Why we are engaging with Scottish Borders Council (Scottish Borders)
We are engaging with Scottish Borders about its services for people who are homeless and its sites for Gypsy/Travellers.
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.
All social landlords who provide Gypsy/Travellers sites must ensure their sites 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 sites.
What Scottish Borders must do
Scottish Borders must:
- send us the information we require in relation to its homelessness service;
- tell us about any emerging issues preventing it from fulfilling its statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation when it should and comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order; and
- send us the information we require in relation to the management of its Gypsy/Traveller sites.
What we will do
We will:
- meet with Scottish Borders to discuss its homelessness service and decide whether we require any additional assurance;
- meet with Scottish Borders to seek assurance if it does not provide temporary accommodation when it should, or if it breaches the Unsuitable Accommodation Order;
- meet with Scottish Borders to discuss the management of its Gypsy/Traveller sites; and
- update our published engagement plan in the light of any material change to our planned engagement with Scottish Borders.
Regulatory Returns
Scottish Borders 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.