Why we are engaging with Dumfries and Galloway Council (Dumfries and Galloway)
We are engaging with Dumfries and Galloway about its services for homeless people and its site for Gypsy/Travellers.
During 2022/23 we reviewed and compared the data for all local authorities from the Scottish Government’s national homelessness statistics and the Annual Returns on the Charter. 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 2023/24 with a focus on the provision of appropriate temporary accommodation.
Dumfries and 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 and Galloway is unable to confirm when the Collin site will comply with minimum standards.
What Dumfries and Galloway must do
Dumfries and Galloway must:
- provide us with the information we require in relation to its homelessness service;
- make us aware of any emerging issues preventing it from fulfilling its statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation when it should and comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order;
- provide us with an expected date of compliance with minimum site standards as soon as possible; and
- provide us with quarterly reports from the end of April 2023 on its progress in meeting the minimum standards for its Gypsy/Traveller site.
What we will do
We will:
- review the information Dumfries and Galloway provides about its homelessness service;
- meet with Dumfries and Galloway to discuss its homelessness service and decide whether we require any additional assurance;
- meet with Dumfries and Galloway to seek assurance if it does not provide temporary accommodation when it should, or if it breaches the Unsuitable Accommodation Order;
- monitor Dumfries and 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 and Galloway’s progress with its site for Gypsy/Travellers; and
- update our published engagement plan in the light of any material change to our planned engagement with Dumfries and Galloway.
Regulatory returns
Dumfries and 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.