West Lothian has seen a surge in applications for council homes because Edinburgh and Glasgow are “full up”.
A senior housing officer outlined the effect of the removal of local connection rules as she described the council’s own Homeless Strategy to replace a national programme.
The rules on local connection were changed in November 2022 to allow people to apply as homeless to any council in Scotland from anywhere in the UK.
Sarah Kelly, the Housing Needs Manager delivered proposals on the new local strategy to tackle homelessness to this month’s meeting of West Lothian Council’s Executive.
Linlithgow SNP member Councillor Pauline Orr asked if the housing department knew how many applications had come from outside the county.
Ms Kelly said the number was being collated by hand following requests at another committee, and housing officers would soon be able to provide councillors with a figure.
She told the meeting: “We are seeing an increasing number from the UK presenting to us, particularly across the Central Belt, where cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh are essentially being billed as being full up. They are coming across in counties like Falkirk and West Lothian.”
The Executive also heard that West Lothian had seen surging demand for housing among the 16- 24 cohort – demand which is growing at 5% a year.
George Paul, the Executive councillor for Housing said: “I’d like to congratulate the staff and officers who have pulled this report together, it’s very comprehensive. ” He added that the policy responded to the Housing Emergency declared in West Lothian across other councils and now by the Scottish Government
“This is result of the crisis caused by the lack of funding by the Scottish government. I’m glad the opposition has read the paper and has seen the work this council is doing.”
Councillor Pauline Stafford, the depute SNP group leader: “Thanks to Sarah and her whole team.They do an incredible job. I think most of our case work is taken up with housing enquiries and until we are building adequate housing to meet that need, I’m sorry to say that a lot of things will improve around the edges, but it is not going to tackle the roots of this problem.”
Councillor Stafford added that she would like to hear reports back on how the strategy was working adding: “I know that the long-term impact and harm of being within that homeless system and the repercussions of that are huge and go on for a long time especially for young people.”
Chairing the meeting, Councillor Lawrence Fitzpatrick, the council leader, said: “I think we all agree in this chamber that our housing and building services are doing an excellent job.”
In her report to the Executive Ms Kelly said: “Despite positive achievements in reducing homeless demand locally, the pressure for increased homeless services has remained critically high, leading to ongoing financial strain for the council, and systematic failures at a national level in terms of the shortfall in supply of affordable social homes, and resources to meet increasing demand and additional homeless duties introduced over the past five years.”
She added: “The imbalance between supply and demand of affordable social housing is the most significant challenge faced by social housing providers, and in West Lothian, where there is sustained high demand for social homes.
“The area also benefits from exceptionally high tenancy sustainment levels, which whilst is a positive outcome for those who secure permanent housing, ensures a depressed turnover rate of letting, reducing the council’s ability to move homeless households out of temporary accommodation.”
“This position has driven up the use of unsuitable accommodation and breaches of statutory duties. “
The new strategy has three priorities: – 1. Ensuring prevention is the first response to reduce homelessness where it is possible and safe to do so. 2 Increasing opportunities and improving access to housing supply. 3 Ensuring people who become homeless are supported to achieve long term sustainable outcomes.
Ms Kelly concluded: “The West Lothian Homeless Strategy provides a refreshed focus on the key priorities for the council in terms of prevention and delivery of good outcomes which support those at risk of homelessness, and those who are homeless.
“The learning gained from 5 years of RRTP and in responding to the housing emergency has enabled value insight to inform the creation of the strategy. The strategy has strong focus on the need for a partnership approach addressing the housing emergency, and the need for a whole-system solutions to tackling the drivers of homelessness, and to evolve homeless services to meet the demand being experienced.”
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
