Council leader Owen O'Donnell

The strategy, titled A Welcome Home, applies to all housing in East Renfrewshire including owner occupiers and private rented as well as social housing.

The council said it has undertaken extensive research and consultation in preparing the new strategy to ensure the main issues affecting the housing market are fully captured, allowing the service to shape five strategic housing priorities.

Current pressures include homelessness, the condition and energy efficiency of homes and the needs of residents from a health and support perspective.

The strategy follows the recent declaration of a local housing emergency due to the pressures facing the homelessness service. As part of the council’s actions to respond to this, the LHS commits to a continuation of working with partners to prevent homelessness by providing effective support and information, and to delivering a minimum of 45 additional affordable homes per year on average over five years.

The ambition is to exceed this target to a possible 65 affordable homes per year, as has been achieved in previous years, subject to land and funding availability.

The LHS themes cover:

• enough of the right homes to rent or buy, in the places where they are needed;
• homes that meet a lifetime of needs, supporting residents to live independently;
• working together to deliver the advice and support people need, when they need it;
• good quality homes (and neighbourhoods); improving standards across East Renfrewshire; and
• East Renfrewshire’s carbon footprint; making improvements to homes and reducing energy usage.

Council leader Owen O’Donnell said: “I’m pleased that our new Local Housing Strategy for the next five years is now in place. The vision, priorities and plan for action reflects the views of our stakeholders on the key issues and how we should tackle these, and I commend our Housing Service for their efforts in finalising the strategy.

“Our recent local housing emergency declaration highlights the issues we’re facing, but this strategy will play its part in responding to the crisis and we remain committed to championing housing matters for all East Renfrewshire residents.”