Neighbourhood, Housing And Communities Committee - 27/10/2025
At a MEETING of the NEIGHBOURHOOD, HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE held remotely on 27th October, 2025.
Present:-
|
Lord Provost Bill CAMPBELL
|
|
Depute Lord Provost Nadia EL-NAKLA |
BAILIES
|
Will DAWSON |
Kevin KEENAN |
Christina ROBERTS |
|
Willie SAWERS |
Fraser MACPHERSON |
Derek SCOTT |
COUNCILLORS
|
Heather ANDERSON |
Steven ROME |
George McIRVINE |
|
Jimmy BLACK |
Lynne SHORT |
Wendy SCULLIN |
|
Kevin CORDELL |
Roisin SMITH |
Pete SHEARS |
|
Stewart HUNTER |
Siobhan TOLLAND |
Daniel COLEMAN |
|
Ken LYNN |
Georgia CRUICKSHANK |
Michael CRICHTON |
|
Lee MILLS |
Jax FINNEGAN |
Craig DUNCAN |
|
|
Dorothy McHUGH |
|
Councillor Kevin Cordell, Convener, in the Chair.
The minute of meeting of this Committee of 22nd September, 2025 was held as read.
Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.
I DECLARATION OF INTEREST
Councillor McHugh declared an interest in the item of business at Article IX of this minute by virtue of living in a property where works were being undertaken.
Councillor Scullin declared an interest in the item of business at Article IX of this minute by virtue of living in a property where works were being undertaken.
II HOUSING EMERGENCY
This item had been placed on the agenda at the request of Bailie Keenan.
Bailie Keenan, seconded by Councillor McHugh, moved that, given Dundee City Councils unanimous acceptance of the Scottish Housing Emergency and its detrimental impact on people locally trying to obtain affordable rented housing in the City (Minute of Meeting of the Neighbourhood Regeneration, Housing and Estate Management Committee 23rd June, 2025 Article III refers), the Committee:-
- declare a Housing Emergency in Dundee;
- remit Officers to bring forward, at the earliest possible time, a Housing Emergency Action Plan to address the Housing Emergency in Dundee;
- instruct the Chief Executive to write to the First Minister highlighting the issues facing the City and requesting financial support to address the following:-
- Accepted processed homeless applications (828)
- Homeless living in temporary accommodation (431)
- Children grown up in temporary accommodation (227)
- Breaches of Legislation (270)
(Figures correct as at 31st March, 2025)
Bailie Keenan also moved that the Chief Executive include a call for additional funding to address RAAC issues within the City, and agreed that the following sentence from Bailie Macpherson be included:-
- That the First Minister be invited to visit Dundee.
As an amendment, the Convener, seconded by Councillor Short, moved that the motion not be agreed.
On a division, there voted for the motion - Bailies Keenan, Macpherson, Roberts and Scott and Councillors Cruickshank, Finnegan, McHugh, McIrvine, Scullin, Shears, Coleman, Crichton and Duncan (13); and for the amendment - the Convener, Lord Provost Campbell, Depute Lord Provost El-Nakla, Bailies Dawson and Sawers and Councillors Anderson, Black, Hunter, Lynn, Mills, Rome, Short, Smith and Tolland (14) - whereupon the amendment was declared carried and became the finding of the meeting.
III RECOGNITION OF WESTERN GATEWAY COMMUNITY AS A NEIGHBOURHOOD REPRESENTATIVE STRUCTURE
There was submitted Agenda Note AN31-2025 asking that the Committee note the recognition of Western Gateway Community as a Neighbourhood Representative Structure. Dundee City Council previously agreed that, under certain circumstances recognition given to Community Councils should be extended to other neighbourhood representative organisations (Article II of the Leisure, Arts and Communities Committee of 11th November, 2002, Report No 725-2002 refers). A formal request for recognition as a Neighbourhood Representative Structure was received from Western Gateway Community and had been assessed by officers as having met all criteria. In satisfying the criteria for recognition as a Neighbourhood Representative Structure, Western Gateway Community may request an administration grant, support, information and consultation from all Council departments in the same manner as a Community Council.
The Committee agreed to note the recognition of Western Gateway Community as a Neighbourhood Representative Structure.
IV DUNDEE STRATEGIC HOUSING INVESTMENT PLAN 2025/2030
There was submitted Report No 302-2025 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services seeking approval of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2026/2031.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) the content of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026/2031; and
(ii) the submission of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan to the Scottish Government.
V REGULATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING IN SCOTLAND - ANNUAL ASSURANCE STATEMENT
There was submitted Report No 303-2025 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services seeking approval of the Annual Assurance Statement for submission to the Scottish Housing Regulator.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the requirements of the Scottish Housing Regulators Framework for the Regulation of Social Housing in Scotland;
(ii) to note the range of existing opportunities for tenants and Elected Members to scrutinise the operation and performance of the Council in relation to its duties as a social landlord;
(iii) to approve the Annual Assurance Statement which was attached to the report as Appendix 1;
(iv) to authorise its submission to the Scottish Housing Regulator and publication on the Councils website.
VI REVIEW OF RENTS AND OTHER HOUSING CHARGES
There was submitted Report No 308-2025 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services setting out the proposed rent and other housing charges for the financial year 2026/2027 and seeking approval to consult with tenants on these proposals.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to approve that the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services consult with tenants for a two-month period on the proposed options for the rent increase for 2026/2027 as outlined in the report;
(ii) to note the Provisional Revenue Budgets for 2027/2028 and 2028/2029 detailed in Appendix 1 and the indicative rent increases for each of these years outlined in paragraph 8.3 of the report;
(iii) to note the proposed other housing charges included in Appendix 2 to this report that would become effective from 6th April, 2026;
(iv) to agree that only the rent options which had been the subject of consultation with tenants over the 2-month period be used to set the 2026/2027 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Revenue Budget and rent and other housing charges;
(v) to note that a review in respect of the level of HRA shop rental income to be received by the HRA for 2026/2027 was underway by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services and the Executive Director of City Development and that the outcome of this review would be reported back to committee for consideration;
(vi) to agree the methodology for setting the proposed rent setting, changing from the Gross Annual Values (GAV) multiplier basis to a straight percentage increase basis;
(vii) to note that a report outlining the final budget and proposed rent and other charges for 2026/2027 would be brought back to City Governance Committee for approval on 19th January, 2026; and
(viii) that section 5 be included in consultation papers to be shared with tenants.
VII RAPID REHOUSING TRANSITION PLAN (RRTP) - REVIEW OF 2024/2025
There was submitted Report No 309-2025 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services providing an update on the performance of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan and also the homeless position during 2024/2025. The original plan was approved by the Neighbourhood Services Committee on 7th January, 2019, Article V refers.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the content of the report and the attached 2024/2025 update on the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan.
VIII COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PROGRESS
There was submitted Report No 297-2025 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services providing an update on the progress of Dundees community empowerment work and the contribution of Local Community Planning towards reducing inequalities in the city.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the progress in the implementation of Local Community Planning and the reduction in inequalities;
(ii) to note the associated areas of good practice including Dundee City Council being recognised as finalists for awards at the COSLA Excellence Awards 2025, Association of Public Sector Excellence 2025, Scottish Public Service Awards 2024 and Smarter Working Lives 2024; and
(iii) to note that Dundee City Council had exceeded the target set by COSLA for Participatory Budgeting for 2024/2025.