Homes 07-08 Progress

Progress

1. 35 letting areas approved for Pressures Area Status in relation to Right to Buy by Scottish Ministers.
2. Significant reduction in void properties rate by Aberdeen City Council to 1.2% from 2% the previous year. In general there has been a reduction of long term void properties across all housing tenures.
3. Monitoring system now in place for the allocation of housing to ethnic minority community and migrant workers by Aberdeen City Council (ACC).
4. Visits to schools for senior pupils on housing issues now in place.
5. Housing information and advice now on Young Scot on housing options in Aberdeen City.
6. Increased performance in relation to dealing with homeless applicants by ACC.
7. Private Housing Sector Strategy near completion. Proposals to set up a dedicated Private Housing Sector Unit within the Council.
8. Continued high spend on housing adaptations across all housing tenures.
9. Council in partnership with Aberdeenshire and Moray Councils has commissioned research into the accommodation needs of Gypsies/ Travellers, to be completed by the end of 2008.
10. An Ethnic Minority Housing Worker has been appointed by Aberdeen City and Shire, to identify housing issues from this community.
11. ACC continues to progress towards meeting the Scottish Housing Quality Standard through improvement and modernisation of its housing stock.
12. ACC is currently in the process of developing systems for the implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, which will improve housing standards in the private housing sector.
13. The 10 year target set under the Housing Energy Conservation Act has been achieved by the Council.

Key Partnerships and Strategies

The Forum contains a partnership of those involved in developing housing in Aberdeen. The main strategy for this group is the Local Housing Strategy, which the partnership monitors and evaluates.

The Forum also receives update reports on the Council Homelessness Strategy, Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA), Supporting People Strategy, Scottish Housing Quality Delivery Plan, Regeneration Strategy, and the developing Community Care Housing Strategy and the Private Sector Housing Strategy.

• The Aberdeen City Alliance (TACA) updates when required.
• Minutes to Policy and Strategy Committee, Aberdeen City Council. 
• Forum minutes put on Community Planning web-site.