Perth and Kinross Council continues to deliver high-quality housing and homelessness services that have a hugely positive impact on families and households across the area, a senior Councillor has said.
Housing and Social Wellbeing Convener, Councillor Tom McEwan, highlighted the wide range of achievements by Housing Services over the last year, and said: "The work done by our Housing Services to support all kinds of people in Perth and Kinross to live happy and healthy lives cannot be underestimated. Having access to quality housing, in a place they want to live, hugely improves the life chances of our residents.
"I'm very proud of the work our Housing Services continue to do, not just for our Council tenants, but for any residents of Perth and Kinross who need housing support.
"The work our staff do represents proper value for money in a number of ways. It has a significant impact of reducing poverty, and in tackling climate change, to give a few important examples."
Councillor McEwan was reacting to performance which in the last year saw the Council:
- Purchase over 115 properties off the open market to allocate to families and other households in housing need.
- Build in partnership with our local housing association providers and the Scottish Government, 123 new build properties to help meet the housing need of families living in overcrowded accommodation or facing a homelessness situation
- Carry out 272 in-person home visits, and 38 remote services support to Council tenants to provide households with support to improve the energy efficiency of their home, in partnership with SCARF.
- Improve the energy efficiency of Council homes to help reduce fuel poverty and provide healthier homes. Through Scottish Government ECO4 Flex funding energy efficiency measures were installed in 161 properties across the area.
- Continue our multi-million-pound capital investment programme to improve the homes of existing tenants by installing new heating systems, triple glazed windows, external doors, kitchens and bathrooms in tenants' homes.
- Support 232 families with 441 dependants to sustain their tenancies and avoid homelessness.
- Support 185 families struggling financially to access a range of benefits, services and also address their rent arrears through a partnership with Citizens' Advice Bureau.
- Reduce the number of families presenting as homeless - despite increasing pressures on the housing system, the number of families presenting as homeless reduced from 130 in 23/24 to 123 in 24/25
- Minimise the use of bed and breakfast placements for families presenting as homeless. No family was accommodated for more than three nights in B&B before moving to suitable accommodation
- Provide brand-new energy efficient high-quality replacement chalet accommodation for our tenants at Double Dykes
- Reduce overall rent arrears from 10.98% to 8.83%
Councillor McEwan added: "We will of course not always get everything right as a Council, but I know that our Housing Services are among the best in Scotland. There is often a negative narrative of Councils 'wasting money' but the work done by our Housing staff continues to provide incalculable value to the lives of people who live in Perth and Kinross, at a time when all local authorities are operating with tight budgets.
"It is only right that this fantastic work is highlighted. We will continue to do all we can to provide additional affordable housing and support any resident who needs housing help and support in our area."
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