The Highland Council

Since Highland Housing Register was introduced in May 2008, we’ve been watching the operation and outcomes of the policy to see if it is working the way it was intended.

We’ve identified 6 areas where some change will either improve or clarify what we do and we would like to ask you whether you agree or disagree with the changes we propose. We also attach a comment form for you to give us your views on each of these changes.

1. Care and Support Needs

We have had feedback that this category of housing need may not always have included some people needing to live independently who were not necessarily moving from residential or nursing care.

In response we will extend and clarify eligibility to people from a wide range of settings, includingresidential care or nursing home, hospital and supported accommodation, as well as Throughcare and Aftercare and Kinship Care.

2. Local Connection

We learned from feedback from our staff and applicants that our policy was not very clear about what was meant by the term ‘Zone Connection’.

In response we propose to use the term “Local Connection” and will award an applicant additional priority where they “have established social or family networks in an area or where they otherwise have a need to reside in the area for the following reasons:

• to accept or maintain employment in the area applied for, or
• to receive or provide essential care or support in the area applied for.”

We will no longer apply points because someone already lives in an area but has no other need to live there.

3. Poor Housing Condition

We learned from feedback that this category of housing need was complicated and difficult to understand.

In response we will simplify the category to better identify and help people with poor housing conditions in the private sector. We will award priority based on 3 levels of property defects and will provide information and advice on newly introduced rights of private sector tenants and responsibilities for private landlords.

4. Overcrowding

In our previous policy applicants were awarded a different level of points if they were overcrowded because of overnight access to children than if they had children living with them or were pregnant.

We learned that there are quite a small number of applicants with demonstrated occasional access to children. To be more consistent and fair to these applicants we will award the same level of points for overcrowding to people in all these situations.

5. Underoccupancy

We learned from feedback that it can be challenging both financially and practically for some people to move house, and this may deter them from doing so.

In response we want to develop a “downsizing” policy which helps people to move to smaller more suitably sized housing. We want to target this approach in areas of Highland where we have a shortage of family homes.

6. Special Lettings Plans

We’ve learned that some communities which are under a lot of housing pressure sometimes need a special or targeted approach to how new housing provision is allocated to help sustain the community. This is more likely to apply to smaller communities, but may also be where there is a need to regenerate a community which is in decline.

In response we propose to introduce a system where eligible communities can have what is called a Special Lettings Plan to make sure that a minimum target of people with a specific need to live in the particular community have this need recognised in the assessment of their housing need.

The Highland Council’s Antisocial Behaviour Policy feedback form

In order for TEC Services to reflect Education service requirements, we need your assistance. Please help by filling out this short survey.

Tell us how important various aspects of the service are to you and what you think of the service we provide by listing the below in order of priority to you..

Your participation is completely voluntary and will help ensure that the Service Level Agreement reflects customer priorities.

Your views are very important to us, and we will endeavour to take into account the results of this survey to bring you the level of service you deserve and expect.

The things we value affect how we go about our business. Values for the Council would underpin our approach to serving Highland communities. It’s not so much about what we do, but how we do it.

The following values have been drafted in consultation with Council managers. We want to know what you think about these values and how we could demonstrate them.

Please answer the questions below – it won’t take more than a few minutes. Your response will be anonymous, but we do ask you to tell us what service you work in. This would help us to understand how to consult further in your service.

For each of the statements below please tell us if you think it makes sense as a Council value.

Thank you for answering these questions. We’ll post the results here next month

A’ dealbh Roi-Innleachd Taigheadais airson - Ur Beachdan

Please give us your views and comments on the issues contained in the newsletter “Drawing up a Housing Strategy for the Highlands” and our proposed approaches.

We are happy to accept responses from individuals, community councils etc.

The closing date for comments is the end of December 2009.

Please use this form to report any changes in your/your household’s circumstances that you think might affect your Council Tax and/or Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Second Adult Rebate. If you are unsure whether you need to tell us, we recommend that you tell us anyway and we will let you know the outcome. If we require further information we will contact you in writing or by telephone.

For the purposes of this form, Benefit is defined as Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Second Adult Rebate

Help and Advice: For help and advice with the completion of this form, please contact the Council’s Operations Team by telephoning Freephone 0800 393811.

Please fill out any relevant fields below, fields in RED are mandatory.

Application Form / Bileag Tagraidh

To apply for the Pass Plus Scheme Grant, please complete the form below. Fields in RED are mandatory.

Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003 Section 11

Notice by Landlord of Proceedings for Possession

Under the duties placed on landlords by the above legislation please complete and send this form. The form should be sent at the point proceedings are raised in Court for possession of the property.

Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003 Section 11

Notice by Creditors of Service of

• Calling-up Notice/Notice of Default; or
• Application to Court for a Warrant to Exercise Remedies on Default; or
• Proceedings to Eject Proprietor.

Under the duties placed on creditors by the above legislation please complete and send this form. The form should be sent at the point proceedings are raised in Court.

We would very much like your help in assessing the success of Highland Archaeology Festival. We would be very grateful if you could complete this feedback form for the events you attended. The more detail you can provide the more useful it will be for forward planning, but don’t worry if you can’t complete every section fully -all information will be welcome.