Latest News March 2006
2006 LHS Update
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 requires local authorities to keep their LHS under review and to provide Scottish Ministers with such information as they require about the implementation of their LHS. Local authorities have been asked to submit the following LHS update documents to Communities Scotland by 1 July 2006:
• Policy Changes – Local authorities should detail any policy changes made which impact on the LHS. This guidance lists gypsies/travellers as one of the groups whose accommodation needs should be covered in the LHS. Local authorities should therefore include details of any progress they have made in assessing or meeting the accommodation needs of Gypsies/Travellers in their areas.
• Action Plan – An updated Action Plan should be submitted detailing progress against all actions contained in the LHS and any amendments to the original Action Plan.
• Monitoring and Evaluation – Evidence of progress towards achieving the housing market outcomes identified in the LHS should be reported, including a decision on whether objectives and actions require to be reviewed.
• Resourcing – Local authorities should detail any funding/resource changes, either actual or assumed, which affect the LHS.
Local Housing Need Assessment Proforma
The Scottish Executive has commissioned the development of a housing needs proforma. It is envisaged that the development work will be undertaken in late summer, with training on proforma completion for local authority staff with LHS responsibilities being provided in October. It is anticipated that the final proforma will be issued for completion in early November, with completed proformas then being returned for assessment before Christmas.
Housing (Scotland) Act 2006
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 received royal assent on 6 January this year. Chapter 2 of the Act requires a local authority to include in its LHS details of its policy for identifying areas that should be designated as Housing Renewal Areas, a strategy for dealing with housing that is below the Tolerable Standard, and a strategy for using the scheme of assistance to improve house conditions. Local authorities will be required to submit some additional items relating to the Act as part of a follow-up LHS submission in 2007. Further details regarding these requirements will follow later this year.
Further Information
For further information please contact your local Communities Scotland Planning team.
