A £7 MILLION funding bid to the Scottish Government to tackle homelessness in East Lothian would create an additional 860 tenancies over the next five years.

The local authority has created a blueprint to cut homeless numbers as part of a government-funded project to promote 'rapid rehousing' across Scotland.

However, the money required to get the plan up and running is more than a third of the entire fund set aside by the Scottish Government.

Included in East Lothian Council’s ambitious five-year plan are 860 more new tenancies than already planned, an additional 102 affordable housing units, and a move to turn 150 temporary units into permanent accommodation.

Presenting their draft plan to the local authority’s cabinet meeting for approval on Tuesday, housing chiefs said it was imperative they received the full £7.221million they were bidding for if their plans were to succeed.

Their proposals would see new tenancies used to help reduce the maximum number of days spent in bed and breakfasts for all households to just seven days – and reduce the length of stay in temporary accommodation to a maximum of nine months.

Councillor Norman Hampshire acknowledged that the entire Scottish Government fund available to all local authorities to bid for was just £19 million.

Mr Hampshire said: “Of the £19 million available across the whole of Scotland we are looking for £7 million.”

Cabinet approved the draft plan for a ‘rapid rehousing’ approach to transform the use of temporary accommodation and improve outcomes for homeless households in East Lothian by March 2024 as an important step towards tackling homelessness in the county.

Councillor Jim Goodfellow, East Lothian Council’s spokesperson for housing and community wellbeing, said: “The draft plan aims to make a meaningful, although realistic impact by 2024, in respect of addressing homelessness and improving the lives of some of our most vulnerable people across the county.

“We look forward to the government’s assessment of our long-term plans and clarity on available funding from central government to support the transition to rapid rehousing.”

The plan recognises that some vulnerable households with multiple needs beyond housing may require additional support to sustain a tenancy.

East Lothian Council says it has already made good progress in tackling homelessness in recent years, with a 90 per cent success rate in preventing homelessness.

According to the council, there has been a 35 per cent reduction in homelessness presentations since 2012 as a result of early intervention work.

The supply of affordable housing is key to reducing homelessness, the local authority maintains, and it says 1,597 new affordable homes have been delivered in East Lothian since 2007, of which 752 are new council homes for social rent.

A further 1,000 new affordable homes are to be delivered over the next five years through the Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan, supported by new housing land supply set out in the newly adopted East Lothian Local Development Plan.