Introduction and background
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 places a statutory requirement on local authorities to produce a Local Housing Strategy (LHS) that sets out the strategic vision for the delivery of housing services and housing related services and the outcomes the Council aims to achieve over a five-year period. Once implemented, the new LHS will run from 2023 to 2028.
The LHS requires in depth analysis of the housing system and identification of housing issues that need to be tackled, there will be a set of high-level actions under each outcome that will form the basis of the direction of the new LHS. The LHS should demonstrate how it supports:
- Access to affordable housing
- Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS)
- Tackling climate change
- Fuel poverty reduction
- Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH)
- Child poverty reduction
- Duties to homeless people
- Public bodies joint working (Housing Contribution Statement)
Fairer Scotland Duty
Given the strategic nature of housing delivery, local authorities, in delivering a LHS, must give due consideration to the Fairer Scotland Duty which came into force in April 2018. This Duty places a responsibility on the public sector to reduce inequalities caused by socio-economic disadvantage, to inform better decision-making and policy development. This Health Inequalities Impact Assessment (HIIA) will help to detail key aspects of the LHS that may impact on people’s health.
The HIIA will remain a working document, reviewed annually, throughout the lifetime of the LHS, in order to update the Assessment in line with LHS Actions and achievements in terms of reducing health inequalities in East Dunbartonshire. A Report will be presented to an appropriate Committee on an annual basis outlining progress made against LHS Actions.
Who will be affected by this Strategy?
The LHS may have an impact on all residents of East Dunbartonshire, either directly or indirectly, irrespective of characteristic. However, the following groups could potentially have a different experience than most as follows:
- children and young people
- older people
- those with a disability or long term health condition
- Looked after children
- Carers
- Gypsy Travellers or non-English speakers
- People experiencing poverty or on a low income
- Those assessed as homeless or potentially homeless
How will the Strategy impact on people?
The LHS aligns well to Housing to 2040 and to the National Performance Framework Vision for ‘A Scotland that is wealthier and fairer, smarter, healthier, safer, stronger and greener’. The Council’s Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP), Local Development Plans (LDP) and other Strategies link to many emerging themes in the LHS that aim to have a positive impact on people in East Dunbartonshire, their families and carers by focussing on the following LHS priorities:
LHS Priority 1 – delivering more homes at the heart of great places and communities
The link between good health and good housing is widely understood. Areas identified as experiencing the most inequality in East Dunbartonshire are Auchinairn, Hillhead, Lennoxtown and Twechar. In respect of how housing can improve health and wellbeing, Partners and Stakeholders coproduced a range of options to identify key actions in order to help the LHS deliver its ambitions, including:
- Delivering a diverse mix of property sizes and more accessible, adaptable homes
- Ensure housing options support 20-minute neighbourhoods
- Identify better ways of using existing stock
- Target investment in open market purchase to increase supply
- Improve connectivity through investment in physical, social and digital infrastructure
The Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) is the main driver for housing development in East Dunbartonshire. Informed by evidence from the Glasgow City Region Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) the Council has set a ‘minimum all tenure land requirement’ (MATHLR) following Scottish Government consultation. The proposed MATHLR for East Dunbartonshire is 2,500 units over the next ten years. Promoting placemaking to increase accessibility to services and amenity that support wellbeing and to develop housing that meets the need of the local community.
LHS Priority 2 – Achieving housing quality, affordable warmth and net zero homes
The LHS provides a framework for improving the quality and energy efficiency of homes, driving improvement in housing induced poverty and proactively tackling fuel poverty across all tenures. The LHS sets out how the Council will support landlords and owners to invest in repairs and maintenance including the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) and for private sector homes in the Heat and Buildings Strategy. Improving the quality of homes by meeting Scottish Housing Quality Standards (SHQS) and by supporting private owners and landlords through the Scheme of Assistance. Partners and Stakeholders coproduced a range of options to identify key actions including:
- Developing an Asset Management Strategy
- Maximise the use of national funding programmes to tackle disrepair and poor energy efficiency
- Pilot a Missing Shares Scheme to assist homeowners with mixed tenure repairs
- Resource and upskill Property Maintenance services
- Work collaboratively to deliver net zero targets under LHEES and Climate Action Plan.
- Promote income maximisation to reduce fuel and child poverty
The Council also has an extensive Capital Works Programme that aims to upgrade kitchens, bathrooms, windows and doors, roofing repairs or replacement and exterior rendering of homes providing insulation. A key objective of the LHS is fuel and poverty reduction in that by improving the quality of the home, people may experience a positive impact in terms of health and reduced costs to heat their homes. The Capital programme had suffered delays in carrying out improvement works due the recent Pandemic (Covid19) and has been reinstated as soon as it was safe to do so and is now crucial to improving the standard of homes and in a time of rising energy costs, to use innovative technologies to improve heating and reduce household bills for fuel.
LHS Priority 3 – supporting people to live independently and well at home
The LHS aligns to the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) Strategic Commissioning Plan through the Housing Contribution Statement (HCS) and sets out the housing dimension in meeting national wellbeing outcomes through delivery of high quality housing services.
The LHS plays a significant role in improving public health by setting a framework for delivering accessible homes. Currently 10% of homes in the SHIP are wheelchair and accessible housing with other forms of amenity housing in addition to this. The LDP2 contains an all tenure target to underpin and extend the requirements across private and Registered Social Landlord (RSL) sectors enabling people to live independently and well for as long as possible through investment in property adaptations, technology and care and support services. Despite a modest projected increase in overall population of 3.8% between 2018-2028, the older population is expected to substantially increase by 25.9% over the same period in East Dunbartonshire. The LHS needs to address an ageing population and set out partnership working arrangements as increasing age often correlates to increased use of Health and Social Care services.
Partners and Stakeholders coproduced a range of options to identify key actions including:
- Set targets to increase supply of accessible and wheelchair housing
- Increase supply of retirement housing and shared ownership opportunities to address projected growth of older people in partnership with housing providers
- Review effectiveness of sheltered housing
- Effective provision of Care and repair and Occupational Therapy services to owner occupiers
- Review Allocations Policy and create a more effective system for medical points
- Adopt a multi-agency early intervention approach to support clients
- Work with Gypsy Travellers to discuss need and demand for provision in EDC
- Develop information, advice and support services to encourage older people to pre plan their housing needs and avoid crisis interventions later
LHS Priority 4 – improving housing options, choice and affordability
The LHS provides the framework for the Council to realise its Rapid Rehousing ambition by ensuring those who experience homelessness access sustainable and settled housing as quickly as possible. Preventing housing crisis is a key priority both nationally and in East Dunbartonshire. Ensuring households have a good awareness of local housing options, access to advice and assistance in a variety of formats and languages, enabling people to sustain their current home through provision of person centred housing support services and working to improve rental affordability including promoting use of the Rent Deposit Scheme to access private sector accommodation. The House Project fast tracks access to housing for children leaving a care setting with assistance to sustain their tenancies into the future. The Homelessness and Prevention team has established protocols with the prison service and with mental health and addictions services as early intervention tools to avoid crisis. They also have a long established working partnership with East Dunbartonshire Social Work service and HSCP.
Homelessness numbers have been significantly lower than pre-pandemic years, although 2021 has seen an increase of 17% in applications. The main reason given for approaching the service is relationship breakdown or domestic violence. 227 homeless households secured accommodation within a Council or RSL property and 21 households were assisted to secure private rented accommodation.
Partners and Stakeholders coproduced a range of options to identify key actions including:
- Ensure RRTP vision is aligned to the Allocation Policy to speed up access to settled housing
- Review service user involvement ensuring that lived experience guides service improvement
- Commission research to access options for growing the private rented sector including the feasibility of Build to Rent models
- Review domestic abuse procedures to ensure legislative compliance is maintained
- Work with partners to support delivery of the proposed statutory prevention duty
- Enhance delivery of an integrated model of support with HSCP
- Align actions in the Child Poverty Action Plan with investment in the Housing Options model to improve access to financial support and assistance
Summary
Although East Dunbartonshire, as a whole, is less deprived than other authorities in Scotland, there are specific areas that fall below the Scottish average. According to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), East Dunbartonshire has eight data zones in the most deprived 25% in Scotland. Hillhead remains the most deprived area in East Dunbartonshire.
There is a contrast in earnings for households who live and work in East Dunbartonshire compared to those who live and commute to work elsewhere. Households who live and work in EDC earn £164.70 less per week than local households who commute to other areas for employment. Housing and economic growth are fundamentally linked, and a lack of suitable housing can be a barrier to key sectors of the economy being able to recruit and retain staff to grow their business and in turn grow the local economy.
There is c.47, 500 dwellings in East Dunbartonshire to meet the needs of the local population. Eighty four percent of these are in the owner-occupied sector. The social housing sector accommodates just under 10% of households, significantly less than the national profile at 26%. East Dunbartonshire’s private rented sector accounts for only 7% of the total housing stock. Growing the private rented sector and offering a wider range of housing tenures is a main objective of the LHS.
The outcome actions in the LHS require significant resources, it is an ambitious plan that is to be delivered during a potentially challenging economic period not only in Scotland but across the UK and globally. Challenges that are to be addressed at a time when there is an increasing need to use public services and demand for housing.
Outcome Actions and Impact Assessments will be reviewed on an annual basis and progress will be presented to Elected Members and made available on the Council website.
For further information, please contact Housing@eastdunbarton.gov.uk