Why we are engaging with Dumfries and Galloway Council (Dumfries & Galloway)
We are engaging with Dumfries & Galloway about its services for people who are homeless and its site for Gypsy/Travellers.
During 2021/22, we reviewed and compared the data for all Councils from the Scottish Government’s national homelessness statistics and the Annual Returns on the Charter. We also spoke to all Councils 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 Councils during 2022/23.
We will engage with Dumfries & Galloway in particular about the following areas:
- how people access the homelessness services provided by Dumfries & Galloway;
- Dumfries & Galloway’s assessment of homelessness applications; and
- outcomes for people who are homeless.
Dumfries & Galloway does not fully comply with the Scottish Government’s minimum standards for its Gypsy/Traveller site at Collin. The deadline date for compliance was June 2018. Dumfries & Galloway is unable to confirm when the Collin site will comply with minimum standards.
What Dumfries & Galloway must do
Dumfries & Galloway must:
- provide us with the information we require in relation to its homelessness service;
- provide us with an expected date of compliance with minimum site standards as soon as possible; and
- provide us with monthly reports from the end of April 2022 on its progress in meeting the minimum standards for its Gypsy/Traveller site.
What we will do
We will:
- review the information Dumfries & Galloway provides about its homelessness service;
- meet with Dumfries & Galloway to discuss its homelessness service and decide whether we require any additional assurance;
- require Dumfries & Galloway to provide us with an expected date of compliance with minimum site standards;
- monitor Dumfries & Galloway’s compliance of the minimum standards for its Gypsy/Traveller site;
- review Dumfries & Galloway’s progress with meeting the minimum site standards and review our regulatory strategy in light of this;
- have ongoing engagement with the Scottish Government about Dumfries & Galloway’s progress; and
- update our published engagement plan in light of any material change to our planned engagement with Dumfries & Galloway.
Regulatory returns
Dumfries & Galloway must provide us with the following annual regulatory returns:
- 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.