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ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL HOUSING INSPECTION REPORT

The Scottish Housing Regulator today published its inspection report on Aberdeenshire Council. It awarded the council an ‘excellent’ rating for its asset management and repairs, a “good” rating for its housing management and a “fair” rating for services to homeless people.

The purpose of inspection is to provide an independent external assessment of the effectiveness of housing service delivery, and make recommendations to help improvement.

Aberdeenshire Council is situated on the north east coast of Scotland, with a population of some 239,000 people. It owns around 13,000 properties.

Michael Cameron, Head of Inspection at the Scottish Housing Regulator, said:

“Our inspectors found that Aberdeenshire Council has a number of significant strengths across all of its services. It has excellent stock condition information and a 30 year business plan that gives it a sound financial base on which to plan its investment in the housing stock. Its current performance in completing repairs is excellent, its houses and estates are in very good condition and its performance in collecting rent arrears is excellent. The Council has a strong commitment to tenant participation and it is continuing its aim of involving as many tenants as possible across the wide area in which it operates.

The Council is aware that it should reduce its reliance on Bed and Breakfast accommodation for homeless applicants and it is currently working to secure alternative types of temporary accommodation. The Council has a culture of continuous improvement and a high level of self awareness and we are confident that it is capable of addressing the weaknesses we have identified.”

Councillor Gurudeo Saluja, Chair of Aberdeenshire Council's Social Work and Housing Committee, said “The Regulator's inspection report is welcome and very encouraging. Whilst we acknowledge that the inspection shows Aberdeenshire Council's housing services to be amongst the best in Scotland, it also confirmed where extra work was needed. In particular, and in common with councils throughout Scotland, the pressure on accommodation for homeless people is of great concern and Aberdeenshire Council is addressing this as a priority.

We thank the Scottish Housing Regulator's team for the work they put into the inspection of Aberdeenshire Council's housing and homelessness services. I also congratulate Council members and officials on getting such a positive outcome from the inspection and specifically acknowledge that the good work of Housing's local staff, in offices and depots throughout Aberdeenshire, contributed greatly to the inspectors' favourable report.”

NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS

1. Inspectors gave the following grades:

2. Full details of the Aberdeenshire Council inspection report can be found on the Scottish Housing Regulator website at www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk

3. The Scottish Housing Regulator came into operation on 1 April 2008. It is the successor to Communities Scotland’s Regulation & Inspection Division. As a government agency the Scottish Housing Regulator has complete operational independence, but remains accountable to Scottish Ministers, and through them to the Scottish Parliament for the standard of its work. The agency sits within the Justice and Communities Directorate of the Scottish Government and will work within the government’s overall purpose and contribute to its strategic objectives.