Kincardine & Mearns Community Plan
Priority 3 Housing – 3rd review
Intended Outcomes:
Awareness of the need and options for appropriate and affordable housing is raised. Levels of homelessness are reduced through early intervention, education and the development of supportive social networks.
Actions:
3.1 New housing initiatives developed by Aberdeenshire Council’s Housing Service and Registered Social Landlords will be done in consultation with tenants groups and community organisations.
3.2 Key messages will be identified by housing providers and promoted through various media channels to raise awareness of housing need.
3.3 Council’s Housing Service will provide information on local housing need, including waiting list size and levels of homelessness, and other key messages.
3.4 User experience will be kept at the centre of the management and delivery of Apply4Homes, the new integrated online system for applying for social housing.
3.5 There will be continuous development and work to encourage corporate and community buy into homelessness service development and resulting activity across Aberdeenshire. We will aim to address the root causes and effects of homelessness with an integrated approach that is inclusive to all relevant stakeholders.
Partners
Aberdeenshire Council Social Work and Housing, Registered Social Landlords, Tenant Associations and Kincardine &d Mearns (& other) Community Planning Group.
Progress & Results:
3.1 & 3.2 A Planning for the Futurepresentation was made to the Aberdeenshire Tenant Group in October 2014. No other major activity during this period. These groups will continue to be consulted as social housing developments are identified.
3.3 Local housing information sheets are being developed between the Community Planning Group and the Council’s Housing Service for a number of settlements in the K&M area. They will be circulated by March 2015
3.4 Apply4Homes partners continue to develop the service with a new pre-application system giving applicants a better indication of whether they will be made an offer. Other improvements and streamlining are also underway.
3.5 A Homelessness Education DVD is being brought into secondary schools.
Next steps:
Work is continuing for all of these actions and further progress is requested regularly by the Community Planning Group. Evaluation, networking and practice sharing continue to be at the forefront of the homelessness prevention agenda.
Lead Partners & Contact:
Liz Hamilton,
Housing & Social Work
Aberdeenshire Council
Liz.hamilton@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
01467 628406
K&M Communities 