Why we are engaging with Clackmannanshire Council (Clackmannanshire)
We are engaging with Clackmannanshire about its services for people who are homeless, its site(s) for Gypsy/Travellers and stock quality.
The context in which local authorities are delivering services to people who are experiencing homelessness has become increasingly challenging in the last few years. In our December 2023 update to our thematic report on homelessness services in Scotland we set out that there is a heightened risk of systemic failure in the delivery of some local authorities’ services to people experiencing homelessness. By this we mean that there is a risk that the demands on some local authorities could shortly exceed their capacity to respond. This is the case at Clackmannanshire. We will continue to monitor, assess and report on Clackmannanshire’s performance in discharging its duties to people who are homeless.
During 2024/25, we reviewed and compared the data for all local authorities from the Scottish Government’s national homelessness statistics. We also spoke to all local authorities to gather further information and assurance about their homelessness services. To assess the risks to people who are threatened with or experiencing homelessness we will engage with all local authorities during 2025/26 with a focus on the provision of appropriate temporary accommodation.
We will engage with Clackmannanshire in particular about the following areas:
- Clackmannanshire’s assessment of homelessness applications; and
- the provision of temporary accommodation by Clackmannanshire to people who are homeless.
All social landlords who provide Gypsy/Travellers sites must ensure their site(s) meet the Scottish Government’s Minimum Site Standards and all standards and outcomes in the Scottish Social Housing Charter. To gather further information and assurance, we will speak to all site providers during 2025/26 to discuss the management of their site(s).
Clackmannanshire is constructing a new site for Gypsy/Travellers. Clackmannanshire originally told us the site would be complete by April 2024 but this has been delayed until April 2026. Residents are in temporary accommodation until the new site is complete.
Clackmannanshire has identified reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in some of its homes, and Clackmannanshire told us it has managed any associated risks. We are seeking assurance that Clackmannanshire has a plan in place to finalise its asset management decisions for these properties.
What Clackmannanshire must do
Clackmannanshire must:
- send us the information we require in relation to its homelessness service;
- continue best efforts to meet its statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation when it should and to comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order;
- keep us updated on its capacity to meet its statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation when it should and to comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order;
- send us the information we require in relation to the management of its Gypsy/Traveller site(s);
- tell us about any further delays in the completion of its new site for Gypsy/Travellers;
- continue to engage with residents about progress with the new site; and
- tell us about its asset management decisions for properties affected by RAAC.
What we will do
We will:
- review the information Clackmannanshire provides about its homelessness service;
- meet with Clackmannanshire on a quarterly basis to discuss its homelessness service and engage as necessary;
- meet with Clackmannanshire to seek assurance about its best efforts to provide suitable temporary accommodation;
- meet with Clackmannanshire to discuss the management of its Gypsy/Traveller site(s);
- monitor Clackmannanshire’s progress with its new site for Gypsy/Travellers and consider our regulatory engagement with Clackmannanshire if the completion of its new site is delayed further;
- review the updates Clackmannanshire provides about RAAC in its homes and engage as necessary; and
- update our published engagement plan in the light of any material change to our planned engagement with Clackmannanshire.
Regulatory Returns
Clackmannanshire must provide us with the following annual regulatory returns and alert us to notifiable events as appropriate:
- Annual Assurance Statement; and
- Annual Return on the Charter.
It should also notify us of any material changes to its Annual Assurance Statement, and any tenant and resident safety matter which has been reported to or is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive or reports from regulatory or statutory authorities or insurance providers, relating to safety concerns.