Although the pandemic may seem like a distant memory, we are still dealing with the remnants of that in various ways, and I’d like to extend a note of gratitude to our Council staff for continuing to work though that as efficiently and effectively as possible.
The report indicates that we continue to punch way above our weight, with most of the elements of the report being positive, and well above the Scottish average. And while there is a minimal dip, overall, the report shows we are doing well.
Anti-social behaviour remains a problem and it is one that must be tackled with speed. The Council Leader, Councillor Forson, and I have met with Police Scotland to discuss how we can work in partnership to address this. Police Scotland and this Council have a duty of care to our tenants and residents to ensure that their lives are not disrupted by unacceptable behaviour. We have recently appointed a Tenant Participation Officer and we will continue to work with Police Scotland to identify methods to curb this and to form a strategy to deal with this longer term.
Our homeless figures remain high, as does our housing transfer list. This is a growing trend across the whole of the UK; this is not unique to Clackmannanshire. It won’t be a quick fix, but this Council is working tirelessly to improve our performance in that area. Just this year we’ve increased our housing stock through a buyback programme, aimed at bringing more homes into circulation, and the award-winning Primrose Place development is now fully populated. I recently visited the new tenants there and they are delighted with their new purpose-built homes.
In conclusion, this is a very good report, but we will always strive to improve. Our tenants and residents expect that, as they should.
Councillor Jane McTaggart
Spokesperson
Housing and Property
Housing
Kilncraigs, Greenside Street, Alloa, FK10 1EB
Tel: 01259 450000
Email: housing@clacks.gov.uk