Joint Housing Resilience Chairs Group minutes: 3 February 2021

Attendees and apologies

• Kevin Stewart - Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
• Sally Thomas - SFHA
• Nina Ballantyne - CAB
• Laura Caven, COSLA
• Scottish Government Officials
• Catriona MacKean - SG
• Margaret Irving – SG
• Mandy Callaghan - SG

Items and actions

• Scottish Government Officials – to provide SOLACE figures to the Minister.

Update: the latest document has been provided to Minister and Officials will pass on regular updates from now on.

• Chairs – to keep the Minister appraised about any issues regarding repairs and essential work.
• Nina – CAS to share most recent statistics when available.
• Scottish Government Officials - check with More Homes officials regarding progress on the subsidy working group invitations.

Update: More information will be available shortly.

• Scottish Government Officials – to check that DHP not used this year is being rolled over into next year.

Update: This has been confirmed.

• Scottish Government Officials – to provide a draft of a further letter for Minister to consider to Energy UK to respond on outstanding issues. Sally Thomas to provide update following Energy UK attendance at Social Housing Resilience Group meeting.

Update: Energy UK attended the SHRG meeting on the 23rd February. Officials provided an update on the draft letter to the Minister.

• Scottish Government Officials – check on progress of Fuel Poverty grants through the Winter Support Fund and update Minister.

Update: Advice has now been provided for Ministerial sign off.

• Scottish Government Officials – in considering future approach to the emergency coronavirus legislation and temporary eviction regulations look at what can be done to address situations where tenants who can pay rent are choosing not to do so. Sally – SFHA to provide Scottish Government Officials with evidence and examples of non-payment of rent.
• Sally - to provide information on the situation in Renfrewshire where the HSCP is treating extra care homes as care homes which is resulting in large voids for housing associations. 

Update: Officials are now in touch and the housing associations concerned are meeting with the HSCP shortly.

• Chairs – to discuss with their groups the transition from current Covid situation around evictions ban, tenant loans etc. and respond to SG with suggestions to help develop plans for moving to the next stage. 
• Update: SFHA have shared rent arrears case studies with SG as part of discussion around the evictions ban being extended.
• Scottish Government Officials and Nina - to discuss membership of the PRS group to ensure landlord perspective is included.