Minutes: 03 September 2024

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 4 and 5 in private.

2. Housing (Scotland) Bill:

The Committee took evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—

Tony Cain, Policy Manager, Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO);

Mike Callaghan, Policy Manager, COSLA;

Callum Chomczuk, National Director, Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland.

3. Housing (Scotland) Bill (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.

4. Pre-Budget Scrutiny (in private):

The Committee considered its approach to pre-budget scrutiny and agreed a programme of evidence taking. The Committee also agreed its preferred candidate for appointment as adviser.

5. Work programme (in private):

The Committee considered its work programme and agreed to;

• invite the former Chair of Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee (SLARC), COSLA, and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government to give evidence on the Scottish Government response to SLARC’s recommendations and related correspondence. 

• invite the Scottish Government to give evidence on the implementation update on the Short-term Lets licensing scheme and to invite written views from key stakeholders in advance of that.
• issue calls for views to inform its scrutiny of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and the Scottish Housing Regulator. 

• write to the Minister for Housing for an update on progress with the cladding remediation programme and, in particular, progress in getting all properties in the pilot programme on a pathway to remediation.