Council Bids For Funding For 750 Council Houses
18th May 2011
Highland Councillors have agreed in principle to build 750 new council houses over the next five years. Members of The Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Committee have agreed to submit a bid for a programme of 101 new build homes for 2011/12 under the Scottish Government's Innovation and Investment Fund.
They also approved in principle a further programme of 650 houses over the following four years (from 2012 - 2013).
The committee heard that the Council is already committed to new borrowing of £55 million over the next five years in order to fund improvements to existing stock required to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard and fund the existing Council house building programme of 107 houses.
Councillor Margaret Davidson, Chairman of the Housing and Social Work Committee said: "I am absolutely delighted that we have the unanimous support of the Committee to seek Scottish Government funding to continue and significantly increase the number of council houses we build in the Highlands. These houses are badly needed in the Highlands to meet a huge demand for affordable housing and we believe the proposed programme is affordable. This will sustain our communities and support the local construction industry."
The maximum grant available for each house is £30,000, which requires new borrowing of £9.595 million for the first phase of building 101 houses.
Councillor Davidson said a small increase in rent (67p), over and above any rent increase required to fund ongoing council house upgrades, was needed to help fund the first phase of the building programme.
The current housing building programme of 107 houses has seen homes built in Inverness (28), Invergordon (23), Caol (12), Conon Bridge (10), Tain (9), Strathpeffer (8), Nairn (8), Portree (6) and Fort William (3).
The locations of the houses to be build in the proposed 101-house next phase of house building is: Inverness (47), Dingwall (12), Kingussie (10), Gairloch (8), Muir of Ord (6), Conon Bridge (6), Dornie (6), and Ardgour (6).
Related Businesses
Related Articles
A process for responding to community requests for the creation of Firework Control Zones in The Highland Council area has been approved by Members of the Communities and Place Committee. The option of using a Firework Control Zone is one of the tools available to respond to serious firework misuse and the Council will work with communities and key partners to consider appropriate and proportional response to local firework issues.
The Highland Council is reaching an important milestone in the preparation of introducing a visitor levy in Highland. Following an extensive consultation in 2019 - in which 6,600 residents, businesses and visitors responded.
The Highland Strategic Local Action Group who met during August, considered, and agreed funding for 49 projects submitted to the Community Led Local Development fund (CLLD), which makes up part of The Highland Council Community Regeneration Funding (CRF) programme. Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans, said: "It is the third year in a row that we have been successful in securing a large allocation of CLLD funding from the Scottish Government.
Fiona Duncan, Fiona Grant, Fiona Malcolm, Alison Clark and Finlay MacDonald have been appointed as Chief Officers with The Highland Council. Convener of the Council Cllr Bill Lobban said: "Congratulations to all three Fiona's, Alison and Finlay on their appointments to Chief Officers.
The Highland Council welcomes the positive Care Inspectorate Inspection report following a recent unannounced inspection visit to Pennyland ELC, Thurso. Following the inspection, Pennyland ELC received the following: How good is our care, play and learning? - 5 Very Good How good is our setting? - 5 Very Good How good is our leadership? - 5 Very Good How good is our staff team - 5 Very Good.
The Highland Council's Climate Change Committee has approved this week a report outlining the Council's commitment to aligning its operations with the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill. The report highlights the positive impact of the circular economy on reducing waste, promoting resource efficiency, and contributing to the Council’s ambitious net zero emissions targets.
Communication improvements within the housing service has helped to reduce the time taken to complete repairs over the past two years. A performance report to the Council's Housing and Property Committee presented quarterly data which charted its continued improvement from 2022/23.
On Thursday 22 August 2024, The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee agreed how, when and where it will enable delivery of development across Highland with the approval and adoption of the Local Development Plan Delivery Programme for IMFLDP2. As in the report recommendations, the committee agree to consult more widely on a draft Highland Delivery Programme.
Intervention by the Scottish Government has led to the suspension of planned industrial action by council workers, including refuse collectors, this week. The action has been suspended by all three trade unions after the Scottish Government provided £77.5 million to fund an improved pay offer.
The Highland Council is reminding individuals and community groups that there is still time to take part in the consultation seeking views on the Draft Community Wealth Building Strategy. This new strategy aims to ensure every area and community across the Highlands can participate in, and benefit from economic activity.