INTRODUCTION
1. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 places a statutory requirement on local authorities to prepare a local housing strategy supported by an assessment of housing need and demand. The local housing strategy provides the strategic direction to tackle housing need and demand and to inform the future investment in housing and related services across the local authority area.
2. The first round of local housing strategies was produced in 2004. Most covered a five year period. This guidance, which has been agreed between the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities ( COSLA) and issued jointly, sets out key changes to the format and detail of local housing strategies in accordance with the new relationship between central and local government established through the Concordat and in line with proposed changes in national policy direction. It has been produced to provide general advice and principles for local authorities in preparing their new-style local housing strategies.
New relationship between the Scottish Government and local government
3. The Concordat between the Scottish Government and COSLA has established a new relationship between central and local government. This relationship is based on trust, mutual respect and full partnership working on the development of strategic approaches and the achievement of shared outcomes. The Scottish Government is enabling local authorities to have greater flexibility and responsibility for their actions and is stepping back from micro managing local authorities.
4. The new working arrangements are set within the context of a new performance framework, which takes an outcomes-focused approach. The transition to an outcomes-based approach with delivery partners, including local government, will leave the detailed management of services to those who can best understand and tailor their resources and activities in line with local priorities. The Scottish Government will concentrate on providing leadership and direction, and focus on strategic priorities.
5. The Concordat underpins the funding to be provided to local government for the period 2008/09 to 2010/11. In return for local government's commitment to delivering a number of national outcomes there has been a reduction in the level of ring fencing within the overall budget settlement and local authorities have greater autonomy to allocate their resources according to local priorities.
Single Outcome Agreements
6. Central to the new relationship set out in the Concordat is the creation of a Single Outcome Agreement between each local authority and the Scottish Government 1. Local authorities will have considered in their Single Outcome Agreements how they will contribute to the Scottish Government's fifteen national outcomes and set out specific local priorities and local outcomes. Local outcomes will follow from and focus local authority and partnership strategic planning.
7. The Scottish Government has developed a set of forty-five national indicators to track progress towards outcomes and has developed a menu of locally relevant indicators 2.
8. The Concordat and the associated development of Single Outcome Agreements will have an impact on how local authorities and their partners prepare the next round of local housing strategies. Particularly by:
- Reducing the level of detail required and including a much greater emphasis on outcomes and
- Integrating a number of related strategies and plans into the local housing strategy.
New emphasis on outcomes
9. We envisage the new-style local housing strategy having a clearer focus on strategic outcomes for housing and related support needs. It is expected that the local housing strategy will feed into and support the local authority's Single Outcome Agreement.
10. As part of the new working arrangement with local government, local housing strategies will no longer need to describe all the processes and activities involved in preparing the strategy. For example, they don't need to include a detailed description of an option appraisal process or a detailed action plan. Local authorities are encouraged to follow good practice in developing and implementing their local housing strategy.
Integrating plans and strategies into the local housing strategy
11. The local housing strategy will now be the sole strategic document on housing, homelessness and support issues.
12. In line with the Scottish Government's commitment to reduce the reporting requirements of local government, housing and related strategies have been rationalised. The production of separate strategies for homelessness, housing support 3 and fuel poverty will no longer need to be submitted to Scottish Ministers, although there remains a statutory duty on local authorities under the 2001 Housing (Scotland) Act to address these areas. The scope of the local housing strategy will be broadened and the strategy will now address the prevention and alleviation of homelessness, meeting housing support needs and fuel poverty issues. This will help facilitate the effective integration of strategic planning on these closely-related issues.
13. The Scottish Government plans to consult on options for reform of reporting requirements under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 ( HECA), which in due course may be included within the local housing strategy. Regardless of the outcome of the consultation on HECA, local housing strategies are expected to cover improvements in household energy efficiency, and the links with related areas such as fuel poverty and climate change.