Action notes - Ward Forum - West Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh (Ward 10)

Meeting held on 28th September 2009 at 1400 in Poolewe Village Hall

 

Chair: Cllr Jean Urquhart

 

Present: Cllr Biz Campbell; Cllr Richard Greene; Cllr Audrey Sinclair; Cllr Jean Urquhart; Alasdair MacLeod (Applecross CC); Alison MacLeod (Applecross CC); Catherine Finlayson (Contin CC); Isobel Stewart (Contin CC); Syd Garrioch (Gairloch CC); Isobel MacKenzie (Gairloch CC); Willie Macrae (Gairloch CC); Jean Hollingdale (Garve & District CC); Sue Tarr (Garve & District CC); Kenneth Morrison (Lochbroom CC); William Smith (Lochbroom CC); Helen Murchieson (Lochcarron CC); David Reid (Marybank, Scatwell & Strathconon CC); Brian Ash Shieldaig CC; Tom Forrest (Torridon & Kinlochewe CC); Amy Macdonald (Wester Lochewe CC); Margaret Denny (Wester Lochewe CC); Catherine Urquhart-Taylor (Wester Lochewe CC) and 5 Members of the public.

 

Officials in attendance: Robbie Bain (THC); David Goldie (Head of Housing, THC); Tracey Urry(Housing & Property Manager, Ross, Skye & Lochaber, THC); Helen Cameron (Development Programme Coordinator, Albyn Housing Society); Helen Barton (Housing and Communities Director, Albyn Housing Society); Tom Hainey (Highland Small Communities Housing Trust).

 

Introduction

 

Jean Urquhart welcomed everyone to the meeting.

 

Police Issues

 

Insp Reiss (Dingwall) had presented his apologies that he was unable to be present, particularly since this would have been his last chance to attend a Ward 6 Forum, prior to his departure from Dingwall.  The forum congratulates Matthew on his promotion to Chief Inspector and wishes him well in his new role as Area Commander for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross.

 

Housing

 

David Goldie, Head of Housing, Highland Council.  David outlined the process on developing the local Housing Strategy.  He noted that this was a legal requirement every five years and a new plan needs to be brought in 2010.  The draft plan was currently out for consultation along with the Planning & Development Service’s Highland Wide Development Plan.

 

David discussed the Housing Needs Assessment which looks at population changes across Highland, the number of housing units needed to meet likely demand and the likely proportion that could afford to buy.  He noted that current projections were for the Wester Ross population to grow by 15% by 2031 but that the trend for house prices to rise faster than incomes was more marked in Wester Ross than in other areas.  About 55-60 houses per year were required in Wester Ross to meet demand and this area is one of the least affordable in Highland.  Currently there are 255 people on the housing register in Wester Ross against 36 houses which became available in the last year.  However there has been a healthy development programme, 192 new affordable homes built in Wester Ross since 2005.

 

Tom Hainey, CEO, Highland Small Communities Housing Trust.  Tom explained that HSCHT was a charity that worked with communities that expressed need for affordable housing.  Having identified local needs it then worked with agencies to bring forward development sites.  In its 11 years, it has created more than 200 affordable homes in 33 communities.  It also provides low-cost building sites through the rural ownership burden and also operates a land-bank fund so that once sites are sold, the fund rolls over into acquisition of new sites.

 

Tracey Urry, Housing & Property Manager, Ross, Skye & Lochaber.  The role of Tracey’s department is to manage, allocate and maintain the local authority housing stock in Ross, Sky & Lochaber.  In this area there are 428 properties, 519 people on the housing register against 19 Council-owned properties that becam available in the last year.  This means that there were 27 applicants fo reach vacancy.  Highest demand is in Ullapool, Kyle and Gairloch.  At the moment there are 19 people on the register with a need to reside in Poolewe, the Council has 8 units in Poolewe and Albyn has 17, with an average of one vacancy per year.  Allocation can be controversial but THC now operates a single housing register along with its Housing Association partners, with a single application form and an agreed points system for determining need.  Tracey made it clear that there is now no Councillor involvement in housing allocations, with decisions resting with officials.  She also noted that the tenancy agreement give both rights and obligations, including maintenance responsibilities.

 

Helen Barton, Housing & Communities Director, Albyn Housing Society.  Helen explained that her role covered everything to do with people: allocations; tenancies etc, while Helen Cameron’s role was in the development of new housing for Albyn.

 

Albyn is a Housing Association and Registered Social Landlord, under the Scottish Housing Regulations and there is legislation which covers everything that they can and can’t do.  Albyn is a charity and social enterprise, established in 1973 in Invergordon and covers all of Highland with the exceptions of Lochalsh & Lochaber.  They currently have more than 100 houses in Wester Ross, and have a commitment to working with smaller communities.

 

Allocations are always a challenge, new developments help but there is never enough housing to meet demand.  The work with communities on the allocation process and have an involvement with the Howard Doris Centre in Lochcarron on integrateing housing and care needs.

 

Helen Cameron, Development Programme Coordinator, Albyn Housing Society.  Helen briefed the forum on recent Albyn Developments in the area, with 37 new Albyn units having been completed in the last two years.  She noted that the next few years looked like they would be more challenging.  Albyn is currently building at Achtercairn, Gairloch and has a small project due in Strathpeffer, but Government funding for new developments was likely to be tight and rural projects tended to be more expensive per unit and more challenging.

 

Questions and discussions included:

  • Progress on developing the Kirkton site in Lochcarron – it was noted that the Council had a commitment to developing the site and hoped that this would be in the budget plan for 2011/12.
  • Questions over people moving into private rented accommodation and their status on the housing list.  The response was that people in private rented accommodation could remain on the housing list, but that if the tenancy was secure and the accommodation suitable, they were unlikely to get many points towards their allocation need.  While there was no longer any means to set “fair” rents, housing benefit sets a ceiling of about £450 - £550 per month for a two-bed unit.
  • Rumours of people taking in lodgers then moving out, leaving lodger with tenancy ahead of people in greater need.  There are a number of scenarios on this: Tenant may have left without telling landlord; tenant and “lodger” may have had joint tenancy; tenant may have temporarily left for work contract and agreed sub-let with landlord.
  • Are there schemes to encourage private sector to build or let?  Yes, the Rural Leasing Scheme – which gives guarantees on maintenance, rental and return of property at end of lease.  However it was noted that returns did not match the private sector and that owner had no control over allocation.
  • Issues arise where new houses bring in families and help fill the school, but as time goes on the children grow up and the house does not become available for new families.  Housing needs assessment may not pick up the need from people who have had to move away and are no longer around to express need.  The response was that to attract funding to build house, the Associations needed to be able to show demand.  However it was also noted that HSCHT does not need to allocate on the same policy as local authority or Housing Association – it can allocate on Housing Need or Community Need, which could include the need to fill the school.
  • How are the sale LIFT properties in Poolewe progressing?  The project is due to be completed in November but at present no great interest in LIFT sales.  Recent mail-drop to remarket properties.
  • It was noted that there were no properties available for young people with learning disabilities, although there were 24 people in this category.  There was a need to link the Housing Strategy and the Community Care Plan.  The problem was not one of will but of finding suitable housing or land to put such a project together.  There are good examples in the East to follow, which Albyn are involved with.
  • There was also a need expressed for more “in-between” housing between own home and care-home.  There was sheltered housing in both Gairloch and Lochcarron but still a need form the equivalent of the units in the Howard Doris Centre.  In Gairloch & Ullapool the Sheltered housing had been demoted to amenity and no longer has link to care home next door.  His was due to changes in the regulation of care, the Care Commission not allowing staff in a care home to provide service outside of it.  A pilot project was now in operation where a part-time warden provides a limited service to the housing tenants.  While this was appreciated it was not a 24/7 service and not adequate.
  • The pace of change for elderly people facing the loss of the old model of sheltered care and the longer term provision of tele-care was a concern.

Jean Urquhart concluded the meeting by thanking the Poolewe Hall Committee for their help in organising the catering, which had been provided by the Poolewe Hotel.