Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm used his statutory intervention powers for the first time to ensure improvements are made to West Dunbartonshire Council's housing management and services to its tenants. The move follows unsatisfactory progress by the Council against targets set in an improvement plan with Communities Scotland, arising from its 2004 inspection.
The Minister's decision is in tune with findings recently published by the Accounts Commission following a Best Value audit of West Dunbartonshire Council, which identified a number of weaknesses in the way the Council works on behalf of people in the area. The report highlighted housing in particular as an area needing improvement.
The statutory intervention follows a recommendation from Communities Scotland's regulation board. It will allow Communities Scotland to request a remedial plan from the Council and for the regulator to set out a strategy for improvement.
Communities Scotland has set a target date for agreement of a remedial plan by May 2007.
This is the first time a Scottish local authority has failed to make progress against its improvement plan. Section 74 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 sets out the statutory procedure for requiring a local authority to submit a remedial plan.
This can be requested where an inspection has identified any respects in which "the exercise of the functions of the local authority in relation to the provision of housing accommodation and related services was found to be unsatisfactory."
The Intervention Strategy lists seven criteria for considering statutory intervention:
Swansea Council's cabinet has approved a new enforcement policy for houses in multiple occupation. The purpose of the changes is to ensure tenants in rented accommodation are safe and enjoy suitable standards of living. It also aims to ensure communities are not blighted by run down or poorly managed rented housing.
Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) in traditional student areas have always been subject to increased regulation by the local authority. Recent changes in the Housing Act 2004 require that HMOs are licensed. Licensing applies for HMOs that are three or more storeys and have five or more occupants. Owners of these properties now have to apply for a licence or face a fine of up to £20,000.
It is estimated there are between 1,700 and 2,000 HMOs in Swansea. The new enforcement policy provides a framework to allow the Council to properly regulate the privately rented sector to make sure that the powers they have been given are used to full affect.
To publicise its new enforcement policy, Swansea Council held information days to inform landlords about their responsibilities and the changes to the legislation. The message was clear - landlords who provide poor housing or fail to obtain an appropriate licence face action by the Council.
Brent Council will in future require developers to consider the necessity of a bath as part of new eco-friendly policies. In future, the Council will require developers to make a case for including baths as part of planning consent consideration.
Councillors agreed a new sustainability checklist, which in effect makes the inclusion a 'material consideration in the determination of a planning application'. Whilst falling short of a total ban, the checklist places pressures on developers to consider incorporating showers only, with the aim of achieving higher water conservation.
