The current policy, which was implemented in 2009, gives priority to those in most housing need whilst still recognising the aspirations of current tenants wishing to move to another house or area.

In line with the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014, North Lanarkshire Council has been consulting with stakeholders including tenants and the North Lanarkshire Federation of tenants and residents to get their views on proposed changes and a sample survey was carried out.

Changes include:

• Encouraging people under occupying homes to consider downsizing if appropriate;
• Assisting veterans and armed forces personnel find suitable housing in line with commitments in the Armed Forces Covenant;
• The timescale for how we prioritise people who are at risk of losing their accommodation/being made homeless within two months; and
• Continue using discretionary powers to consider owner occupiers for social housing.

The survey results showed 76.7% of the 644 respondents in favour, with plans now being taken forward to update the current policy to include the amendments from April 2022.

Stephen Llewellyn, head of housing solutions, said: “Demand for council housing is very high in North Lanarkshire and we want to try and ensure our policies are fit to meet the needs of our communities. The changes are aimed at maximising usage of our housing stock, prioritising those most in need and trying to ensure we best use the resources available to us.

“We want to make it easier for people to downsize or move to council homes which are better suited for their needs to free up larger properties for families who need them. We also want to make sure that veterans and forces personnel are not disadvantaged and to ensure people who may be worried about being made homeless have the support they need.”