Concerns have been raised over a crisis in West Lothian's housing department after a report revealed half of its current performance targets have been have been missed in the last three months.
The opposition SNP branded the Labour-led administration “unfit to run the service” and said the failed targets were bringing "misery and despair".
In the last three months of 2022 the council failed to meet its targets on the percentage of homeless applications processed within 28 days - 37% when the target is 80% - as well as the length of time it takes to re-let properties and the number of new build properties completed.
READ MORE: Plans to build 400 new homes in West Lothian's abandoned village hospital
It also fell down on repairs and on customer complaints.
Labour councillors defended their running of the service and said they had 'no control' over many of the issues causing the problems, and insisted other councils were facing similar concerns.
The grim update was delivered by housing officer Kirsty Weir to a recent meeting of the Housing Services Policy development and Scrutiny Panel (PDSP).
SNP Depute group leader Robert De Bold told the meeting: “This performance report makes for disappointing reading. We have six metrics outwith acceptable standards. There are only ten. Five of these are categorised as red.
“It would appear this administration can’t build houses, can’t report them, can't access people when they are homeless, can't re-let houses when they become available. We are then unsurprisingly inundated with complaints.
“Frankly this administration are unfit to run this service and blind to the fact that their mismanagement causes real misery and despair."
Labour councillors rounded on Councillor De Bold. Committee Chair George Paul attacked the SNP's record of building homes during its administration up to 2012 . This was disputed by Councillor De Bold who produced building figures he’d obtained from a Freedom of Information request.
Councillor Andrew McGuire paid tribute to the hard work of housing department staff in challenging circumstances.
He told the meeting: “Some of the comments that Councillor De Bold made seem to ignore the fact that there’s many external factors which we have absolutely no control over, such as who presents as homeless. We have very little control over the building sector and very little control over supply chains and building services which causes a lot of the issues here.
“I accept that housing is highly pressured but we are not the only local authority which faces pressures on our services.
“I think Councillor De Bold would do well to remember that, and also I'd encourage Councillor De Bold to lobby his colleagues in the Scottish Parliament for greater funding for some of the programmes we have, particularly housing options advice which might perhaps ease some of the homeless pressures we have.”
His comments were echoed by deputy council leader, Labour’s Kirsteen Sullivan who reminded the meeting that Holyrood policies had exacerbated problems.
She said: “I think it's important that we don't forget about the external factors at play here particularly the significant underfunding of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Programme which really is there to address some of the issues of homelessness and ensure that we are doing all we can to move people into suitable housing at the earliest opportunity.
“That has been significantly underfunded by the Scottish Government, which has also made changes to legislation that allows people from anywhere in Scotland to present [as homeless] within this local authority and for this local authority to find them adequate housing.”
She addressed Councillor De Bold adding: “Perhaps you and your colleagues could make the case for local services to be adequately funded.”
Conservative Councillor Alison Adamson pointed to the rent collection rate of 97.34% in challenging economic times. “That is an exceptional amount and I think it's worthwhile mentioning to staff that they have been doing a fantastic job helping people and collecting rents.”
Mrs Weir said: “I can advise that there’s intensive work going on in housing needs at the moment in reviewing the processes across the services. This is running alongside the housing needs improvement plan to review all the process and procedures, and incorporating training, and with a greater emphasis on performance which should see performance improve as we go through.”
READ NEXT:
More than 3,000 West Lothian residents claiming unemployment benefit
West Lothian school cleaners drop in pay 'an outrage' as cuts hit lowest paid
West Lothian surge in people seeking benefits advice amid cost of living crisis
West Lothian housebuilder urged to build bungalows to protect neighbours privacy
West Lothian's talking bins hit by vandals as six set on fire
