained’ housing market (i.e., most people who buy a home here already live here), we realise there is significant migration across the localities. This is with the exception of our island communities where housing is mostly bought by people who do not currently live on that island, or even within North Ayrshire. “We all want to live in a North Ayrshire we can be proud of – a place where no one lives in poverty…economy is growing, building wealth and prosperity for everyone and we support each other” (North Ayrshire Council Plan, 2019-2024) The North Ayrshire economy faces significant challenges. Our employed people tend to work in lower paid jobs, and we also have high levels of unemployment and economic inactivity. Whilst the situation has improved over recent years, the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (2020) ranks our area as one of the most deprived in Scotland - particularly for
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13 employment, income, and health – noting that four out of every 10 local households are living in deprivation. Housing is a social determinant of health, influencing both physical and mental health. It is for these reasons that the Council is committed to a Community Wealth Building approach, building on the progress of the Ayrshire Growth Deal, which is expected to generate up to 7,000 new jobs across Ayrshire in the next 15 years. We are also working with the Arran Economic Group and Arran Development Trust to find additional solutions to the economic sustainability of Arran - this work is supported by the £3.6 million ‘Rural & Islands Housing Fund’. Corporately, our Regeneration Delivery Plan outlines a place-based approach to regeneration. The plan’s focus is on both the short-term recovery from COVID-19 and, in the longer-term making our area more successful for everyone, improving our places, establishing thriving town centres, supporting health and well-being, and providing more opportunities for a better quality of life. Housing can make a strong contribution to regeneration by contributing to positive health outcomes and supporting a sense of community. Health can be impacted by both the building and its location. Connections to services, amenities, employment, education, transport and nature are all beneficial to health and wellbeing. The North Ayrshire Child Poverty Action Plan 2022-2023 notes that North Ayrshire has the second highest level of child poverty after housing costs of any area in Scotland. The Local Housing Strategy supports the Council Plan priority that children and young people experience the best start in life. When delivering services, the impact upon child poverty is considered and support process are in place to mitigate any negative impacts. Access to good quality and affordable housing is a key asset in addressing child poverty, and poverty overall. There is evidence that children and young people can benefit from improved cognitive development and a reduction in behavioural issues when living in an attractive, warm, and well-ventilated environment. Housing Renewal Areas The Council’s approach to Housing Renewal Areas is set out within our Scheme of Assistance. A Housing Renewal Area is an area that requires property condition and quality improvements; it may comprise of a few properties or could cover a larger area. In response to local concerns, the Council may consider designating a Housing Renewal Area, in areas where there are a significant number of substandard houses (minimum of 50%). The decision to declare a Housing Renewal Area will be based on the relationship between the property and local neighbourhood, rather than a technical assessment of property condition. Public consultation with owners of affected properties and an ‘Options Appraisal’ exercise will be undertaken before designating a Housing Renewal Area. Town Centres Towns and town centres should be vibrant, creative, enterprising, and accessible, but as retail patterns evolve this is becoming more challenging. We are committed to supporting local town centres to re-purpose and diversify. Providing housing in town centres benefits
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14 the area because the people who live there contribute to the overall safety and regeneration of that location. The Local Development Plan sets out our approach for ensuring that town centres continue to be at the heart of people’s everyday activities. Large private developers often find town centre sites too small for their projects, however, this creates an opportunity for social housing or small developers to step in and build on small gap sites in our towns. Council Estates We have committed to investing £10 million in our Council housing estates between 2019- 2029. The money will be used to address issues which cause residents to become dissatisfied with their areas, such as poor external appearance, insufficient parking, antisocial behaviour, lack of green space or little area-distinctiveness. In consultation to inform our estate-based programme, the North Ayrshire Tenants Network advised as follows: “Helps build communities so that people take pride in where they work and live, have a sense of belonging and paves the way for future generations” Our improvement programme will look at options for house types that are no longer in demand as well as for solutions to disrepair in mixed-tenure blocks, which are often in poorer condition because some owners either cannot afford or will not contribute to common repairs. All our regeneration work has been guided by ‘Creating Places’ and is based on the Place Standard, which has been embedded into all our estate based processes. Our aim is to deliver regeneration progress against three overarching goals – Distinct, Future Proof and Inclusive. The programme is subject to ongoing review for the purpose of continuous improvement. We place our tenants firmly at the centre of our estate-based regeneration work, consulting them on proposals for their local area. Figure 2: North Ayrshire Council Housing Estate Regeneration Principles Distinct Well maintained, clean and tidy with a sense of welcome and accessible open space - existing historic and natural assets are used to inform improvements Future proof Safe, accessible and easy to navigate. Resources are used sustainably and dementia friendly aspects have been included where appropriate Inclusive Community led approach that builds social networks and gives people a sense of pride and ownership in their surroundings
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15 Attracting Investment We recognise that house building is important to the area’s economy and is a way of reversing population decline. As we start to see the benefits from both our ‘Economic Recovery & Renewal’ and ‘Community Wealth Building’ approaches, North Ayrshire will become more attractive to people who wish to move here from out with the area. It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that we will also see an increase in demand for housing. Since 2018, the number of ‘completions’ of new build housing has been increasing (for both private and social housing). This demonstrates a strengthening of the private housing market in North Ayrshire alongside our ambitious programme of delivering new affordable social rented homes. The most recent Housing Land Audit shows that COVID-19 did have an impact on social housing build-rates during 2020/21, but that significant levels of delivery are expected over the next five years. Our Strategic Housing Investment Plan is expected to deliver 1,625 new homes by 2028, and private developers are expected to deliver 1,300 new homes during the same period. These homes will be energy efficient and will focus on meeting housing need as well as tackling child poverty. The Arran Development Trust have recently secured funding from the Rural and Island Housing Fund to deliver 18 new affordable homes in Lamlash. The Council has established the Arran Housing Task Force to quantify the demand for affordable housing on the island and identify issues that may be limiting economic growth. The task force membership includes Scottish Government, local community groups and Arran Registered Social Landlords. The group will develop an action plan to address any identified housing issues on Arran. Housing Supply Targets We have set our minimum supply targets for new build completions by considering factors including the Housing Need & Demand Assessment 2020, recent and anticipated build rates, and committed investment in affordable housing. A full explanation of how our targets were set is available on our website (insert link here when LHS approved). Figure 3: Housing Supply Targets Private Development Our Local Development Plan outlines our general proposals for planning policies, designating land use, and identifying where development should and should not be carried out. The Local Development Plan takes a design-led, holistic approach towards all housing developments (public and private alike). It sets out planning policy that enhances areas by considering the balance between a successful and sustainable place, natural and resilient Social Housing 1,625 units Private Housing 1,300 units
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16 place, connected place, and low carbon place. The development plan encourages private developers to build homes that meet people’s specific needs as well as building affordable homes to buy. Our planning application process provides a further opportunity to ensure that developers respect placemaking principles. It is more expensive to build new homes on our islands, than is the case on the mainland. There are several reasons for this, including higher general cost of living, expensive transport costs, higher fuel costs, infrastructure issues, limited on-island construction companies and poor digital connectivity. Since COVID-19, such issues have been accentuated and we are noting a reluctance from mainland construction companies to work on the islands. All this points to a need for local supply chains to be developed, alongside local business capacity. These issues are being explored as part of our Community Wealth Building ambitions and Island Recovery Plan. Council House Building The Council has made a commitment to develop 1,625 new homes by 2028. Good progress has been made towards achieving this target, with 831 new Council homes built as at 31 March 2023. Place making principles form the foundation of project development, informing site selection (where appropriate) and the design process. Following the completion of each new site our design teams assess each project’s success in delivering places our people can be proud of, as part of our ‘lessons learned’ review. The Council has developed a range of standard house types which have been designed in partnership with Occupational Therapists from our Housing Service to ensure that they can make best use of our assets and adapt to tenants’ changing needs. All Council housing will meet the Scottish Government’s ‘Greener Standard’ and obtain Police Scotland’s ‘Secured by Design’ accreditation. The Council also ensures that our sheltered housing is developed utilising dementia friendly design principles. Local residents and the wider community are invited to comment on the draft and final proposals for each Council development. In addition, we seek tenant feedback on each new build project on completion, utilising best practice guidance for collating new build tenant satisfaction surveys. The Council will ensure that all new build housing utilises Net Zero Direct Emissions heating systems in accordance with building standards. In advance of the new regulations the Council installed three biomass district heating schemes in Stevenston, Dalry and Largs. The Council also tested sustainable technology and heating systems at our two ‘sustainable demonstrator’ homes in Dickson Drive, Irvine. A bespoke energy strategy has been created for each emerging new housing development to ensure that the heating options for the sites are both energy efficient and affordable for tenants. Build to Rent ‘Housing to 2040’ recognises build to rent as an attractive option for many investors. It is seen as a way of improving the private rented sector because investors are more likely to
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17 develop long term strategic management approaches, whilst continuing to invest in their assets to retain future sale values. This type of housing, like all private investment decisions, is governed by market influences. The North Ayrshire market rent levels make this type of housing challenging to deliver at an affordable level. We will engage with stakeholders to determine whether this model of provision is viable. Creating Places The places we live, work and play have a significant impact on our wellbeing. High quality places are safe, easy to move around, provide people with access to services, employment, education, and other opportunities, as well as influencing people to live more healthily and sustainably. A good place has areas where communities can gather for mutual support and self-help. This reduces isolation and loneliness and creates vibrant sustainable neighbourhoods with a sense of community. Designing out crime and increasing perceptions of personal safety are important steps towards the long-term sustainability of a place - the Safer North Ayrshire Strategy sets out the framework for working together to make North Ayrshire safer. The creation of good places is underpinned by the national Place Principle, which is a way of bringing ideas about services, investments, and assets together, making everyone accountable for the decisions taken about these resources, and recognising that a “joined- up, collaborative… approach enables better outcomes for everyone.” The Place Standard has been developed to help communities explore and identify local issues and ways of addressing them. We have embedded this tool into the processes which govern our new Council House Development programme. Through the assessment of planning applications, the preparation of North Ayrshire’s third Local Development Plan and the annual Housing Land Audit, the Council will continue to liaise with infrastructure providers to monitor the impact of new housing development on public services and infrastructure, including health care provision, schools and the transport network. In preparing Local Development Plan 3, we will adopt an ‘infrastructure first’ approach whereby infrastructure considerations are integral to development planning and decision making and potential impacts are understood early in the development planning process as part of an evidenced based approach. ‘Housing to 2040’ introduces the 20-minute neighbourhood, which focuses on living well locally, giving people the ability to meet most of their daily needs nearby, and are complemented by reduced car reliance and safe walking, wheeling, and cycling routes. The goal is to support a better quality of life in our places, whilst making our towns and villages more resilient. New social housing is generally developed in places with existing stock and amenities, meaning 20-minute neighbourhoods are an existing part of our social housing supply programme. The Scottish Government aim to publish new planning guidance to help guide the concept of 20-minute neighbourhoods in the private housing sector. Meanwhile, our existing planning policies have place-making principles, that promote 20-minute
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18 neighbourhoods, embedded within them. We are well placed for taking on any further guidance from the Scottish Government. Looking at our islands, Millport is already a 20-minute neighbourhood, given that there is only one town on the island. By directing island development towards existing communities, we can strengthen the long-term viability of those communities, support local business, increase the effectiveness of support services, reduce isolation, and protect the wider environment. Green Spaces Research shows that where people have access to good quality, outdoor green space, there is a corresponding positive and lasting impact on public health. The combined effects of fresh air, exercise, daylight, and social interaction, in a pleasant setting, means that people who use outdoor green spaces regularly are more likely to be physically active and have a reduce risk of mental and physical ill-health. However, it has been noted that access to green space is still imbalanced; this is especially true for people who live in deprived areas. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people reported that access to good quality outdoor green space made restrictions more bearable. Homes for Scotland are reporting an increased demand for private housing with gardens and close access to rural areas. The Council’s Open Space Strategy 2016-2026 sets out the Council’s vision for excellent publicly accessible open spaces which promote economic prosperity, healthy lifestyles and biodiversity. The North Ayrshire Food Growing Strategy sets out the Council’s, and our partners, aims to support and increase the provision for community food growing across North Ayrshire. This recognises the benefits to the North Ayrshire Food system and helps provide food dignity for local communities. The strategy recognises food growing as a powerful tool to address food poverty, promote healthy lifestyles and to bring people together reducing social isolation. The North Ayrshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan 2019 – 2031 details the action that the North Ayrshire Biodiversity Partnership intends to achieve alongside North Ayrshire’s residents, workers, visitors and other stakeholders. It recognises the importance of biodiversity for sustaining the ecosystems that provide us with food, fuel, health, wealth and other vital services. Compulsory Purchase Order Compulsory Purchase Orders, which are only implemented following Scottish Ministers approval, can be an important tool with which to support the regeneration of our places and communities. They are used to force a private land or property owner to sell their asset, where we have shown that sale is necessary to successfully complete a project that is in the public interest. However, our preference is always to purchase land or properties through negotiation and in agreement with the owner. Nonetheless, where mutual agreement cannot be reached, these orders will be considered if the situation dictates it.
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19 Affordability & Choice Our people have affordable homes in the place they choose to live
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20 Affordable Housing Supply Privately owned homes dominate the area, and the number has increased in all localities over the last eight years. The North Coast has seen the biggest increase in owner- occupation and on Arran almost four out of every five homes are privately owned. The private rented sector has also grown. Improving affordability and choice across tenures will contribute to a well-functioning housing system where people can find, and afford, a home that meets their needs and is in a place that they want to live. Figure 4: Comparing private and social housing Our national strategy is committed to improving the affordability, standards and security of all Scotland’s homes, an ambition we share and support. However, housing affordability is not a concern locally. Regardless of the tenure of house our people live in, it is likely to be affordable. This is because, for private housing, both the cost of buying a home and the cost of renting one is much lower than the national average. For social housing, rents are kept low by tenant scrutiny and regulation. Locally, the cost of buying an entry level home is much the same as renting one. The current cost of living crisis does however place a significant burden on household income by increasing the cost of food, transport and in particular, energy. The Council’s actions to help address this are set out within the Fuel Poverty section of this document. Private Housing Owned by private individuals and companies Lived in by the owner (ie. owner occupied) or rented to a private sector tenant Difficult to regulate, though changes are happening 73% of all houses in the area Social Housing Owned by the Council or one of 11 local Housing Associations Allocated to tenants based on their housing 'need' Highly regulated sector 27% of all houses in the area
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21 Table 4: North Ayrshire weekly housing costs as a percentage of lower quartile second hand homes, 2019 (Source: HNDA20) Tenure Lower Quartile Income (2019) Lower Quartile Housing Costs % of income required for rent / loan Private Rent £300 pw £98 33% Social Rent £300 pw £80 27% Buying (80% Loan to Value / 3.5 income multiplier) £300 pw £83 28% Buying (95% Loan to Value / 3.5 income multiplier) £300 pw £83 28% Second Homes There are 1,500 second homes in the area, almost all of which are located on our islands. On Arran, one in four privately owned houses are second homes; on Cumbrae this rises to 43%. This reduces the number of homes available for local people, and in turn pushes up both house prices and private rent charges. The Scottish Government has committed to introducing new powers for local authorities, allowing them to cap the number of second homes in a given area. The intention is to provide a tool that allows local authorities to find a viable balance between the number of second homes and the number of permanently occupied homes. Social Housing Demand The Strategic Housing Investment Plan is reviewed annually to establish affordable housing investment priorities for the Council and our Registered Social Landlord partners which seek to address the key priorities established within the Local Housing Strategy. There were 6,467 applicants on the North Ayrshire Housing Register as at 31 March 2023, of whom 3,327 applicants had an assessed housing need. When transfer applicants are deducted 2,655 applicants remain (transfer applicants leave an existing social tenancy behind for reallocation when they are rehoused). Figure 5: Applicant needs (Source: North Ayrshire Housing Register, March 2023) NB: Numbers are not mutually exclusive, for example, applicants can request both amenity and sheltered homes 3,327 applicants with an assessed housing need 111 require larger homes (six people or more) 227 homeless applicants 81 require OT assessed adapted homes 178 requests for wheelchair accessible homes 353 requests for sheltered housing 910 requests for amenity housing
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22 The site mixes set out within the Strategic Housing Investment Plan reflects demand for housing in North Ayrshire. The Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2023 – 2028 estimates the completion of: • 1,652 affordable homes; including • 356 amenity homes • 202 homes suitable for wheelchair users • 81 sheltered houses (delivered at Irvine Harbourside and St. Michael’s Wynd) There is no limit to the number of letting areas that applicants can select when making a housing application and demand has therefore been assessed proportionately in Figure 6 below to reduce double counting. It is important to note that individual housing allocations can impact upon demand within areas. For example, if an applicant housed in the Three Towns also had Arran as an area of preference this would reduce demand for housing in Arran. Figure 6: Proportionate demand for social housing by locality (Source: North Ayrshire Housing Register, March 2023) Largs, Irvine and Kilwinning are our most pressured localities. Further analysis is required to determine housing pressures within the Arran and Cumbrae localities as the proportionate analysis is not effective in determining pressure within smaller localities. This work is underway for Arran through the Arran Housing Task Force, previously referenced in the ‘Attracting Investment’ section of this document. Demand for housing in Cumbrae is assessed annually as part of the review of housing demand by locality undertaken in the preparation of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Applicant house size requirements are determined by the strategic bedroom need which is the minimum number of bedrooms required based on household composition. The proportion of homes by bedroom size is noted by locality in the table below based on proportionate demand. Table 5 Proportionate affordable housing demand by strategic bedroom size and locality (Source: North Ayrshire Housing Register, March 2023) Locality 1 Bed 2 Bed 3 Bed 4+ Bed Arran, 113, 3% Garnock Valley, 305, 9% Irvine, 1316, 40% Kilwinning, 461, 14% Largs & Cumbrae, 363, 11% Three Towns, 769, 23%
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23 Arran 51% 16% 22% 11% Garnock Valley 55% 13% 19% 13% Irvine 56% 15% 15% 14% Kilwinning 55% 13% 18% 14% Largs & Cumbrae 59% 16% 16% 9% Three Towns 59% 14% 15% 12% North Ayrshire 57% 14% 16% 13% Delivering Equality The right to housing is already a recognised human right. However, there are many who cannot access market housing, as well as those who have nowhere to live. The LHS offers an opportunity to ensure that the housing system supports the needs and aspirations of all our people regardless of background, financial position, or current situation. The Collaboration section of this document details how North Ayrshire tenants and residents have been involved throughout the development of the Local Housing Strategy. Ethnicity Around 2,000 local people (2% of our population) classify their ethnicity as something other than ‘White: Scottish/British/Irish’. Given this lack of local diversity, there is a risk that the housing needs of these communities could be overlooked. Language difficulties, being unaware of the support available, or even a lack of cultural awareness from service providers are all recognised as barriers to housing and support services. People from different ethnic backgrounds can also face discrimination and harassment, not only within the community, but from landlords or agents. The fear and experience of racial harassment then influences, and frequently limits, the housing decisions they go on to make. For minority ethnic women, isolation, language difficulties and experiences of racism, may increase their risk of experiencing homelessness or prevent them from escaping domestic abuse. Research shows that poverty is more prevalent for minority households. Ethnic minority groups are more likely to live in private rented properties, and because of higher levels of disrepair in this sector, are more likely to live in poor-quality housing. There can also be larger household sizes amongst ethnic minority groups, meaning an increased chance of living in an overcrowded home. Older people from ethnic minority groups can face challenges accessing and securing suitable housing.
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24 Figure 7: Minority ethnic groups, North Ayrshire, 2011 (Source: HNDA20, Census 2011) Refugees & Asylum Seekers We do not work with asylum seekers on a day-by-day basis, however, we are occasionally contacted by people seeking asylum. While we do not have jurisdiction in these cases, we do provide accommodation and support, and refer each case to the appropriate authorities. We do, however, have a proud record of supporting the UK Government’s humanitarian efforts to resettle refugees who have been displaced from their own country. Since 2015, we have been working with the Home Office, and the Health & Social Care Partnership, to provide safe and secure housing for 201 people (41 families), who were displaced by the war in Syria. A further 10 people (2 households) were resettled under the UK resettlement scheme (UKRS). There are still families who need to be resettled, and we will continue our work over the lifetime of this strategy, supporting and helping integrate new and existing households from around the world who have settled in our area. We have also provided support for families fleeing the conflict in Afghanistan, following the withdrawal of American and NATO forces in 2021. We will continue to support these resettlement programmes and add to the 36 Afghan nationals (8 families) who had already arrived by 30 April 2022. White: Gypsy/Traveller, 58 White: Polish, 247 White: Other White, 1051 Mixed/multiple ethnic groups, 319 Asian: Pakistani, 108 Asian: Indian, 328 Asian: Chinese, 315 Asian: Other, 197 African: all , 83 Caribbean or Black: all, 65 Other ethnic groups, 83
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25 More recently, the Council have responded to the humanitarian crisis created as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. Since May 2022, the Council and partners have supported more than 185 Ukrainian displaced households (UDPs) (395 people) to settle in North Ayrshire. We have utilised 110 social rented properties for people fleeing the conflict. We are also providing support, advice, and assistance to those who have settled within the homes of North Ayrshire residents. We are working with the Scottish Government to identify and develop temporary accommodation for use of Ukrainian displaced households who are currently residing within the cruise ship docked in Edinburgh and for those living within hotel accommodation. To prepare for the arrival of these vulnerable households we have established the multi- agency ‘Refugee Task Force,’ to provide strategic direction, target resources, help build cross-agency capacity, ensure coordinated communications and operational support and is the vehicle for sharing learning to enhance front line service delivery. The task force includes several Council services led by Housing and including Education, Community Learning & Development, Employability, as well as Health and Social Care Partnership, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire & Rescue, Department of Work & Pensions and the third sector. The Council has experienced increased demand for temporary and permanent housing as a result of homelessness. The pressure on accommodation almost resulted in a breach of our statutory duties during the last quarter of 2022/23. This means that going forward, there is limited scope to provide further social rented housing out with the pledges already made across the various humanitarian programmes. Council officers will continue to work with the Scottish Government, COSLA and other local authorities to identify options to increase the supply of short, medium, and longer-term accommodation for the use of the Ukrainian displaced households. Travelling Showpeople There are no Travelling Showpeople communities based in North Ayrshire. The closest community of Showpeople is in Glasgow and given the better transport links from the city to the rest of the country, it is unlikely there would be an incentive to move to North Ayrshire. Nonetheless, we keep the situation under review to ensure we will be able to respond, should this situation change. Gypsy/Travellers We acknowledge and respect Gypsy/Travellers as a distinct ethnic group with history and traditions including the nomadic lifestyle that can form part of this identity. Our research has indicated that there is sufficient accommodation for Gypsy/Travellers in our area. Our Gypsy/Traveller population has told us that their preferred housing solution is the Council owned site. Our site in Irvine has sixteen pitches (four are level access), each with its own amenity building where hot water, bathing and kitchen facilities are provided, and electricity is available at a reduced cost. On-site services include a site manager, regular GP surgery, visits from community link workers, and an educational tutor for secondary age pupils.
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26 Whilst our site has met the quality standards described in the Scottish Government’s ‘Improving Gypsy/Traveller Sites’ since 2018, we understand this to be a minimum standard, and we have continued to improve and upgrade the site. In response to requests from site tenants, we identified a £75,000 budget, which allowed us to install new kitchens and doors in our amenity units and improve safety and security on each pitch by installing gates, fencing, and resurfacing. Free Wi-Fi is available at the on-site community room, and through the Connected Scotland programme we have provided 15 families with free Wi-Fi devices – each with 2 years unlimited access to the internet. We have applied for more devices to support the remaining tenants and families living in mainstream housing. Moving forward we remain committed to ensuring our site continues to meet the needs of our Gypsy/Traveller community and we will explore options to identify the most appropriate upgrades and changes that we can carry out on site, to best support our residents. We have a dedicated officer who acts as a sole point of contact for our Gypsy/Traveller community, and who can offer advice and support where needed and support the Redburn Grove Tenants Group, who represent the interests of our local Gypsy/Travellers community and influence local decision making. Our proactive approach to working with the travelling community has minimised the level of roadside encampments within North Ayrshire therefore there is no identified need at this time to increase provision. On average, we have around 40 unauthorised encampments in annually, this number includes multiple counts of the same family who may stay at various locations during their time in our area. We have a dedicated encampment officer who engages with these families at the earliest opportunity undertaking a ‘Needs and Welfare’ Assessment. This helps us to understand the needs and aspirations of individuals enabling us to provide any necessary support. LGBTQ+ Around 4.6% of the overall population is thought to be LGBTQ+, which equates to 6,200 people in North Ayrshire. The proportion appears to decrease with age, though this could be because older people may be more reluctant to disclose sexual orientation or gender identity, or an overrepresentation of younger people in the survey sample. Research has found that “[LGBTQ+] social housing residents do not believe they are being listened to, taken seriously, or treated equally.” These findings correlate with what our own LGBTQ+ community has shared with us. Whilst most said they felt part of their local community, almost 15% have experienced harassment because of their sexuality or gender identity, and the same number did not feel safe in their home. A quarter felt their landlords did not understand the housing issues they faced and less than 20% felt their landlords treated them equally. We will continue to take a zero tolerance' approach to any form of harassment or bullying directed towards our tenants, investigating complaints timeously and taking legal action against perpetrators as appropriate.
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27 Figure 8: Sexual orientation by percentage of population & age (Source: Scottish Surveys Core Questions 2015) Homeless Prevention and Alleviation The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 places a statutory duty on local authorities to carry out an assessment of homelessness and to prepare and submit to Ministers, a strategy (as part of the Local Housing Strategy) for the prevention and alleviation of homelessness. The Scottish Government established the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group in 2017 to identify solutions to eradicate homelessness in Scotland. Following consideration of the Action Group’s recommendations, the Scottish Government required local authorities to develop and implement a Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan demonstrating how the local authority will consider current and future homeless demand and work in partnership to transform services to prevent homelessness and minimise the length of time people spend in temporary accommodation. The Scottish Government are preparing new legislation to enhance the rights of people at risk of homelessness by placing statutory duties on public bodies including the Health and Social Care Partnership, Education, Police Scotland, and the Scottish Prison Service to identify people at risk of becoming homeless and to respond to prevent this from happening. Homelessness in North Ayrshire During 2021/22, 1,141 households made a homeless application in North Ayrshire, which was a 14% increase on the previous year. The increase is mainly as a result of the COVID- 19 pandemic, in the previous year the Council had a decrease of 9%. During the first quarter of 2020/21 at the start of lockdown, there was a 32% reduction in approaches. The change from 2019/20 to 2021/22 was an increase of 4%. The Council experienced a 5% increase in homeless applications between 2017/18 and 2019/20. 0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+
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28 Figure 9: Total applications for homeless assistance, North Ayrshire, 2017-2022 (Source: Scottish Government HL1 data) Homelessness by Gender and Age The majority (70%) of homeless people in North Ayrshire are aged between 26 and 59. Young people aged between 16 and 25 account for 25% of applications. There are a higher proportion of men (54%) than women represented, with men aged between 26 and 59 being the highest presenting group, making up 39% of all homeless applications. Table 6: Homelessness by age & gender (Source: North Ayrshire Council Civica Database) Gender Age 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Female 16 to 17 1% 1% 2% 1% 2% Female 18 to 25 12% 10% 11% 12% 11% Female 26 to 59 29% 30% 29% 26% 31% Female 60+ 2% 2% 2% 1% 2% Female Total 44% 43% 44% 41% 46% Male 16 to 17 1% 1% 2% 1% 1% Male 18 to 25 13% 13% 11% 12% 11% Male 26 to 59 39% 40% 41% 42% 39% Male 60+ 3% 2% 2% 4% 4% Male Total 56% 57% 56% 59% 54% Household composition 72% of homeless applications are from single people and 22% are from households containing children. Table 7: Homelessness by family composition (Source: Scottish Government HL1 Data) Household Type 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Single Person 73% 71% 71% 75% 72% Single Parent 15% 13% 16% 15% 16% Couple 6% 7% 5% 5% 5% Couple with Children 4% 7% 5% 4% 5% Other 1% 1% 1% 0% 1% Other with Children 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 900 950 1000 1050 1100 1150 1200 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
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29 Reasons for Homelessness The main reason for homelessness in North Ayrshire during 2021/22 was people being asked to leave the family home, this accounted for 23% (259) of applicants. This has been the main reason for homelessness for four of the previous five years. Relationship breakdown was the main reason for homelessness, during 2020/2021 this accounted for 261 (20%) approaches, this was the second most common reason for homelessness during 2021/22 and 2019/20. This may be an impact of the COVID-19 lockdown which placed significant pressure on families. The third most significant reason for approach was due to domestic abuse 154 (13%). Table 8: Reasons for homelessness approaches, for North Ayrshire 2017/18 to 2021/22 (Source: Scottish Government HL1 Data) Reason for approach 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Asked to leave 24% 20% 21% 20% 23% Dispute within household / relationship breakdown: non-violent 15% 15% 18% 26% 21% Other action by landlord resulting in the termination of the tenancy 18% 19% 16% 6% 11% Dispute within household: violent or abusive 10% 11% 12% 15% 13% Discharge from prison / hospital / care / other institution 12% 10% 9% 8% 8% Fleeing non-domestic violence 3% 7% 6% 9% 8% Other reason for leaving accommodation / household 5% 5% 4% 4% 4% Other reason for loss of accommodation 3% 3% 3% 3% 4% Harassment 1% 1% 1% 2% 2% Overcrowding 0% 1% 1% 2% 2% Applicant terminated secure accommodation 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% Termination of tenancy / mortgage due to rent arrears / default on payments 7% 6% 6% 0% 1% Forced division and sale of matrimonial home 0% 0% 1% 0% 1% Loss of service / tied accommodation 0% 0% 1% 1% 0% Emergency (fire, flood, storm, closing order from Environmental Health etc.) 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Domestic Abuse Domestic abuse accounted for 667 homeless applications between 2017 and 2022, 78% of which were from women. Police Scotland figures indicate domestic abuse in North Ayrshire has been higher than the Scottish average since 2009. It should however be recognised that we have driven a multi-agency media campaign over the last five years
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30 promoting a zero-tolerance approach to domestic violence and detailing the availability of services. The North Ayrshire Violence Against Women Partnership are committed to tackling violence against women and girls, working together to deliver services which respond to national and local priorities in line with the Equally Safe Strategy. The Partnership deliver an ambitious action plan aligned to the Safer North Ayrshire Strategy. Over the last three years they have focussed on delivering programmes within schools, tackling gender inequality and challenging stereotypical behaviour, a Safe Space initiative across various local businesses, an ending domestic abuse media campaign, a training framework across community planning partners and the annual 16 days of action campaign to end violence against women and girls across North Ayrshire. In 2021, the Council, registered social landlords, Women’s Aid and Police Scotland launched a Domestic Abuse Policy for North Ayrshire residents, setting out our joint commitments to tenants and residents affected by domestic abuse. Our Home Security project supports residents of domestic abuse who choose to stay within their own home. On an annual basis an average of 260 households are provided with advice, support and where required the installation of security measures to a person’s home to ensure they feel safe. The provision of support services for people affected by domestic abuse is necessary to address inequality and ensure access to health care, education, advice, and information. The Council funds supported accommodation provision, and outreach services for women at risk of violence. The specialist provision is currently provided by Women’s Aid. We have a Multi-Agency Assessment Screening Hub based within Kilmarnock Police station set up to reduce the prevalence of domestic abuse in North Ayrshire. A Housing Support worker based within the service provides person-centred housing options, support and guidance to families impacted by domestic abuse. The officer works closely with the Housing Advice Team, Housing Support, and other agencies to ensure that the appropriate supports are in place to achieve safe sustainable outcomes for households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. In partnership with NHS Ayrshire and Arran, East Ayrshire Council and South Ayrshire Council, we have set up a Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference system. The risk assessment conferences are local meetings where representatives from statutory and non- statutory agencies meet to discuss individuals at high risk of serious harm or murder as a result of domestic abuse. The meeting provides a safe environment for agencies to share relevant and proportionate information about current risk, after which agencies agree actions to reduce risk and increase safety. The primary focus of the conferences is to safeguard the adult victim; however, they also link with other processes and agencies to safeguard children and manage the behaviour of the perpetrator. We do not differentiate service delivery based on gender, and men who are victims of domestic violence have access to the same level of support that women do.
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31 Leaving Institutions During 2021/22, 94 households made a homeless presentation following discharge from an institution. This is an increase of 9 households (10%) on the previous year. Figure 10: Discharge from Prison/Hospital/Care/Other Institution, North Ayrshire, 2017-2022 (Source: Civica Database) 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Hospital 5 3 7 7 2 Children’s residential accommodation (looked after by the local authority) 0 0 1 0 1 Supported accommodation 1 0 1 1 2 Prison 117 103 92 77 88 Armed services 0 1 0 0 1 Hospital Discharge During 2021/22, there were two approaches for homeless assistance from households on discharge from hospital which is a reduction of 5 households from the previous year. The Health and Social Care Partnership are currently reviewing the hospital discharge processes, with a view to developing a revised protocol to ensure consistent pathway planning and processes for people being discharged from a residential healthcare setting. Children & Young People The ‘Housing/Throughcare’ protocol details our integrated service response so that no young person becomes homeless on leaving care and that care leavers are provided with appropriate levels of support to achieve independence. The protocol is based on the principle that care leavers should have access to secure accommodation and is supported by our Housing Allocations Policy, which recognises Young Care Leavers as a group given reasonable preference to housing. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
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32 The effectiveness of this approach is evidenced by the low level of young people leaving care represented within the Homelessness statistics, with only one approach in the last four years. The adverse effect of welfare reforms, in particular the Local Housing Allowance and Shared Room Rate reduces the housing options available to young people. Given the proportion (25%) of young people represented within homelessness statistics we need to develop prevention activities and enhanced housing advice targeted at this group. During 2021/22, 248 homeless applicants had children within the household, this amounted to 408 children being homeless within the year. We strive to ensure that our temporary accommodation meets the needs of children and is within an area that allows them continued access to their social networks. However, given the adverse effects of homelessness on children, prevention of its occurrence remains our primary focus. Prison Discharge Levels of homelessness following prison discharge remains high, with 88 approaches during 2021/22 amounting to 8% of homeless applications. (see Table 8). The Council Housing Service has a dedicated Housing Advice Officer working within HMP Kilmarnock and provides a satellite service to other Scottish Prisons. The officer has access to the prison discharge lists three months in advance and contacts all prisoners from North Ayrshire who are willing to work with them, to ascertain their housing needs on discharge, with an aim to prevent homelessness where possible. The North Ayrshire Homelessness Taskforce took the decision to focus on prevention and early intervention activities on this area to break the link between prison discharge and homelessness. This resulted in the development of an Integrated Prison Discharge Protocol aligned to the SHORE standards during 2019. The protocol details the strong collaborative working across partners to ensure the pathways into Housing, Health, Addiction, Mental Health, and Third Sector services are seamless for people leaving prison. The protocol promotes barrier free access to services to ensure that people can access the services required to enable them to sustain their accommodation, reducing the risk of future homelessness and repeat offending. There has been a delay in implementing the protocol due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The North Ayrshire Housing First programme focusses on the needs of people with complex needs who have a history of offending behaviour with the aim of improving outcomes for this group. Leaving the Armed Forces We prioritise the needs of households leaving the armed forces within our allocation policy, giving enhanced priority to ensure that applicants receive an offer of housing and prevent the possibility of them becoming homeless. In 2021/22, 34 veterans approached the Council for homeless assistance, with the main reason being relationship breakdown or being asked to leave the family home. 30 of the 34 applicants advised that they had served at least five or more years, with only four advising
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33 that this was within the last five years. There was one approach for homeless assistance due to a veteran being discharge from the armed forces. Veterans First Point launched in North Ayrshire in 2017, this generated an increase in the level of veterans accessing services including homelessness assistance. The service works closely with Housing Services and ensures that, where there is a housing need, the veteran is appropriately referred and supported. In 2020, we renewed our pledge to uphold the ‘Armed Forces Covenant’ - “[All] Those who serve [or have served] in the Armed Forces…and their families, should face no disadvantage…in the provision of public…services”. We recognise that service personnel, who have lived in Ministry of Defence housing for many years, and may have had to move often, might not have strong links with any particular area. We will continue to give enhanced priority for service personnel and their families when their date of discharge is confirmed. Therefore, we treat their housing applications sympathetically, and award ‘enhanced priority’ for social housing when their date of discharge is confirmed. This ensures our veterans are not disadvantaged when applying for social housing and that they receive a timely offer. We hold a monthly ‘Armed Forces Housing Surgery’ where personnel can discuss their housing options, ensuring that service personnel leaving the forces because of injury or disability, are assessed by an Occupational Therapist, and receive housing suited to their needs. Likewise, where a family is leaving armed forces accommodation in exceptional circumstances, for example where the service member has been killed in action, we award the same priority to the family as we would have, had the veteran still been part of the household. Temporary Accommodation We have a duty to provide all homeless households with temporary accommodation while their homeless application is being assessed. For those assessed as unintentionally homeless, this duty is extended until they are permanently housed. As at the end of March 2021, we had 270 households residing within temporary accommodation in North Ayrshire. In line with our Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan, we have focussed on reducing the number of hostel units in North Ayrshire and reducing the length of time people spend in temporary accommodation. We have successfully closed two medium sized hostels reducing hostel bedspaces by 50 over the last three years. We have increased our supply of dispersed accommodation to ensure we meet the temporary housing needs of homeless people. In addition, we have worked alongside Women’s Aid to close two units of refuge accommodation and increase the supply of dispersed accommodation available for women fleeing violence. Table 9: North Ayrshire temporary accommodation profile (Source: NAC Homeless Service ) Type of Accommodation Units Description
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34 Dispersed 242 Self-contained furnished accommodation with floating support Emergency Hostel Accommodation 20 Supported short stay hostel provision Refuge Accommodation 1(8) 8 bed refuge unit with on-site support provided by Women’s Aid Dispersed for women fleeing violence 19 Dispersed furnished refuge accommodation with Women’s Aid floating support Total bedspaces 282 Duration of stay in temporary accommodation The homeless taskforce took the decision to pilot a policy of 100% allocations to homeless households for three months from January to March 2020 to clear the backlog of homeless households within temporary accommodation and to reduce the duration of homelessness. The pilot was extended for a period due to the impact of COVID-19 and had a significant impact on reducing the duration of homelessness for our longest case. The table below shows a snapshot of the percentage of homeless households waiting on an offer of housing on the 31 March each year. Table 10: Duration of Homelessness Snapshot at 31st March 2022 (Source: North Ayrshire Council Civica Database) Year Homeless duration < 6 months Homeless duration 6 – 12 months Homeless duration >12 months 2019/20 24% 64% 12% 2020/21 53% 29% 18% 2021/22 78% 13% 9% As the implementation of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan progresses, and homeless households are housed more quickly, the overall requirement for temporary accommodation will be reduced. This is because each property will turn over more frequently each year. In addition, the Housing First approach will improve the levels of tenancy sustainment for our customers with complex support needs, reducing the demand for temporary accommodation due to homelessness. Housing Outcomes for Homeless People 78% of people assessed as either homeless or threatened with homelessness unintentionally, and whose case was closed during 2021/22, secured settled permanent accommodation, this is lower than the national average of 80%. North Ayrshire are above the national average on the allocation of local authority tenancies at 57%, however allocations by our registered social landlords are below the national average at 17%. Table 11: Housing outcomes (Source: Scottish Government HL1 Data) Settled outcomes Scotland North Ayrshire local authority tenancy 44% 57% registered social landlord tenancy 32% 17% private let 4% 3% Total 82% 76%
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35 Table 12: Housing outcomes (Source: Scottish Government HL1 Data) Scot Gov Outcomes Assess 1 & 4 Scotland North Ayrshire Returned to previous address or family/friends 10% 17% Other - Known 8% 5% We have a higher proportion of households returning home or moving in with relatives following a period of homelessness. This could be because of our recording practice as we record a homeless application for all households threatened with homelessness within 2 months, many of whom resolve their family situation and return home. Throughout homelessness, officers will continue to provide advice and assistance to prevent the occurrence of homelessness, often resulting in a return to the family home and the closure of the homeless application. Island Homelessness The level of homeless applications from residents on our island communities is exceptionally low with less than 2% of homeless approaches in 2021/22 coming from island residents. The main reasons for an approach from island households is ‘Other action by landlord resulting in the termination of the tenancy’ (31%) and being ‘asked to leave’ which also accounted for 31%. We have undertaken work to improve access to advice and information including holding ‘surgeries’ on the islands to allow people who are homeless or potentially homeless to seek advice and support without leaving the island, these were not well attended. We now work with island dwellers threatened with homeless to find the most suitable housing outcome relevant to their individual circumstances. We will build on the lessons learned during the COVID-19 lockdown, to increase access to homeless services for those living on our islands. Partnership working The multi-agency, North Ayrshire Homelessness Task Force, supported by a number of operational working groups, drives the strategic direction of homeless prevention and alleviation activities aligned to national and local priorities. The task force is also the governance group for the North Ayrshire Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan detailed below. Membership comprises of the Council, Justice Services, the third sector, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Health and Social Care Partnership, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, SERCO, Elected Members, and people with lived experience. The task force was set up during 2017 to develop an integrated, prevention focussed approach to households with complex needs to minimise the risk of homelessness and repeat homelessness, whilst delivering sustainable housing outcomes for vulnerable people. Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2019 - 2024 Our Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan sets out how North Ayrshire Council and its partners will work together to implement a housing led approach to meeting the needs of homeless households. Where it is not possible for us to prevent homelessness, our priority is to secure a settled housing option for every homeless household as quickly as possible.
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36 Prevention of Homelessness Our priority over the next five years is to work with partners to develop a whole systems approach to the prevention of homelessness through early intervention, building on the excellent relationships and processes already in place. Our Housing Advice team provide an enhanced housing options service to any resident in North Ayrshire at risk of homelessness. Officers assess risk, identify housing options and link in support and advice services as required to minimise the risk of homelessness. We fund third sector Housing Advice Services in North Ayrshire to ensure households have access to independent advice and advocacy throughout periods of homelessness or where representation is required to challenge court action. This service also undertakes work in all local secondary schools providing advice to senior pupils to reduce the risk of homelessness. The North Ayrshire Housing Support service works with households who are homeless or tenants who require additional help to sustain their accommodation. This experienced team works in partnership with specialist services including money and debt advice, addiction and mental health teams, wider health and social care partners, employability services and welfare benefits, to ensure households at risk get access to the most appropriate level and type of support to enable them to sustain their accommodation. We have a duty to provide housing support services to people assessed as unintentionally homeless where they have a housing support need as defined under the Housing Support Duty 2013. During 2021/22, 52% of all North Ayrshire homeless applicants were assessed as having at least one support need. Every homeless person in North Ayrshire has a support needs assessment undertaken and a dedicated Housing Support officer will provide services throughout the period of homelessness to help them prepare for independent living. Where required, support provision will continue when a person moves into their own home to ensure they are able to sustain their accommodation, reducing the risk of repeat homelessness. Where there is a need for specialist support provision, the support officer will work in partnership with other services to ensure homeless people have access to the support required. Homeless people with complex needs are supported through our Housing First programme delivered by a specialist multi-agency team comprising of officers from Housing Support, Housing Advice, Addiction Services and Mental Health Services. The support is enhanced by the work of a commissioned peer support service provided by Turning Point Scotland. Since 2019 we successfully resettled 83 homeless people with complex needs through this programme with a tenancy sustainment level of 70%. Riverside homes have embarked on a Housing First Model for women with children at risk of homelessness. Following their successful application to the Homeless prevention fund (administered by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations), Riverside homes secured funding to deliver the Housing First for family’s project. At present, support is being
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37 focussed on existing Riverside Homes tenants with families who have recently been re- housed following a homeless application, there is an intention to extend this to women experiencing violence in tandem with Women’s Aid. The above is a snapshot of some of the work being undertaken as part of our prevention focus. Over the next five years our priority will be to integrate the work of partners, ensuring housing issues are considered and risks identified and responded to at the earliest opportunity to minimise the risk of homelessness. This will be aligned to the new Prevention Duty currently being prepared by the Scottish Government. The Rented Sector Private Rented Sector According to current Council Tax data, the Private Rented Sector accounts for 12% of North Ayrshire’s total housing stock, ranging from 10% to 14% across the localities. Private rented homes are therefore an important component of our housing system. The Private Rented Sector is a vital part of our housing supply. It provides a housing option for people who cannot afford to buy but who would have little chance of securing a social rented home. Private renting is also a way of supporting a responsive, dynamic workforce, offering mobile workers a place to live when they move to a new area. All private landlords must be registered with us before they rent out homes. Registrations can be made either on-line, or in writing, and a fee applies. We will continue to do all we can through our Scheme of Assistance, to support private landlords to provide rented homes that meet the highest tenancy and condition standards possible. Rent Pressure Zones We are part of the ‘Ayrshires’ Broad Rental Market Area.’ This is important because the average private sector rents from across North, South and East Ayrshire are used to set the Local Housing Allowance – which in turn ‘caps’ how much housing benefit people get through their Universal Credit. However, because the figure is calculated from across Ayrshire, which has some of the lowest private sector rents in the country, there is a risk that in more pressured housing markets - such as Arran – rents may be much higher than average. In these areas, private tenants may not benefit from the Local Housing Allowance in the same way as people in other parts of Ayrshire do. If someone’s housing benefit element does not cover their rent costs, they must find the money themselves to make up the shortfall. Rent pressure zones effectively limit how much private sector rents can increase by in each area. We can apply to the Scottish Government to have areas designated as a 'rent pressure zone’ if the private sector rents in that area are rising too much, causing problems for the tenants and where we are under pressure to provide more housing. Over the lifetime of this strategy, it is anticipated that the Scottish Government will deliver on their
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38 commitment to reform Rent Pressure Zones, allowing a more localised approach for areas experiencing the impacts of high rents. Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme Our Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme was set up to help people who want to rent a home from a private landlord but are unable to afford the cash deposit to do so. For a period of 6 months, we act as guarantor and provide the landlord with a written guarantee for the deposit during that time. Meanwhile, the tenant pays the actual deposit in instalments. The scheme is available to people with a connection to North Ayrshire and focuses on assisting people who are in receipt of benefits or have a low income and who are homeless, potentially homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless. During the past two years landlord participation in the scheme has declined, despite every effort being made to advertise the scheme and encourage landlords to participate. The main reasons are as follows: • Universal Credit has had a significant impact as landlords are apprehensive about accepting an application with no guarantee of rental payments. Landlords continue to struggle with housing element payments even though they can apply for Managed Payments. • There are very few available properties and very few landlords/letting agents willing to work with the scheme. • COVID-19 compounded this with the introduction of extended notice periods and as a result private sector rents have also increased in North Ayrshire by 6.8% (Scottish Government Private Sector Rent Statistics 2010-2021). This means a lot of properties in the private rented sector are above the Local Housing Allowance rate and are now out of reach to most applicants wishing to use the Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme. Houses in Multiple Occupation There are eleven Houses in Multiple Occupation in North Ayrshire - most are managed by support organisations who provide care services. However, a few are the result of business owners choosing to provide shared accommodation for their staff. Nonetheless, there is no evidence to suggest that locally we need to focus on increasing this type of housing. Tied Accommodation Tied accommodation means you live in housing that comes with your job. While you are in employment you can continue to live in the house, but if your employment ends, so does your stay in that home. There are two models of tied accommodation, firstly you could have a separate lease (tenancy) with the landlord for the duration of your employment, or secondly you may have a ‘service occupancy’ where the employer directly provides the home. There are many good examples of tied accommodation, and it is an important tool for a mobile labour force, however, there are some challenges with it too. Living in tied accommodation means your employer is also your landlord, this puts them in a powerful position and their tenant in a more vulnerable one. The Scottish Government, on
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39 introduction of the New Housing Standards, will hold tied accommodation to the same condition standards as all other tenures. The ‘Shelter Scotland’ website provides information for people considering tied accommodation. We would recommend anyone considering this type of housing to review the guidance on that site first. Crofting Crofting is a system of landholding that is unique to Scotland. The landholder or ‘crofter’ is usually a tenant who pays rent and is protected by specific legislation, though some land is owned by its crofter. A crofter can build a house on their croft or live elsewhere, so long as it is within 32km of that croft. In 2010, Arran, Greater Cumbrae and Little Cumbrae were all designated as crofting areas. However, none of our islands has a history of crofting, and in 2019/20, there was only one privately owned croft in North Ayrshire (on Arran) – a situation which has remained unchanged since at least 2013. The Scottish Government see crofting as having “a vital role in maintaining the population in rural…areas, including the retention of young people and families,” as well as “helping to address individual’s’ housing needs in areas where housing development is limited and complex,” and have committed to identifying how planning policies can help to sustain and grow crofting communities. Short-Term Lets Short term lets do not include ‘unconventional’ homes such as caravans, pods and canal boats, the term also excludes hotels. Short-term lets have a role to play in tourism driven economies, in our area this tends to be the islands. Figure 11: What is a Short Term Let? Platforms such as ‘Airbnb’ and ‘booking.com’ make it easier for homeowners to enter the tourism rental market, but these same owners may have previously opted to become a private landlord. Effectively, the tourism market is eroding the number of homes available for private rent, which results in a lack of supply and inflating private rental charges. Arran has the second largest number of self-catering properties in Scotland after Edinburgh – and given the size of the housing markets in each area, Arran’s situation is proportionately the severest in the country. allows guests to live in the house, flat or serviced apartment is all or part of a house, flat or serviced apartment is temporary (ie. not the guests’ home) host benefits in some way (eg. financially) excludes the hosts immediate family
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40 Planned legislation intends to direct how we can balance 1) island housing need, 2) the concerns of residents and 3) tourism industry requirements, all of which are crucial to support our island communities. Intermediate Housing Intermediate housing (sometimes called ‘mid-market’ housing) is a type of rented accommodation that costs more than social rented homes, but less than private rented homes. In our area however, the cost of housing is similar, regardless of whether it is social or private, and this means that there is no ‘middle’ in which to locate a mid-market model. However, this type of housing does have other benefits. It supports the regeneration of an area by promoting mixed communities who have access to a range of good quality new housing. It can also offer a solution to under 35-year-olds, who form half of the private rented sector, and whom research suggests are excluded from both home ownership (due to difficulties securing a deposit) and social rented homes (due to a lack of assessed need). Social Housing There are over 18,400 homes in the North Ayrshire social rented sector, and while collectively managed by the Council and eleven social landlords, it is the Council along with Cunninghame Housing Association, Riverside Housing and ANCHO who own and let most of the housing in the area (97%). The majority (80%) of social housing in our area is classified as ‘general needs,’ and the remaining 20% is designed for people with specialist needs. Figure 12: Social Housing Stock by Landlord, 31 March 2022 (Source: Scottish Housing Regulator) NB: Other (Hanover, West of Scotland, Horizon, Bield, Blackwood, Key & Ayrshire Housing Associations) The ‘Social Housing Charter’ sets out the standards and outcomes that all social landlords are responsible for meeting. It does not replace any of the legal duties that apply to social landlords but is intended “to improve the quality and value of the services that social landlords provide…[supporting] the long-term aim of...a safer and stronger Scotland” by: 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% North Ayrshire Council Cunninghame Housing Assoc. Riverside (prev. IHA) ANCHO Trust Other
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41 • stating clearly what tenants and other customers can expect from social landlords, and helping them to hold landlords to account • focusing the efforts of social landlords on achieving outcomes that matter to their customers The Scottish Housing Regulator assesses and reports on how well social landlords are performing and publishes information on performance on their website. Mutual Exchange All social housing tenants in the area can apply to swap their home with another social housing tenant, or even a number of tenants, so long as their landlord agrees. This is known as ‘mutual exchange’ and is a useful tool both for maximising the effectiveness of available social housing stock and for empowering our people to find their own housing solution. Our mutual exchange procedures were reviewed by our Tenant Scrutiny Panel in 2021 and recommendations were agreed and implemented to improve the process for tenants. Allocations The ‘North Ayrshire Housing Register’ is a partnership between the four main social landlords in North Ayrshire as noted above, and is based on a common allocation policy which gives our people access to 97% of all social housing in the area, just by completing a single form. Households who apply to the register are assessed and allocated points and a ‘group’ based on their housing needs. The greater the need for a new or different home, the more points a household is given. Targets are set for the number of allocations to each group, and homes are allocated to those who have most points. The different groups are illustrated in Figure 13 below.
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42 Figure 13: North Ayrshire Housing Register: Allocation Groups, 2020 We review our allocation policy every three years to ensure it remains as effective as possible. All allocations are now based on a comprehensive assessment of an applicant’s need, as well as considering their housing preferences. This means that our applicants receive more suitable offers, which allows them to settle in an area, in turn supporting tenancy sustainment, lower turnover, and community stability. Where a community has specific housing pressures, we can make localised adjustments to our allocation policy, to meet the needs of those communities. On Arran, people were telling us that it was difficult to get an affordable home. Young people were leaving the island to find affordable housing, and employers were telling us that they were struggling to attract employees, again due to the lack of affordable housing. For these reasons, we introduced a ‘Local Lettings Initiative’ on Arran. Island applicants are considered in line with the guidelines of our common allocation policy, then also awarded additional points if they live and/or work on the island. 1: Homelessness Assessed as homelessness or potentially homeless 2: Strategic An urgent housing need not addressed elsewhere in the policy (eg. foster carers, house demolition) 3: Accessibility Assessed as having accessibility needs 4: Transfer Already have a social rented home in North Ayrshire 5: Overcrowded Overcrowded living conditions 6: General People who don't meet criteria for Groups 1-5 7: Relocations Live outwith North Ayrshire and do not meet qualifying conditions
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43 Self-Provided The Scottish Government define self-provided housing as either “self-build (where a person builds their own house or appoints their own builder), custom-build (where a person tasks a house builder to tailor a home to their preferences before it is built) and collective build (where a group of people design and build several homes together.” The Government sees self-provided homes as a way of tailoring houses to people’s long- term needs, helping deliver affordable and energy efficient homes that support diversity and innovation, supporting young people in rural areas, and introducing more choice and flexibility into the private sector. Increasing the opportunities and number of self-provided homes is a national priority. People in North Ayrshire, who are interested in self-provided housing can record their interest, by completing an online form, noting their preferred area, plot size and budget etc. They will also be able to remove themselves from the register if their requirements change. As at 31 March 2023 there were 186 interested self-builders on our register. As required under section 16E of the 1997 Planning Act (as amended), the Council as planning authority will prepare and maintain a list of people in North Ayrshire seeking land for self-build housing. We will have regard to this list in the preparation of the Local Development Plan and continue to explore opportunities for self-build projects. Empty Homes Empty homes can have a negative effect on our neighbourhoods. They are much more likely to fall into disrepair and are often the target of antisocial behaviour. At any given time, there will be a number of empty homes in the area. This is normal and there are often very good reasons why, such as the owner being in hospital and their family being reluctant to sell, or the owners have bought a new property and have not sold their old one yet. These empty homes tend not to cause major problems for communities. Generally, they are looked after by the owners or their families and sell when they are marketed. However, there are 500 properties in our area which are classed as ‘long-term’ empty (empty for more than 1 year). It is these properties which we target our resources at. Bringing these empty properties back into use can help us with our regeneration and economic development ambitions. Our ‘Private Sector Housing Team’ work with owners of these ‘long-term’ empty homes, trying to bring the properties back into use. On average, the team help owners bring 80% of these empty homes back into use. The team can also consider using Compulsory Purchase powers to buy empty properties that are in poor condition and where the owner is unable, or unwilling, to address the disrepair. Empty homes that we purchase are brought up to standard and allocated in the normal way. We apply a Council Tax ‘levy’ to homes which are empty for an extended period (e.g., homes which are empty for 12+ months are charged double Council tax). The money raised, is then used to support the development projects which are set out in the Strategic Housing Investment Plan.
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44 Affordable Warmth & Zero Emissions Our homes are energy efficient and release less emissions
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45 Fuel Poverty The Scottish Government introduced the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act in June 2019 to tackle fuel poverty. The Act set statutory targets for reducing fuel poverty, introduced a new definition which aligns fuel poverty more closely with relative income poverty, and required Scottish ministers to produce a comprehensive strategy. On 23rd December 2021, Scottish Government published the Fuel Poverty Strategy which includes actions to tackle each of the four drivers of fuel poverty, namely: • poor energy efficiency of the home. • high energy costs. • low household income. • how energy is used in the home. Figure 14: Assessing Fuel Povery (UK Minimum Income Standard) Fuel poverty affects the most vulnerable people in our communities and has a detrimental impact on health and well-being. For example, older people and those with disabilities often have lower levels of income but require additional warmth in their home through the day, resulting in higher fuel bills. There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the links between fuel poverty, cold homes and poor health outcomes. There has been an increase in condensation issues within our properties due to tenants not being able to afford to heat their homes. This in turn can cause dampness and mould issues in all our properties and also within the private sector. Our approach to dealing with condensation, and subsequent dampness and mould issues is currently underway involving officers from all affected service areas. The Scottish Government has set statutory targets - by 2040 no more than 5% of households should be in fuel poverty and no more than 1% of households should be in extreme fuel poverty. Are you in fuel poverty? Fuel bills equal more than 10% of household income (after rent/mortgage is paid) income is less than 90% of the UK Minimum Income Standard after childcare costs and disability/care benefits deducted Household is in fuel poverty Fuel bills equal more than 20% of household income (after rent/mortgage is paid) income is less than 90% of the UK Minimum Income Standard after childcare costs and disability/care benefits deducted Household is in extreme fuel poverty
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46 Three elements contribute to fuel poverty: fuel prices, low household income and the energy efficiency of the home. Figure 15: The 3 Factors which Contribute to Fuel Povery According to the Scottish Government’s Scottish House Condition Survey, between 2016- 19, 28% of households in North Ayrshire were in fuel poverty (Scottish Government, 2019). Moreover, the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation data shows 74 of our 186 data zones in the top 20% most deprived in Scotland. Given that fuel poverty features as one of the determining factors in the SIMD it is likely that fuel poverty features highly across such areas. People without mains gas are also more at risk of fuel poverty. Census 2011 reported a lack of central heating in rural North Ayrshire (where there is no mains gas), with significant spikes on the islands. Unfortunately, Census 2021 was postponed due to the pandemic, therefore the 2022 findings will not be available until after this strategy is published. The current cost of living crisis places a significant burden on household income by increasing the cost of food, transport and in particular, energy. Our objective is to support residents of North Ayrshire through the cost of living crisis by reducing fuel poverty and increasing affordable warmth, whilst reducing carbon emissions. We continue to investigate all models of support for residents, including implementation of actions within our Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy 2021- 2023 (ESCCS 3), Affordable Warmth Workstream, supporting energy efficiency for hard to treat private sector properties through the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme, and utilise data from our recent Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy work to better target support. Part of the Council's action on climate change involves consideration of buildings being more resilient and adapting to climate change. The first stage of Adaptation Scotland's Capability Framework has been completed, to identify a baseline of data and generate an action plan. This includes partnership working to raise awareness and share understanding on climate change and adaptation projects. The Council created a £2.176m package to support households with the cost-of-living crisis in August 2022. The scheme aims to support North Ayrshire residents through the cost-of- living crisis by reducing fuel poverty and increasing affordable warmth, whilst reducing carbon emissions and providing local employment opportunities as part of the programme. The Council’s Energy Smart programmes three main elements are: Fuel Prices Household Income Energy Efficiency
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47 Figure 16: Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Schemes – North Ayrshire Budget Allocations and Spend, 2019-2022 (Source: Scottish Government) 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 £1.438 million £1.613 million £1.975 million The Council participated in phase 3 of the Scottish Government’s ‘Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy’ pilot scheme. The strategy will inform how we approach the challenges of climate change, better energy efficiency, and fuel poverty, while we work towards a net zero (carbon emission) North Ayrshire, by 2030. Subsequently we will publish a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Delivery Plan by 31st December 2023, to remove energy efficiency as a driver for fuel poverty and identify areas of high heat demand for potential heat networks. Most social rented homes in North Ayrshire have now met the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (or ‘EESSH’) and we are preparing a delivery plan for ‘EESSH2 to be delivered by 2032’. Our commitment to continue offering welfare reform advice and information services to social rented tenants will also help overcome one of the main factors involved in fuel poverty – low household income. Through our Financial Inclusion Strategy, we have referral pathways in place from advice services to specialist fuel poverty/energy advice services to ensure that people get help with, for example, debts to utility providers. Interventions include support to access discretionary grants to write off energy debts, or to set up repayment plans. They also provide advice and support in resolving disputes with suppliers and with the replacement of prepayment meters with credit meters. Emissions On 11th June 2019, we declared a ‘Climate Emergency’. Summers are forecast to become increasingly warmer, introducing the risk of higher air pollution, water shortages and even heat related deaths. Wetter winters could herald The launch of a partnership with the Energy Agency to signpost households to free and impartial advice through the Home Energy Scotland helpline The creation of a £0.45million fund to offer one-off emergency payments towards energy bills for low-income families The creation of a £1.7million fund to carry out home improvements to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy bills
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48 flooding, and rising sea levels will be of particular concern to our residents whose homes are at sea level. Our Climate Change Strategy 2021-2023 sets out the range of measures we already have in place to reduce emissions, but our ambition is for North Ayrshire to be ‘net zero’ by 2030. Nationally our homes account for 21.7% of greenhouse gas emission, contributing to the very climate change that poses significant challenges for our people, our properties, and our places. Within North Ayrshire 21% of emissions are domestic. Reducing emissions from our homes and buildings, and making our communities more climate resilient, are the most important things we can do to help reduce Scotland’s contribution to climate change. HEEPS is a national framework for improving the energy performance of Scotland’s buildings, and is based around an ambition for warmer, greener and more energy efficient construction. Delivery of this vision is organised around regulating energy performance standards across Scotland’s homes. Figure 17: Energy Efficiency Standards for Scotland’s Homes, Target & Deadline Decarbonisation will present an additional challenge for low-income households, a challenge we recognise, and we will ensure we only take forward actions where they will have no negative impact on the rate of fuel poverty. We can reduce emissions from our homes by improving thermal efficiency and then reviewing heating system options. Firstly, we can reduce the amount of electricity that is needed to heat the home by insulating roof spaces and walls, and secondly, we can make the cost of electricity cheaper by fitting solar panels on our properties and allowing our tenants to benefit from this free source of electricity. Works have commenced to address this by installing solar panels and external wall insulation to our homes as part of our roofing and rendering capital investment programme, either by way of a new installation or retrofitting. The Council is also installing the infrastructure for future car charging points within Council tenancies as part of our electrical rewiring programme. Other ways of reducing emissions and minimising the impact on our climate include using renewable sources of fuel - we are exploring opportunities for air and ground source heat pumps and community ‘district’ heating systems - increasing insulation in homes (to keep heat in during winter, and out during summer) or exploring opportunities for ‘passive solar gain.’ We should also consider embodied carbon, for example, the RIBA recommendation for housebuilders is to adopt their 2025 embodied carbon target of 800 KgCO2 e/m², ‘as a minimum’ for new builds in design. Many of these solutions reduce the amount of fuel needed to heat or cool the home, and in turn, helps us alleviate fuel poverty. Social Rented Homes •EPC-D (2025) Private Rented Homes •EPC-C (2028) Social Rented Homes •EPC-B (2032) Owner- Occupied Homes •EPC-C (2035)
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49 We must also build ‘climate’ resilience into our housing. The wetter, warmer climate will have an impact on the fabric of our buildings, and how much maintenance they will require. More frequent extreme weather will also impact upon building fabric and new housing developments should be designed to cope with extreme weather. As a Council, we are taking action to prevent flooding, and have adopted an approach of tree planting to absorb water and promote biodiversity. Scotland’s fourth National Planning Framework (‘NPF4’) was adopted by Scottish Ministers on 13 February 2023. The Framework strengthens a number of key planning themes in support of meeting Scotland’s climate change targets, including prioritising the use of ‘brownfield’ sites for new housing provision, supporting local and town centre living and considering transport in land-use planning. However, bringing brownfield land into use can be challenging because of contamination and remediation costs. Private developers often see brownfield developments as risky. The Council’s Regeneration Delivery Plan has a focus on these issues and the role which the public sector has in resolving such challenges in a way that delivers public value. The Scottish Government have also set out an agenda for modernising house building particularly through offsite construction - an important tool in achieving good quality homes that meet net zero targets. There is also a focus on economic benefits, digitisation, speedier development, community wins and improved health and safety. Active Travel Access to safe walking networks, cycle pathways and public transport connect people and communities to local amenities, services, work, and education. In turn, these can result in direct health benefits, through increased physical activity and reduced air pollution. They can also lead to indirect health benefits by providing improved access to opportunities for employment, leisure, and healthcare services. The sustainable travel hierarchy, illustrated in Figure 18 below, sets out the transport priorities for sustainable transport in developments.
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50 Figure 18: Sustainable travel hierarchy
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51 Improving the quality of our homes Our homes are in good condition and people can access any support services they need
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52 Statement of Assistance Homeowners, whether they live in their home, or rent it to a tenant, have a duty to look after it. By doing so, they avoid disrepair, preserve the home as an asset and maintain its value, whilst ensuring it remains available to future generations. We have a duty to make sure that all social housing in North Ayrshire meets the minimum standard. However, the responsibility for looking after privately owned homes – and for repair, maintenance, improvement, energy efficiency, or compliance with legislation - lies with the home’s owner. It is also the responsibility of the owner to highlight the need for adaptations to their home. We support and promote responsible homeownership, and our assistance will take the form of advice and information, and where appropriate by signposting people to other services. We will not supply funding to support the improvement of homes in the private housing sector. We also want to ensure that people who live in private housing can get any adaptations they may need to ensure their wellbeing and to allow them to live independently, and we provide financial assistance to cover some (or all) of eligible adaptations to private properties, subject to assessment. Closing and Demolition Orders The Council’s approach to closing and demolition orders is set out within our Scheme of Assistance. The Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 allows the Council to serve closing and demolition orders if a house’s state of disrepair is likely to deteriorate rapidly or is a danger to the occupants; or if the building fails to meet the Tolerable Standard and the cost of bringing the property up to that standard would be greater than the cost of rebuilding the property. • Closing orders prevent a property being inhabited. Such orders can also be made of flats, where other properties within a block are habitable. • Demolition orders are typically served on single dwelling houses, which can be demolished without impacting on neighbouring properties. Normally, when a demolition order is served, the property owner must organise and pay for demolition themselves. However, we have the right to demolish a building served with a demolition order and to do so without purchasing it. The Council also has the right to purchase a property issued with a demolition or closing order. We identify if this is necessary by considering the condition of the property and the demand for housing in its location. New Housing Standard The Scottish Government started consultation on the ‘New Housing Standard’ in 2021, with the aim to publish the draft standard in 2023, enact it in law and introduce it between 2025 to 2030.
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53 The new standard will mean that all homes (private and social) will have a legal duty to meet the same minimum condition standard. There will be no margins of tolerance, no exemptions and no ‘acceptable levels’ of sub-standard homes. Our ‘pre-tenancy support service’ for landlords, provides property inspections and tenancy agreement advice, and helps act as a preventative approach to future property condition issues. We know the condition of our owner-occupied homes tends to be the same as, or better than, Scottish norms. This puts us in a strong local position for the introduction of the ‘New Housing Standard.’ However, when it comes to the condition of private rented homes there is little information. We await guidance from the Scottish Government on how private sector property condition information will be gathered as part of the ‘New Housing Standard’ launch. Until the New Housing Standard is introduced, homes in the private sector must continue to meet the ‘Tolerable Standard.’ Properties that do not are referred to as ‘Below Tolerable Standard’. Our ‘Private Sector Housing Team’ ensures that owners of ‘Below Tolerable Standard’ properties are supported to bring their homes up to the required standard by providing advice, assistance, and signposting. If the homeowner is also a private landlord, and fails to take corrective action, we refer them to our Licencing team and ask that they are ‘de- registered’ (i.e., can no longer operate as a landlord). As at 31 March 2023, 153 homes have been declared ‘Below Tolerable Standard’ by the Council’s ‘Private Sector Housing Team’ since April 2018. Information on the number of homes declared ‘Below Tolerable Standard’ per annum is provided in Table 13 below. Table 13: Homes declared Below Tolerable Standard per annum Year Homes declared BTS 2018/19 49 2019/20 20 2020/21 12 2021/22 24 2022/23 48 Total 153 All social landlords have a strategic plan on how they will manage their assets, ours is called the ‘Housing Asset Management Plan’ and it has been agreed with our tenant representatives. It describes how we will invest in our stock, including any retrofitting that may be required to ensure continued compliance with the Scottish Housing Quality Standard and the latest Energy Efficiency Standards for Social Housing. The plan also sets out how we will identify any assets which are coming to the end of their life. The Asset Management Plan will be updated when the Scottish Government publish guidance on the ‘New Housing Standard.’
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54 Figure 19: Percentage of North Ayrshire Social Housing Meeting the SHQS & Energy Efficiency Stanrds for Social Housing by Social Housing Provider, 2020/21 (Source: Scottish Housing Regulator) Digital Connectivity The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of having access to the internet. Digital connectivity allowed many of us to work from home; it also kept us in touch with our friends and loved ones during lockdown and allowed our children a way of accessing education. Digital connectivity is also useful from an economic point of view, allowing people to access employment opportunities, access services, complete benefit forms and so on. It supports independent living, by allowing people to secure technology-enabled care. The Scottish Government have rooted Digital Connectivity into their national housing strategy, and we will work with them to achieve their goal. Meanwhile, we have taken early action to bring digital connectivity to our new supply social housing, driving forward work to phase in the national requirement from 2021/22 that all new build social rented homes will be digitally enabled. Supported Accommodation Alongside the Health and Social Care Partnership, Housing have developed a new supported accommodation housing model for implementation at various sites across North Ayrshire. The focus is on maximising independence for adults within a homely setting, who require a higher level of support, and who are living with learning disabilities, or mental ill-health issues (all ages), or who are under 65 years and have physical disabilities. The new supported accommodation model can: • Prevent demand for additional services 90% 92% 86% 97% 91% 97% 94% 86% 98% 94% ANCHO CUNNINGHAME HOUSING ASSOCIATION LTD RIVERSIDE (FORMERLY IHA) NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL TOTAL AVERAGE EESSH Compliance (%) SHQS Compliance (%)
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55 • Support a more independent lifestyle for service users • Integrate residents into community life • Use technological advances to support care • Provide care and support in a homely setting • Provide a base for effective care provision • Realise financial savings for the HSCP The Strategic Housing Investment Plan will support the Health and Social Care Partnership to meet specialist housing need through dedicated supported accommodation projects, and as part of a wider site mix on other developments. The Strategic Housing Investment Plan has delivered 58 supported accommodation housing units at four different locations. Housing Contribution Statement The Housing Contribution Statement sets out our shared ambition with the Health and Social Care Partnership - that everyone living in our area can have healthy and thriving lives. We work with the Partnership, participating on their strategic groups and providing a strategic framework that supports the provision of safe and comfortable homes, to allow people to flourish and maintain a healthy life in good places and support regeneration. On an operational level we work together to support households with more complex needs, whether that be identifying bespoke housing or support solutions or prioritising repairs for vulnerable households. Figure 20: Shared Priorities Between the Local Housing Strategy (top row) & the Health & Social Care Partnership (remaining rows) Priorities Our places support thriving and inclusive communities Our people have affordable homes in the place they choose to live Our homes are energy efficient and release less emissions Our homes are in good condition and people can access any support services they need Tackle Inequalities Enable Communities Improving Mental & Physical Health & Wellbeing Provide early & effect support Develop & Support our Workforce
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56 Independent Living Life expectancy has been increasing in North Ayrshire over the last few decades. Our females are expected to live to around 80 years of age, our males to around 76 years. However, not all our people’s lives will be lived in good health. Our males are expected to live for 17 years beyond their healthy life expectancy, and our females for 24 years. Figure 21: Long Term Health Conditions (LTC) for North Ayrshire, by Age Group, 2018/19 (Source: North Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership) Just over a quarter of people living in North Ayrshire have at least one physical long-term condition – the risk of which increases significantly with age. We also estimate that around 2,300 wheelchair users live in our area - 800 of whom will have an unmet housing need by 2024. We want our housing to offer enough flexibility to our citizens, so that they will be able to remain living at home, independently, for as long as they wish, regardless of their stage in life. This means homes which are either built to be accessible to everyone, or which can be retrofitted with adaptations where needed allowing people to ‘age in place’. Allowing individuals to remain within their communities can support health and wellbeing, help to maintain independent living, and reduce loneliness and isolation. The Council will increase its target to 10% of all-tenure new build homes being suitable for wheelchair users. In preparing North Ayrshire’s third Local Development Plan we will further consider the housing needs of older people and disabled people in North Ayrshire and the establishment of an appropriate target for the delivery of accessible or adaptable homes, including wheelchair housing and intergenerational homes within the private sector, to support independent living particularly although not exclusively among older or disabled people.
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57 Specialist Housing Across North Ayrshire there are c.2,500 social rented homes which have been adapted to meet ‘particular’ housing needs. This includes housing for wheelchair users, those with limited mobility, sheltered and very sheltered housing, homes with community alarm systems and adapted homes. It is harder to quantify how many homes in the private sector are adapted, as many homeowners will carry out adaptations as and when they need them. Recognising that the number of specialist homes is unlikely to match the number of people with specialist needs, the Government has committed to a new ‘Scottish Accessible Homes Standard’ which will be part of national building standards by 2025/26. The accessible standard will see accessibility designed and built into all new homes, increasing the housing choices for people with disabilities and reducing the need for expensive retrofitting as people age or their needs change. The alignment of housing support and social care services is also planned, to ensure a person-centred approach and achieve the best housing outcomes for people. The Council has a dedicated Housing Officer who coordinates the reallocation of highly adapted houses, including specialist new build houses, as they become void to ensure they are utilised for applicants who need them most in accordance with the North Ayrshire Housing Allocation Policy. Adaptations Research tells us that most older and disabled people want to continue to live in their home for as long as possible. However, often their home is no longer suitable for their needs. Adaptations can be an effective way of altering the home to allow these households to continue to stay there. Adaptations can be low cost and minor (e.g., handrails or banisters) or much more expensive and major (e.g., ramps, specialist toilets or wet rooms). There are grants available to help some homeowners and private sector tenants pay the cost of their adaptation; social housing tenants do not pay for this work. In 2021, we piloted an ‘assisted living exemplar’ housing model which promoted independent living through assistive technology. The model recognised that while an individual’s care must be tailored to their specific needs, there are technologies which can offer benefits to most people who need extra support. Our pilot explored super-fast broadband and a range of smart technologies. These included smart heating, lighting, and door entry. The added benefit was that residents were also able to video call their family on the device. A particularly useful option during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a real step forward in minimising social isolation. Older People Already, the proportion of older people is higher in North Ayrshire than across Scotland, at 23% compared to 19%. However, by 2043, the age group ‘75 years+’ will be the largest in the area and will account for 28% of local people - most of whom will live alone. This is a striking change to the population profile in 2021 (Figure 22). This challenge is even more
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58 acute on our islands, where already a third of the Arran and Cumbrae populations are aged 65 years or above (33% and 35% respectively). Figure 22: Small Area Population Estimates, Mid 2019, by Age & Household Type (Source: National Records of Scotland) Not only does the likelihood of long-term health conditions increase with age increasing the need for accessible housing in turn, so does the risk of dementia. Scotland’s National Dementia Strategy recognises that most people with dementia want to keep living at home, and 64% of sufferers can do so. However, to avoid crises, a familiar home environment and preventative support are vital to ‘normalising’ life for dementia sufferers. Neurodiversity People with learning disabilities and autistic people tell us that they want to be treated with dignity and respect by services that can identify and be responsive to their needs. Good‑quality and timely housing advice and support services are as important as a suitable home in supporting them to live independently in their communities. The Health & Social Care Partnership have told us that the number of neurodiverse people is rising, including an increasing number of children who have very complex needs now 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 20,000 16-24 25-44 45-59 60-74 75+ 16-24 25-44 45-59 60-74 75+ 16-24 25-44 45-59 60-74 75+ 2021 2027 2043 1 adult + child(ren) 1 adult 2 adult + child(ren) 2 adult 3 adult
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59 surviving into adulthood. This in turn can result in an increase in the number of neurodiverse people who rely on an elderly carer, who may now also be experiencing a change in their own housing needs. The Scottish Strategy for Autism sets out the joined-up approach needed to ensure housing and places can support wellbeing outcomes, and that moving forward, housing supply is able to accommodate an increase in neurodiverse people. Care & Support A number of organisations provide housing related care and support services across our area and given the forecast increase to the number of older people and the proportion of our lives we live in poor health, these services will become increasingly important if we want to deliver our outcome to support people to “live at home, independently, safely and with dignity, for as long as they wish.” However, care and support services are not just about allowing older people to remain at home, they are also about empowering people to find their own solutions, providing the right type of assistance at the right time, supporting people through difficult times and ensuring that individual needs are recognised. Health & Social Care Partnership Carena Care Home Spaces Care at Home Equipment Money Matters Meals at Home Telecare North Ayrshire Council Accessible Housing Assessement Housing Options Advice Housing Support Welfare Reform Advice Homelessness Advice & Prevention Other Partners CHAP Citrus Energy Lemon Aid Fuel Poverty CLASP Cunninghame Furniture Recycling Company Home Fire Safety Visits
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60 Accessible Housing Assessment The Accessible Housing Assessment is available to people on the North Ayrshire Housing Register. It looks at how the health of the applicant affects how they manage at home and is carried out by an Occupational Therapist. Applicants who are assessed as having an accessible housing need receive additional points. Care at Home The Care at Home service is available every day of the year and can help with daily tasks such as getting up, dressed, and washed, taking medicine, as well as more intensive support (e.g. recovering from an accident or coming home from hospital). Care Home Spaces At the end of January 2023, there were around 950 care homes spaces in North Ayrshire, most are independently owned but the Council has a unit on Arran with capacity for 30 people. However, given the continuing decrease of public sector budgets, the current way of organising care home spaces is not viable, and therefore services which allow people to remain living at home will become more central to meeting care needs. Carena The Carena website connects people in North Ayrshire with service providers. The site lists information and contact details for services, activities, and support across our area. Carena also lists events and clubs in the area, helping people become more involved in their local community and in turn reducing social isolation. CHAP CHAP is a charity that offers free, confidential support to the people of North Ayrshire who may be struggling with a housing issue, homelessness, financial concern, or who need debt advice. Citrus Energy Citrus Energy is a subsidiary of Cunninghame Housing Association. Its goal is to help people “make genuine savings on gas and electricity costs.” Any profits made are re-distributed into the community to help reduce fuel poverty and create sustainable employment. CLASP CLASP (Community Led Action and Support Project) provides a range of services across North Ayrshire. As well as offering support on areas like people’s rights, access to training, education, and IT. They also support older people through a range of services and activities to reduce isolation and loneliness and improve health and wellbeing. Cunninghame Furniture Recycling Company (CFRC) Part of Cunninghame Housing Association, CFRC is a charity which collects unwanted furniture and white goods free of charge, for resale from their Irvine showroom, allowing
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61 people to furnish their home at an affordable price. CFRC’s approach also reduces landfill and the associated ecological costs. Equipment The Partnership supplies equipment on a long-term loan, free of charge, and when it is no longer needed, it should be returned. Eligibility depends on the assessed level of need and suitability of the home, and includes things like raised toilet seats, chair or bed raisers, grab rails, and bath boards or seats Home Fire Safety Visits The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, as part of their commitment to building a safer Scotland, offer free home fire safety visits to everyone (on hold during COVID-19 restrictions). Home Security The Home Security Project helps people who are suffering from domestic abuse or serious and persistent antisocial behaviour. The project aims to make people feel safer in their home by adding extra security measures, such as: locks, peep holes, panic alarms and/or arranging support from specialist agencies. Housing Options Advice Housing options advice is available from all social landlords in our area and provides people with the knowledge and confidence to resolve their own housing situation. Whilst not limited to homeless people, between 2016 and 2019, it helped 40% of all those who presented as homeless resolve their own situation. Advice covers a range of housing options (e.g., adaptations, property condition). Housing Support Our Housing Support service helps people develop the skills they need to manage their own home. It is available to people who are at risk of being homeless (or who have been homeless in the past), are in temporary accommodation or who just need help managing their tenancy. The service supports people with form filling, budgeting, planning a weekly shop, arranging for gas or electricity suppliers, or cooking and cleaning etc. Lemon Aid Fuel Poverty Advisory Service Cunninghame Housing Association’s Lemon Aid project helps people apply for services to which they are entitled (e.g., white goods schemes, discounts on your energy bills, benefits etc). It also offers help with pre-payment meters, energy supplier switching, and bill checking, setting your heating thermostats, and will advocate on your behalf and write to your energy supplier if necessary. Meals at Home Meals at Home provides a service to people who have been assessed as being unable to prepare a hot cooked meal. On the mainland, meals are delivered frozen on a fortnightly basis and on Arran, hot meals are delivered by volunteers or Care at Home staff. There is a charge for this service.
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62 Money Matters The Health & Social Care Partnership’s ‘Money Matters’ service provides advice to any resident of North Ayrshire on welfare rights, assistance, or representation in relation to benefits. The service is free, impartial, and confidential. Telecare Telecare provides full time monitoring and support technology that sends alerts for help if someone becomes ill or if something is wrong. Options available include community, domestic abuse, and safety alarms; fall, flood, smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors; and medicine reminders and dispensers. There is a weekly charge for this service. Financial Inclusion Team Our dedicated team provide a welfare rights and debt advice service to Council tenants as part of a commitment to tackling inequalities and improving health and wellbeing. In the year 2022/23 the team collectively helped people access £2.652m to which they were entitled to, helping to reduce rent arrears and the risk to some tenants that faced eviction.
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Comments and views about any aspect of this document are welcomed. We also take the opportunity to encourage local people to become involved in the planning and delivery of housing solutions. To get in touch, please contact: Local Housing Strategy North Ayrshire Council Housing & Public Protection FREEPOST SCO2742 Irvine KA12 8BRT: lhs@north-ayrshire.gov.uk This document is available in other formats such as audio tape, CD, Braille, large print and other languages on request.
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Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 Action Plan Collaboration Review and update our Tenant Participation Strategy to: • Ensure inclusive engagement with hard to reach groups • Ensure our literature is available in a format that is suitable for people with literacy and / or sensory / communication issues Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area our award-winning tenant participation approach 2023+ Tenant Participation Manager Desired outcome A refreshed Tenant Participation Strategy is adopted by the Cabinet of North Ayrshire Council More homes at the heart of great places Use our role as a major house builder to maximise local employment and training opportunities, and encourage our partners to do the same Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy & procedure / systems & services 2023+ Team Manager (Affordable Housing & Regeneration) Desired outcome Training and employment opportunities are available for local people Deliver 1,625 new units of social housing Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area our Strategic Housing Invesment Plan 2028 Team Manager (Affordable Housing & Regeneration) Desired outcome 1,625 new homes are developed
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Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 Action Plan Deliver 1,300 new units of private sector housing Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy and procedure 2028 Senior Manager (Housing Strategy & Development) Desired outcome 1,300 new homes are developed Consider opportunities to provide homes in and around our town centres Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area our annual Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2023+ Senior Manager (Housing Strategy & Development) Desired outcome Housing is developed in or around town centres, where feasible Affordability & Choice Enforce a zero tolerance approach to harrassment and abuse against equalities groups Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area our existing suite of estate management policy and process 2024 Housing SMT Desired outcome Every identified incidence of harassment is investigated and actioned Train our staff to understand cultural differences and challenges faced by different ethnic groups Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Our Housing service existing policy and procedure 2024 Housing SMT Desired outcome 100% of our staff are trained Work with national agencies and local partners to ensure refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced people affected by conflict are supported to live in safety in our area
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Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 Action Plan Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy & procedure / systems & services 2023+ Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome 100% of refugees and people displaced by conflict who are housed in our area received support Engage with Gypsy / Travellers to ensure that housing solutions meet their needs Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy & procedure / systems & services 2023 Senior Manager (Housing Operations, Tenant & Youth Engagement) Desired outcome Gypsy / Travellers needs and aspirations are reflected in all service provision Listen to Gypsy/Travellers from unauthorised encampments so that we can better understand and respond to their needs Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy & procedure / systems & services 2023 Senior Manager (Housing Operations, Tenant & Youth Engagement) Desired outcome 100% of Gypsy/Travellers living in unauthorised encampments are approached for their comments Carry out an options appraisal on potential Gypsy / Traveller site improvements Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Our travellers’ site improvements carried out at the site to date 2024 Senior Manager (Housing Operations, Tenant & Youth Engagement) Desired outcome The publication of our findings, and supporting action plan (if feasible) Develop and deliver an LGBTQ+ informed housing service, including: • Establish LGBTQ+ champions
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Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 Action Plan • Develop an LGBTQ+ staff training programme • Increase private sector awareness of LGBTQ+ housing issues • Encourage our LGBTQ+ tenants and residents to participate Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area our commitment to delivering an inclusive housing service 2024 Housing SMT Desired outcome The delivery of an inclusive housing service is evidenced by involvement and participation in the delivery and development of housing services Work in partnership with statutory and third sector agencies to deliver planned national changes to homelessness prevention legislation Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area RRTP To proactively prevent homelessness wherever it is possible to do so tbc Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome Publication of our response Develop and deliver a North Ayrshire inter-agency strategy to prevent homelessness Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area RRTP To proactively prevent homelessness wherever it is possible to do so 2024 Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome Levels of homelessness will reduce
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Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 Action Plan Through the ‘Violence Against Women Partnership 2021-2026, deliver the North Ayrshire violence against women and girls action plan aligned to the ‘Equally Safe' strategy Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area RRTP To proactively prevent homelessness wherever it is possible to do so 2026 Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome A reduction in domestic violence and achievement of the Violence Against Women National Standards accreditation Work with our partners to develop a hospital discharge pathway Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area RRTP To proactively prevent homelessness wherever it is possible to do so 2023 Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome 0% of those leaving a health care setting will be homeless Continue to work with the HSCP to support young people make the transition from care to a home of their own Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area RRTP To proactively prevent homelessness wherever it is possible to do so 2024 Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome 100% of young people are supported as they leave care and move into their own home Consider the pathways into housing for young people to maximise housing options specific to their needs and reduce the risk of homelessness Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area RRTP To proactively prevent homelessness wherever it is possible to do so 2024 Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome Fewer young people become homeless Implement the integrated prison discharge protocol Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to
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Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 Action Plan Across our area RRTP To proactively prevent homelessness wherever it is possible to do so 2023 Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome Homelessness as a result of prison discharge is reduced to below 5% Implement Housing First for our most disadvantaged service users Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2023 Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome 100 Housing First Tenancies are delivered by 2024 Undertake a review of tenancies which have failed in the previous 12 months following resettlement of homelessness to inform allocation processes Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area RRTP To proactively prevent homelessness wherever it is possible to do so 2024 Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome Homeless people are rehoused within 13 weeks Review the Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme and recommend future approach Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to on our islands existing policy & procedure / systems & services 2024 Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome Publication of the review and action plan (as appropriate)
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Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 Action Plan Align support delivery to prevention activities as identified within the Homeless Prevention Strategy Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area RRTP To proactively prevent homelessness wherever it is possible to do so 2024 Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome Appropriate levels of support available to prevent and alleviate homelessness Review the proportion of social rented lets to homeless people to minimise the duration of homelessness Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area RRTP To proactively prevent homelessness wherever it is possible to do so and our Charter committments 2024 Senior Manager (Homelessness & Community Safety) Desired outcome Reduce the length of stay in temporary accommodation by 50% from 26 weeks to 13 weeks Consider introducing alternative housing models to meet local housing needs beyond social rented accommodation Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area 2025 Senior Manager (Housing Strategy & Development) Desired outcome The publication of the review and any associated action plan Support the Scottish Government's target to deliver 110,000 new affordable homes by 2032 by delivering the projects set out within the Strategic Housing Investment Plan Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy and procedure 2028 Team Manager (Affordable Housing & Regeneration) Desired outcome New affordable homes are built in North Ayrshire Research barriers to mutual exchange in order to increase its use as a rehousing solution Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to
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Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 Action Plan Across our area allocation review of the NAHR 2024 Senior Manager (Housing Operations, Tenant & Youth Engagement) Desired outcome There is an increase in the number of mutual exchanges Work with partners to align the North Ayrshire Allocation Policy to emerging issues, incorporating national and local priorities Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area previous housing allocation policy 2023 & 2026 Senior Manager (Housing Operations, Tenant & Youth Engagement) Desired outcome The new policy is published Increase the social housing supply by buying back former social housing Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area our Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2023+ Team Manager (Private Sector Housing) Desired outcome Fomer social housing is brought back into the affordable housing supply Bring empty homes back into use through the buy back scheme Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area scheme of Assistance and Empty Homes Buy Back approach 2023+ Team Manager (Private Sector Housing) Desired outcome Empty homes are purchased and brought back into use as affordable housing Affordable Warmth & Zero Emissions Support the Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy to reduce fuel poverty and increase affordable warmth
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Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 Action Plan Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy and procedure 2023+ Senior Manager (Housing Strategy & Development) Desired outcome Fuel poverty is reduced and affordable warmth is increased for North Ayrshire residents Implement a range of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures across Council housing stock to meet EESSH2 requirements informed by an EESH2 pathfinder focusing on a whole-house approach to retrofit Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy and procedure 2023+ Head of Sustainability, Corporate Property & Transport Desired outcome A whole house approach to energy efficiency and decarbonisation is adopted for Council housing stock Review our approach to dealing with dampness and mould issues within properties Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy and procedure 2023 Head of Sustainability, Corporate Property & Transport Desired outcome All our properties are free from dampness and mould and advice given to private sector to achieve same outcome
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Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 Action Plan Improving the quality of our homes Review Census 2022 data to identify any emerging issues which may impact housing and related services Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area 2024 Senior Manager (Housing Strategy & Development) Desired outcome Develop an action plan to address any issues which may emerge following review Promote and provide a ‘pre-tenancy support service’ for landlords (on tenancy agreements and property standards) Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area 2023 Team Manager (Private Sector Housing) Desired outcome Landlords are supported to create and maintain tenancys in accordance with legaslitive requirements Continue to implement the Housing Asset Management Plan Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area work already carried out re: SHQS and EESSH 2027 Head of Sustainability, Corporate Property & Transport Desired outcome Implementation of the Housing Asset Management Plan action plan Prevent housing crisis through early intervention by ensuring housing staff can identify the long term needs of tenants to ensure housing is sustainable Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy and procedure 2024 Housing SMT Desired outcome All housing staff can identify the long term needs of tenants, including the challenges facing people with neurodiverse issues Complete our Sheltered Housing Reprovisioning Programme by investing in 11 sheltered housing complexes over the lifetime of this strategy
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Local Housing Strategy 2023 – 2028 Action Plan Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy and procedure 2028 Team Manager (Affordable Housing & Regeneration) Desired outcome Sheltered housing complexes are refurbished Ensure that the Strategic Housing Investment Plan addresses current and future demographic needs Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy and procedure 2023+ Team Manager (Affordable Housing & Regeneration) Desired outcome Housing investment proritries within the Strategic Housing Investment Plan align to future and current demographic needs Consider establishing a target for the delivery of accessible homes within the private sector Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy and procedure 2024 Strategic Planning Manager Desired outcome Local Development Plan 3 sets out the requirement for accessible private housing delivery Review and update our Scheme of Assistance to: • Ensure the promotion of positive outcomes for people living with autism in the private housing sector • Ensure inclusive engagement with hard to reach groups. • Ensure our literature is available in a format that Where Building on Latest update Due date Assigned to Across our area existing policy and procedure 2025 Team Manager (Private Sector Housing) Desired outcome The publication of information, sign posting to advice services and the planned refresh of the Scheme of Assistance