Tuesday 30th March 2010
On 6th April 2010, West Dunbartonshire Council will introduce a new Housing Allocations Policy, which will change the way Council houses are allocated.
The Council plays a critical role in providing affordable housing. It has around 11,000 properties, over a quarter of all homes within the area and is the largest landlord within West Dunbartonshire.
The aim of the new Policy is to make the allocation of houses fairer. Different groups of applicants on the housing register will gain a more balanced access to housing. The system is designed to work in an accountable and transparent way.
Tenants and Residents organisations, applicants, independent Advice Providers and Council staff have all contributed to the development of the new Policy.
Applicants will be placed in one of four groups, depending on their current housing circumstances. Points are used to recognise housing need, and those in greatest need will be prioritised. The groups are:
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Homeless applicants - all applicants assessed as having a priority need for housing.
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Transfer applicants - all current West Dunbartonshire Council tenants on the housing register who wish to be rehoused.
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Strategic Housing Need/Redevelopment - all WDC tenants affected by regeneration and redevelopment programmes.
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General Housing List - all other applicants on the housing register.
Unlike the previous policy, there are no restrictions on the number of areas someone can apply for. An applicant will be able to apply for a particular size of house based on the size of their household. However, an applicant will no longer be awarded points for the length of time he/she has been on the housing list.
Cllr William Hendrie, Convener for Housing, Environmental & Economic Development, said: “Far more people want housing from the Council than there is housing available. This means we need to take difficult decisions about how the Housing Allocations Policy should work, to determine who should get housing.
“Demand varies significantly across West Dunbartonshire. There are some areas where lots of people want the few houses that become available. In other areas, properties are in low demand and it can be difficult to fill them.
“The new Housing Allocations Policy will ensure that access to Council housing is based on the need of the applicant, with those in greatest need prioritised.”
For Frequently Asked Questions on the new policy, click here - Frequently Asked Questions
For a summary of the new Allocations Policy, click here - Summary of New Allocations Policy
For more information on the new Allocations Policy, go to
http://www.wdcweb.info/housing/allocations/applying-for-council-housing/
