The Local Housing Strategy sets out a West Dunbartonshire approach to meeting housing and housing related challenges, making West Dunbartonshire a place where tenants and residents thrive.

The strategy focuses on five key priority themes including housing need and demand; promoting good quality housing; homelessness and housing options; place and community; and supported, specialist and particular needs housing.

It was been shaped through extensive community consultation as well as national and local policies.

The strategy and resulting action plan commits to supporting wider council plans to establish 20-minute neighbourhoods so residents have access to amenities they need locally; continuing to work closely with partners including colleagues in West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership to ensure residents requiring specialist accommodation or support to live independently have access to suitable homes; continued focus on preventing homelessness; supporting tenants and residents with energy advice; and renewed focus on extending housing provision.

Councillor Diane Docherty, convener of housing and communities, said: “The strategy and the actions contained within it reflect the needs and wants of our tenants and residents and thanks to a wide reaching consultation is able to address the issues that matter most to our communities.

“Quality homes are the foundation of many of our ambitions including reducing our impact on the environment, reducing fuel poverty and supporting the health and wellbeing of our residents. I am pleased the new Local Housing Strategy takes in all of these things.”

Councillor Ian Dickson, vice convener of housing and communities, added: “I welcome this new strategy which sets out our Council’s plans for continued improvement in housing in West Dunbartonshire over the next five years.

“I am particularly pleased at the creation of housing regeneration areas which highlight parts of our towns which will see the most social and economic benefit from renewed housing being prioritised.”