Action Notes of East Sutherland and Edderton Ward Forum held on 20 April 2009 at Golspie Community Centre

Agenda

Attending

Cllr. Deirdre Mackay (Chair) Highland Council
Cllr. Jim McGillivray  Highland Council
Cllr Ian Ross   Highland Council
Iain Miller   Golspie Community Council
Alistair MacIver  Rogart Community Council
Evelyn Mackenzie  Helmsdale Community Council
Bill Faassen de Heer  Brora Community Council
Ann Keatinge   VGES
Insp. Ramsay Aitken  Northern Constabulary
Tina Luxton   Highland Council
John McHardy   Highland Council
Helen Barton   Albyn Housing Society
Donald Lockhart   Albyn Housing Society
Ronnie Macrae   Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust
Ian Hargrave   Highland Council
Phil Tomalin   Highland Council

13 Members of the Public

1 Apologies

2 Action Points/ Matters Arising

• George Hamilton had provided further information on SRDP – made available at the meeting.

3 Ward Discretionary Budget

• Sheet circulated with details of grants made in 2008/9. There were no questions
• The budget for 2009/10 will be £59,659 (the same as 2008/9)

4 Housing

Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust

The Trust is engaged in the following activities:
• Advice on affordable housing issues
• Helps communities to identify housing needs
• Sourcing funding to meet demands
• Focus on serviced plots sold at discount to eligible groups
• HSCHT retains a share of equity

Albyn Housing

• Albyn Housing, based in Invergordon, was founded in 1973, is a Registered Social Landlord, a charity and a social enterprise (profit is reinvested into communities)
• Approx 2000 properties to rent in Highlands inc. approx 80 in East Sutherland and Edderton Ward
• Offers properties for rent and low cost ownership
Albyn Developments
• HAs are an important mechanism for delivering housing, following demise of LA role
• Funding sourced from 2nd homes Council Tax and from Scottish Government
• Of £25m invested in new housing in Highlands, approx. £1.2m has been in East Sutherland and Edderton Ward inc. 60 units currently under development
• Also land-banking for future development
• Range of developments from 1 or 2 houses to 200 house developments

Affordable housing initiatives – two routes:

1 Shared equity
• Entire house is sold but a share of equity bought by owner (usu. min is 60% - this can be increased with time)
• Scheme targeted at particular groups e.g. disabled, low income, current tenants, ex service families, people whose circumstances have changed
• Details on website
2 Low cost initiative for first time buyers (LIFT)
• For new houses and houses sold on open market
• Proving successful and popular given falling house prices, houses are now more affordable
• 30 in Highlands in last 6 months

Schemes in the new development programme for East Sutherland and Edderton Ward

Dornoch
• Willows - 12 properties - 6 to rent, 6 to buy (new LIFT)
• Pat Munro site - 4 houses to rent
Golspie - Drummuie
• With Highland Housing Alliance low carbon housing units
• 6 homes rent, 2 new LIFT
• Smaller units reflecting Golspie demand

Challenging economic climate
• Change to Govt. grant schemes
• Demand for low carbon housing, which is more expensive
• Difficulty of getting private sector partners

LIFT targeted at tenants (because removal of right to buy in pressurised parts of Highland although not East Sutherland and Edderton Ward), but not exclusive to tenants. Min 60% equity, but 51% for tenants

Highland Council

HC Housing and Property Service involved with
• Landlord functions
• ASBO
• Homelessness
• Private sector housing grants
• Care and Repair, Handyperson services
• Provide direction and steer funding and coordinate housing provision
• Work on developments with partners

Allocations are through Highland Housing Register
• Includes HC, Albyn, Pentland, Cairn, Skye and Lochalsh, Lochaber Housing
• Equitable access across areas and agencies
• Single form and assessment
• Zone connection – live in community, links to communities, or other connection e.g. care requirement.
• Zones are wide – need for review?

HC Developments

• Drummuie - affordable to rent nad buy (LIFT)
• Also sites for private housing and self build inc at affordable and full market value
• Similar possibilities n Helmsdale and Brora

Housing of older people important - needs to be attractive and can release family homes
Highland Housing Alliance is consortium of HC, Housing Associations and HSCHT
HHA prepare sites to release for development, inc private development

Discussion points

Written question from Martin Ross “Please can you provide information on current plans for development of housing in Golspie?”
• Provision is at Drummuie site
• Infrastructure almost in place
• Market conditions have led to more modest scheme
• 14 rented low cost units will available by early 2010 plus 6 self build affordable plots (£50K) and six self build open market priced plots (£60-70K)
• First plot already submitted for planning permission
Martin Ross linked to Mackay Hostel site in Golspie. Demolition of hostel building welcomed, and recognition that site has been landscaped, but still needs some tidying up.

Helmsdale has site available and despite two feasibility studies there has been no action. Helmsdale is losing families due to lack of housing. Situation is starting to affect community confidence
• HSCHT have been involved in Helmsdale, conducted surgeries and feasibility study
• Partners are keen to get something going in Helmsdale - HHA are developing work started by HSCHT
• Housing Development Forum looks at demand based on register - Helmsdale currently has 22 applicants with Helmsdale as first choice
• Strategic Housing Investment Plan identifies 6 units for Helmsdale in 2010/11
• Also will open up site and offer potential self build opportunities
• Site (Rockview/ Simpson Crescent) belongs to the Council
• Once local plan finalised discussion will start in Helmsdale about development and impact on amenities / facilities e.g. existing play park
• Also open market LIFT is available to people in Helmsdale now.

Are there any plans to extend self build sites beyond those already mentioned?
• Possibilities at Mill Wynd in Brora

Allocations Policy - Perceptions that local people are losing out
• Against the law to allocate on residency alone
• Common perception but no evidence - 85% of allocations have local connection
• People can be disappointed because they do not have enough points and do not understand/ recognise the needs of others e.g. problems of hidden homelessness
• However if allocations are based on false info, people are urged to let HC/HA’s know so it can be investigated - confidentiality issues mean you will not always get a reply, but it will be investigated
• Simply, solution would be more housing

Highland wide Local Development Plan

• Aligns with housing strategies etc
• Out to consultation shortly
• Inc. review of Housing in Countryside policy, esp. important in Tain hinterland - design and sitting will be important

5 Police and Community Safety – Insp. Ramsay Aitken

• Brief introduction of Insp. Aitken who has recently become Area Inspector, Sutherland and East Ross
• Served with Northern Constabulary across Highland for 23 years, local connections with Golspie
• Looking forward to working with communities.
• Priority will be safer, communities and continued low crime rate

Discussion point:
Troublemakers who move to communities, Links between Housing and Police?
• Highland Housing Register cannot screen applicants for anti social behaviour tendencies generally, but will take up references from recent previous tenancies which will be taken into account
• Homeless people have to be housed somewhere, and include local households in high housing need
• If there are issues surrounding potential behaviour, partnership working between Housing providers, Police and NHS etc can help address issues and manage behaviour
• Often lower tolerance to incomers who have problems compared to local people with similar issues

6 Voluntary Sector Ann Keatinge

• Community Council training has been completed
• Sutherland Summit has been postponed until Autumn.
• Vol. sector feeling effect of economic downturn, esp. fundraising and higher costs

7 Issues raised by Community Councils

Golspie

Views on Gaelic Road signs
• Range of opinions on Gaelic road signs
• Only applies to signs that need replacing e.g. condition of sign, change of information
• Work ongoing in Wales to establish whether there are any road safety issues with bilingual signs
• A more flexible approach, reflecting community preference is favoured
• 27% of costs of sign replacement come from Scottish Govt. the remainder comes from HC budgets – is there an impact on services?
• The issue has become too high profile - there are more important issues to discuss
• Whilst bilingual road signs may enrich life and experience for visitors, blanket application of Gaelic Plan across Highland has caused controversy in some east coast communities that do not have a Gaelic tradition
A9
• Verges north of Dornoch bridge not cut, and are covered in litter
• Trees overgrowing onto road esp, Golspie to Brora
ACTION PT to write to Transerv

8 Issues raised by Councillors - None

9 Questions from Members of the Public

Association of Scottish Community Councils seminar in Lairg
• Only 4 Sutherland CCs represented.
• Raised issue of local organisations of CCs
• Alistair MacIver seeing whether there is interest in Ward 5
• Alistair requests that CCs discuss and get back to him with views
• Helmsdale supports the initiative

Housing Applications - Are application forms submitted to checks? Do people have to be homeless to be considered for housing? How can young people stay without housing?
• Unfortunately it is not possible to house everybody
• Checks are done on forms and info provided before an offer is made
• May include a visit to check personal and housing circumstances
• Proof required for some points
• But, need to recognise reality of managing list of 11,000 applicants
• You don’t need to be homeless to get a house, but in some areas stock is very limited, but not generally the case in East Sutherland and Edderton Ward
• Need to recognise that homelessness represents an urgent need
• Points system is transparent and objective
• If aware of misrepresentation, let housing providers know and case will be investigated
Cllrs working with Cllr. Michael Foxley on this issue, collecting evidence of allocations adversely affecting local people to present to Scottish Government. Whilst there is support for priority for local people, there is a need to follow the law.