Local Housing Strategy: guidance 2026

Suggested Local Housing Strategy (LHS) priorities, outcomes action plan template and review process

Local authorities may wish to use the template below to summarise LHS priorities and outcomes. Alternatively, they may wish to summarise LHS priorities and Outcomes in a different format potentially linked to individual performance management performance tools that they have in place. Local authorities should consider the resources required to deliver priorities and outcomes. Where there are priorities and outcomes from the previous LHS that are still being taken forward, these should also be recorded. Priorities and outcomes should be recorded in a way that best supports effective annual monitoring by local authorities.

Outcomes action plan template

LHS Priority and Outcome:

Where LHS Outcome supports National Priorities, Plans and Targets and links to Local Outcome Improvement Plan/Locality Plans and Local Authority Plan Outcome, please list these in this section:

Action(s) and commitments for delivery of outcome:

Baseline, Indicator or Measure Milestone

Target/End Point

Lead/Co-ordinator

Progress

LHS Annual review

It is a statutory requirement for a LHS to be kept under review, and local authorities are expected to undertake a review annually and make the report publicly available. In undertaking an annual review local authorities should demonstrate progress with delivery of LHS priorities and outcomes together as well as any update or specific changes made. There is no prescribed form for the review and local authorities are encouraged as a minimum to prepare a short summary report showing progress achieved against delivery of LHS priorities and outcomes and a copy should be shared with the Scottish Government at same time as publication.

While the annual review is not subject to Scottish Government review, it acts as an important monitoring tool for local authorities and will ensure that there continues to be strong alignment between LHS priorities and Strategic Housing Investment Plan priorities.

Some examples of annual reviews prepared by local authorities are provided below:-

Scottish Borders Council Local Housing Strategy Annual Report 2024 to 2025

Glasgow City Council Local Housing Strategy Annual Review Report 2023 to 2024

Argyll and Bute Council Local Housing Strategy Annual Review 2023

Scotland housing network LHS group

Scotland Housing Network’s Local Housing Strategy Forum supports local authority officers through collaboration and covers a wide and varied range of topics related to housing policies and strategies including Local Housing Strategies and Strategic Housing Investment Plans. The forum provides local authorities with an opportunity to highlight specific issues and has a strong focus on the sharing of good practice. Local authorities are encouraged to consider best practice that has been shared at the forum when developing a LHS.

LHS review process

All LHSs are subject to a robust review process by the Scottish Government. The review process includes an independent review by local authority peer reviewers. The review process helps to ensure that LHSs that are prepared by local authorities are consistent with and aligned to national priorities, outcomes and targets and it provides an opportunity for feedback to be provided on potential areas of improvement.

The review process drives a level of consistency in the content of LHSs and helps to ensure quality and continuous improvement. It ensures that there is robust feedback for local authorities to consider and to reflect in a final version LHS, and helps identify areas of good practice that can be shared more broadly.

Local authorities are strongly encouraged to submit draft LHS for review at the consultative draft stage. This will enable local authorities to consider feedback provided by the Scottish Government and the peer reviewer and reflect this in a LHS prior to consideration by local authority committees and prior to publication.

Local authorities should consider the feedback provided by Scottish Government and provide a written response which sets out how the feedback has been considered and reflected in a final version of a LHS.

The review process is expected to take around 10 to 12 weeks from the date of submission of a draft LHS to the Scottish Government. Local authorities will be kept fully aware of any changes to timelines by Scottish Government officials.

Local authorities are encouraged to build in timescales to allow for consideration of the feedback provided by the Scottish Government, to prepare a written response to set out how the feedback will be addressed, and to make any relevant changes to a LHS prior before a final LHS is submitted to any relevant committees for approval.

Step 1

Consultative draft Local Housing Strategy (LHS) submitted by local authority to Scottish Government More Homes Division.

Step 2

More Homes Division engages with Scottish Government policy areas to inform draft Local Housing Strategy (LHS) received, seeking views on content.

Step 3

Local authority peer reviewer identified and draft Local Housing Strategy (LHS) shared for review and comment.

Step 4

View of More Homes Division, Scottish Government policy areas and peer reviewer are all collated and reviewed.

Step 5

More Homes Division prepare Local Housing Strategy (LHS) feedback letter setting out areas of strength and areas of suggested improvement and issues a copy to local authority.

Step 6

Local authority considers Scottish Government feedback, writes to Scottish Government explaining how feedback has helped inform the final Local Housing Strategy (LHS) version and publishes final version.