Local Housing Strategy: guidance 2019

Annex C - Local Housing Strategy - Review Process

Each Local Housing Strategy (LHS) is subject to a robust review process involving Scottish Government officials and local authority peer reviewers. The review process helps to ensure alignment of the LHS with Scottish Government priorities, outcomes and targets and facilitates improvement and/or change through collaborative working between Scottish Government and local authorities. The review process drives a level of consistency in the review of the LHS, ensures that there is robust feedback to local authorities, and helps identify areas of best practice that can be shared with local authorities. Local Authorities are strongly encouraged to submit its LHS for review at the consultative draft stage.

• Ongoing discussions between local authorities (LA) and More Homes Division (MHD) on interpretation of LHS guidance, policy support and to identify timescales for submission of draft LHS. LA submits LHS for review to SG at consultative draft stage.
• Peer reviewer is identified prior to LA submitting draft LHS to MHD Area Team
• MHD Area Team issues acknowledgement letter/email to LA and sends a copy of the draft LHS to the peer reviewer.
• MHD Area Team co-ordinates views from policy areas on draft LHS and discusses timescales with LA and Peer Reviewer.
• Peer reviewer commences review of the draft LHS.
• MHD Area Team considers views of peer reviewer and agrees outcomes of review.
• Areas of good practice identified at this stage.
• MHD Area Team prepares and issues a feedback letter to LA together with an offer to discuss/meet
• Local Authority considers feedback provided by the Scottish Government and progresses work to prepare final version of the LHS
• LA informs MHD Area Team of date of publication of final version LHS (and associated impact assessments) on LA website
• LA monitors and reviews delivery of outcomes/actions in LHS
• Areas of good practice identified in the review process with LAs