Why we are engaging with Fife Council (Fife)
We are engaging with Fife about its services for people who are homeless and tenant and resident safety.
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 Fife in particular about the following areas:
- how people access the homelessness services provided by Fife;
- Fife’s assessment of homelessness applications;
- the provision of temporary accommodation by Fife to people who are homeless; and
- outcomes for people who are homeless.
In its Annual Assurance Statement, Fife confirmed it had developed an improvement plan to improve its management of its gas safety duties. We will engage with Fife to seek assurance that it completes the improvement plan and that it is carrying out its gas safety checks within the statutory timescale.
What Fife must do
Fife must:
- provide us with the information we require in relation to its homelessness service; and
- advise us when it has completed all of the improvement actions to meet its statutory duties in relation to gas safety.
What we will do
We will:
- review the information Fife provides about its homelessness service;
- meet with Fife to discuss its homelessness service and decide whether we require any additional assurance;
- review the information Fife provides on completing the improvement actions in relation to the gas safety and liaise as necessary; and
- update our published engagement plan in light of any material change to our planned engagement with Fife .
Regulatory returns
Fife 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.