Angus Council's Housing Committee will next week examine a suite of reports setting out major enhancements to housing services, sustained investment in council homes, stronger support for tenants and progress in addressing housing pressures across the area.

The papers point to advances across key priorities, including improved compliance with housing standards, delivery of affordable homes, targeted spending on adaptations and damp and mould prevention.

Councillors will consider the refreshed Housing Service Improvement Plan 2025–2028, which outlines the service's priorities for 2026/27. The five overarching priorities are unchanged, but the actions under them have been refined using the latest performance and benchmarking data, tenant feedback, complaints, audit and assurance findings, regulatory requirements and wider changes affecting the service. The updated plan concentrates effort where the evidence shows the most progress is needed, builds on recent improvements, recognises external pressures and focuses the Council's response on what it can control or influence. It is backed by strengthened performance reporting and management, with further work in 2026/27 to enhance data quality, quality assurance and oversight.

The latest Performance and Improvement Update shows a broadly positive trajectory, with gains in tenant satisfaction, rent collection and areas of repairs performance, as well as reductions in the use of unsuitable temporary accommodation and breaches of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order. Significant challenges remain, however. Shortening re-let times for empty homes is a priority, alongside tackling rent arrears, addressing aspects of the repairs service and managing ongoing pressures from homelessness and demand for affordable housing. The service notes that high demand, constrained supply, household financial pressures and contractor capacity affect outcomes; in response, it is targeting void management, strengthening rent collection and early intervention, improving repairs and contractor performance, making better use of available stock and continuing to strengthen performance reporting and management. Work towards full electrical and fire safety compliance is ongoing, with contractors on track to achieve full compliance by 31 October 2026; most outstanding cases relate to gaining access to properties.

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A progress report on the Local Housing Strategy 2023–2028 confirms the annual affordable housing supply target has been exceeded, with improvements across different tenures and stronger tenant participation. Work continues to prevent homelessness, reduce reliance on unsuitable temporary accommodation and respond to the housing emergency declared by the Council in 2024.

Members will also consider an Interim Housing Asset Management Strategy for 2026–2029 to guide how council housing assets are managed, maintained and improved over the next three years while stock condition data and long-term investment planning are strengthened. This includes completing a comprehensive stock condition survey and introducing a new Housing Asset Management System to inform future investment decisions.

The Housing Revenue Account Capital Plan has been updated following a review of projects and year-end financial monitoring. The 2026/27 capital programme has been revised from £18.164 million to £17.213 million, reflecting the rephasing of some new-build and internal improvement projects; the funding remains within the programme. The updated plan increases investment in aids and adaptations to help tenants live independently, essential sheltered housing improvements, damp and mould prevention and remediation measures, and priority repairs and maintenance, with a continued focus on tenant safety, housing quality and support for vulnerable residents.

Housing Convener, Cllr Jill Scott, said: "These reports collectively demonstrate our continued commitment to providing safe, warm and well-maintained homes for our tenants while investing in the long-term future of council housing across Angus.

"We're encouraged to see improvement across a number of important areas, particularly at a time when housing services are dealing with very high demand and significant change.

"We're also clear about where further improvement is needed. Reducing the time homes remain empty, tackling arrears, improving aspects of the repairs service and responding to homelessness pressures all remain priorities. Some of the pressures affecting performance, such as housing demand and the availability of suitable homes, are wider challenges that the Council cannot resolve alone. Our focus is on making sure we do everything we can within our control, while working with partners and continuing to invest in new and existing homes.

"The refreshed Improvement Plan gives us a clear focus for that work, while the investment and asset management plans will help us continue to improve the quality, safety and sustainability of council homes across Angus."

Housing Committee papers will be available on the Angus Council website ahead of the meeting.