Local Housing Strategy Guidance

6. Outcomes

6.1 The LHS should articulate and support the delivery of an effective housing system, with intentions expressed through the use of clear outcomes and actions.

6.2 To set the LHS in context, it would be helpful to provide a short summary showing how effectively outcomes from the previous LHS were addressed and which outcomes continue to be a priority and have, therefore, been carried forward.

6.3 National Outcomes must be taken into account when developing an LHS. The LHS should show how the local authority's outcomes and actions contribute to the achievement of the national outcomes: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/Performance/scotPerforms/outcome.

6.4 Local Outcomes will be agreed by CPPs and articulated through the SOA, as explained earlier, in Section 1.

LHS Outcomes

6.5 The LHS should include outcomes that look forward over a five year period and which relate to national outcomes or to the local position. It should show how these were agreed, including how consultation may have influenced them. The outcomes should be recorded in such a way that actions and progress can be monitored and a suggested template for this purpose is contained at Annex B.

6.6 To achieve an outcome, it is most likely that a range of actions will be required. These actions should be set out clearly, showing timescales and those responsible for taking the action forward.

6.7 For each action, it should be clear what the current position is, i.e. there should be a starting point (baseline) that is based on robust data.

6.8 Each action should have a clear end point set as a target or milestone, which will indicate what success looks like and the timeframe for achieving this.

6.9 To understand progress, indicators or measures should be put in place, and details on progress regularly recorded.

6.10 The outcome & action plan should be used as a monitoring tool for the success of the LHS and the delivery of the agreed outcomes. Example:

Outcome: All people at risk of fuel poverty have a warm and affordable home

Actions:

a. Publicise information and services available to tackle fuel poverty

b. Maximise potential funding sources

c. Ensure energy assistance packages are targeted

Action a: Publicise information and services available to tackle fuel poverty

Baseline: Leaflets available at all town centre council offices

Target: Leaflets available at all public services offices, information on website and leaflets left at people's homes when delivering other services.

Responsible: Communications Manager

By: March 2016

Milestone: Leaflets available at all public services offices and information on website by July 2015

Indicators/Measures: Leaflets seen in all public offices and on website