New figures have claimed almost 5,000 individuals and families are currently on the waiting list for a council house in West Dunbartonshire.

The statistics were revealed following a Freedom of Information request published by the Lennox Herald.

It was also disclosed that residents are waiting to secure a place in one of the 11,271 council houses in the region.

Council Leader Martin Rooney is quoted as saying the local authority is working hard to reduce the number of those waiting.

As of June 27, it is understood a total of 4,762 applicants were on the housing waiting list, with 2,722 looking for homes in Clydebank, 1,384 in Dumbarton and 656 in Alexandria.

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The allocations policy works on a 'groups plus points' system and is based on housing need, with quotas agreed annually for four groups - homelessness, general waiting list, transfers and regeneration. Quite often, waiting times can vary depending on the area and house type.

Mr Rooney explained: Three years ago, the housing waiting list was around 7,500 to 8,000 so the figures have greatly reduced. We also have over 1,600 houses that are available to rent, but it is housing that people don't want. We recognise people don't want to live in properties, such as tenements, in the same way they did 30 years ago.

"People, for example, want to have back and front gardens, and we're trying to reshape our housing to meet tenant demand. We have a shortage of one-bedroom houses and that is what we are going to focus on. In the 1980s, we had 26,000 houses and we are down to less than half of that due to the right to buy scheme and stock transfers. We need to improve the stock we do have, and bring it all up to the Scottish Housing Quality Standard."

In 2013, the Council has pledged to build 75 new council homes, with plans to construct a further 350 over the next five years.

(JP/MH)