Progress on housing initiatives in Falkirk will be discussed

These reports will cover the Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028, the Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2025-30 and the Annual Housing Provision Report 2024.
Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 – first year update

Falkirk Council’s Local Housing Strategy (LHS) 2023-2028 was approved in October 2023 and aims to address local housing challenges.

Over the last year, 210 affordable homes were completed. These homes include 132 brand new homes, 74 buy-back homes and 4 homes purchased by people on the Open Shared Market Scheme, which helps people afford to buy their own home.

Despite challenges such as reduced subsidies and increased costs, the council has made progress in areas such as sustainable housing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Currently, 95.8% of council properties meet the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing Scotland (EESSH).

A new Empty Homes Plan is also expected to be approved, setting out ways to bring empty homes back into use.

The Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) report reviews progress in 2023-24, with £13.6 million spent on affordable housing projects.

SHIP 2025-2030 sets out plans to help meet local housing needs, supported by a projected income of £9.5m in Scottish Government grant funding in 2025-2026.

The local authority said it would continue to work with its housing partners to provide a range of housing options for the community.

The annual report on housing insurance details the council’s compliance with the standards of the Scottish Housing Regulator. Significant progress has been made and, although some areas still require improvement, the Council has developed strategies to return to full compliance by 2025.

The results of the 2024 Tenant Satisfaction Survey show that satisfaction rates have increased compared to the previous survey and are above the national average in many indicators.

• 93.4% overall satisfaction with the housing service (up from 75.3% in 2021)
• 96.4% satisfaction with the quality of homes (up from 77%)
• 96.9% believe the rental provides good value for money (up from 76.6%)

These results will be included in the Tenant and Customer Participation Strategy for 2025–2028.

Kenny Gillespie, director of housing and communities, noted that progress had been made despite financial and logistical challenges.

He said: “The council continues to work to deliver high quality affordable housing. We look forward to presenting the report to elected members at the Board meeting.”