BESAC(01)05 - SUMMARY OF CURRENT WORKING GROUPS
Introduction
1. This paper summarises current working groups that the Scottish Executive housing statistics and environment statistics groups are currently working with. Under the new arrangements these groups will report to the Built Environment Statistics Advisory Committee (BESAC).
HOMELESSNESS ELECTRONIC DATA CAPTURE PROJECT
Web site: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/homelessness/
Terms of reference
2. The purpose of the project board is to oversee the development and implementation of an electronic system to record, report and analyse information about applications to local authorities for assistance under the homelessness legislation.
3. The project board will have ultimate responsibility of ensuring the successful implementation of the new system and supporting processes, liasing with the Homelessness Task Force and Local Authorities to ensure agreement on the following:
- the requirements for information to be gathered and reported on each application.
- the feasibility and practicality of gathering the required information.
- the outputs and statistical summaries to be produced from electronic information system at different levels.
- the timetable and processes needed to successfully implement the new system.
- The Project Board will report regularly to the Homelessness Task Force on progress in developing and implementing the new system of electronic data capture.
Membership
4. The list below shows the current membership of the project board.
Duncan Gray (chair) - SE Development Department Economic Advice and Statistics Division
Alistair Anderson - SE Development Department Business Support Unit
Anna Dickie - SE Development Department Social Inclusion Division
Ruth Galbraith - Project Officer, Glasgow City Council (also representing COSLA)
Janet Holmes - Local Authority Best Value Homelessness Group
Chas Macintosh - SE Development Department Business Support Unit
Nigel Pain - SE Development Department Business Support Unit
Hal Pawson - Heriot Watt School of Housing and Planning (academic researcher with background in homelessness)
Deborah Pegg - SE Development Department Economic Advice and Statistics Division
Gerry Sheridan - Homelessness Officer, East Lothian (also representing COSLA)
Robert Spratt - SE Development Department Economic Advice and Statistics Division
Gillian Young - Scottish Homes
Papers also being sent to:
Graham Atherton - COSLA
Mark Turley- Representative of the LA Homelessness Reference Group (also Director of Housing at Edinburgh)
HOUSEHOLD ANALYSES REVIEW GROUP
Web site: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/housing/harg/
Purpose
5. The overall purpose of the group is to assist the Scottish Executive Housing Statistics Branch to:
(a) maintain relevant good quality official household estimates and projections;
(b) provide users with sound advice on the basis of household estimates and projections and their use.
Broad remit
6. To achieve its purpose the Household Analysis Review Group will review and will advise the Scottish Executive Housing Statistics Branch on:
(i) the need for and uses made of the SE household estimates and projections;
(ii) the data sources used to compile estimates and projections and possible alternatives;
(iii) the methodologies used to compile estimates and projections and possible alternatives.
(iv) approaches used to consult/ inform all users on methodological and data issues.
Membership
7. The current is as given below. The group is to consider whether any other organisations should be represented on the group
Duncan Gray (chair) - Scottish Executive Development Department Economic Advice & Statistics Division (SEDD EAS)
Stevan Croasdale - SEDD EAS
Helen Curry - Scottish Executive Development Department Planning Services Division
Ruth Dundas - Scottish Homes, Scottish House Condition Survey Team
Stephen Fraser - North Ayrshire Council (also representing SCAG)
Jan Freeke - Glasgow City Council
Alistair Harvey - City of Edinburgh Council
Craig McCorriston - West Lothian Council
Caroline Moore - Sirling Council
Derek Neill North - Lanarkshire Council
Deborah Pegg - SEDD EAS
Tom Snowling - Aberdeen City Council
HOUSING FORMS REVIEW GROUP
Background Information
8. To date, this group has been concerned with statistical returns from Local Authorities. The aim of the group is to ensure that returns are relevant, up to date and minimise the burden of form filling, and to be consistent with meeting government information needs.
Since the group last met the new forms for Houses in Multiple Occupation, Lettings and Evictions were introduced from March 2001, and several of the forms were updated slightly in order to reflect current policy and/or reduce the burden on Local Authorities. Data collections currently prioritised for review include houses below tolerable standard, special needs housing and Local Authority housing improvements. Further work is to be done to consider the feasibility of collecting more data electronically.
Membership (as at December 2000)
Deborah Pegg (Chair) - Scottish Executive Development Department Economic Advice & Statistics Division (SEDD EAS)
Murdo Macpherson - Scottish Homes
Craig Binns - Housing Services, Glasgow City Council
Stevan Croasdale - (SEDD EAS)
Alistair Hackett - Development & Initiatives, Fife Council
Mark McCabe - Scottish Homes
Hal Pawson - School of Planning and Housing, Heriot Watt University
Norma Robson - Housing and Social Work Services, Perth and KinrossCouncil
Robert Spratt - (SEDD EAS)
SCOTTISH VACANT AND DERELICT LAND SURVEY (SVDLS) WORKING GROUP
Purpose
The working group exists to provide a forum for discussion on the operational issues that arise from running the survey and the dissemination of results.
A review group has also been set up to consider future directions for the survey, with similar membership to the review group. It is hoped that the review of the survey will be concluded by the end of the year.
Graham Purves (Chair) - Scottish Executive Development Department Planning Services (SEDD PLS)
Sheila Alderson - South Lanarkshire Council
Stephen Benge - Midlothian Council
Jim Coyle - Glasgow City Council
Jean Curran - Scottish Enterprise
Alex Dalrymple - Fife Council
Graeme Finlay - Falkirk Council
George Flett - West Lothian Council
Margo Houston - East Ayrshire Council
John Landrock - SE Development Department Economic Advice and
Statistics Division - (SEDD EAS)
Fergus MacLeod - Inverclyde Council
Gordon MacNaughton - North Lanarkshire Council
Andrew Maxwell - Dumfries & Galloway Council
Emma Richardson - SEDD PLS
Esther Roughsedge - SEDD EAS
David Stephenson - Lanarkshire Development Agency
Iain Stewart - Renfrewshire Council
Paula Woolgar - SEPA
Scottish Executive Environment Statistics
Scottish Executive Housing Statistics
September 2001