Elected Member Briefing - Update on Estate Based Initiatives improvements for Letham & Hillyland Locality

About this briefing note

Report by: Elaine Ritchie, Senior Service Manager, Housing

Date: 20 July 2023

Subject: Update on Estate Based Initiatives improvements for Letham & Hillyland

Responsible Officer: Steven Robb, Housing Co-ordinator, Letham & Hillyland Locality

Details

Purpose

This briefing note is to update you about the Housing Service's Estate Based Initiatives programme for 2023/24 in the Letham & Hillyland Locality.

Briefing Information 

During April and May 2023 the Housing Service held a number of neighbourhood walkabouts with tenants and residents across Perth and Kinross, as part of our Estate Based Initiative (EBI) scheme.

EBI is designed to deliver small neighbourhood improvements on Housing Revenue Account land.

Under EBI, Council tenants and local residents identify neighbourhood improvements during local walkabouts, attended by local elected members and housing staff. An EBI budget is designated to each Housing locality area for them to use in partnership with local communities.

Any proposed project must be on communal ground/property owned by the Housing Revenue Account and contribute to at least one of the following:

• Community Safety
• Improve the appearance of the area
• Increase tenant involvement in their community.

The EBI process puts decisions about small neighbourhood improvements into the hands of people who live in those communities.

Following this year's walkabouts in Letham and Hillyland, the following community improvements have been identified to be taken forward during 2023/24:

• Pathway at back of 132 Rannoch Road - solar lights to be added
• New bin stores at 231 & 233 Rannoch Road
• Repair bricks on plant bed at the front of Letham Office
• Landscaping work at the old driving centre next to the new independent living flats
• Repair and paint planters at side of Letham Office
• Cut back the bushes that are situated on the verge outside a private residence at 12 Wallace Place - previously maintained by the Council.
• Removal of leaves from Wallace Place stairs
• Banking tidy up and tree cutting at rear of Primrose Crescent 
• Banking tidy up opposite Pullar Terrace properties-
• Clear path behind Primrose Crescent
• Clear weeds and tidy up banking at75-93 Primrose Crescent
• Provide and plant 30 fruit trees at the open grass area on Strathtay Road
• Community Garden work at Community Flat in Letham (Dalreoch Place)
• Paint or varnish bench at Dalreoch Place
• Cut back all shrubs, weed the car park beds, clear overgrown bushes and a general tidy up at Crieff Road
• Removal of a hedge surrounding the flat block at Crieff Road and replace with gravel
• Installation of a handrail around Community Cabin at Double Dykes
• Full litter pick of site at Double Dykes.

We will work with local tenants and residents over the next 12 months to take forward the neighbourhood improvements, which will enhance the local area.

The work will be planned this financial year and every effort will be made to ensure the work is concluded, but some of the projects will be reliant on external contractors and other services.