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    Meet our leadership team

    Our vastly experienced and very capable housing leadership team provide the strategic direction and daily management of a broad range of housing and building management services.

    Each member of the team has a defined area of responsibility and is committed to providing the best housing and related support services possible, putting the customer at the heart of everything we do.

    Kevin Scarlett, Interim Strategic Director

    As Interim Strategic Director for our Housing, Environment and Healthy Communities Directorate, Kevin has a wide range of housing responsibilities. These include the management and maintenance of the council's housing stock of over 18,000 homes, homelessness, private sector housing, adaptations, and housing development and growth.

    Across his wider role he is also responsible for:

    • the management and maintenance of the council's buildings and assets
    • services to schools and school development
    • waste disposal, recycling, and refuse collection
    • street cleaning, environmental enforcement, and pest control
    • parking services, including enforcement
    • cemeteries and bereavement services
    • street lighting and highways maintenance 

    Ewen Archibald, Interim Director - Housing Strategy and Commissioning

    Ewen is responsible for leading the strategic aspects of the council's housing programme. This includes the ongoing development, monitoring, and review of the council's housing strategy, as well as a range of supporting strategies and delivery plans. These include homelessness, allocations, specialist and supported housing, housing development and private-sector housing.

    Ewen's key priorities include:

    • commissioning of services. This involves understanding and anticipating the needs of residents, and then reviewing and designing new services or improving existing ones to give the best possible outcomes for local people
    • the development of a new independent living service, which delivers aid to those in need, as well as home adaptations for disabled people to improve accessibility
    • housing growth and development
    • resident and tenant engagement, making sure the customer's voice is heard and acted upon
    • complaint handling
    • compliance with Transparency, Influence and Accountability regulatory standard

    Ian McLackland, Service Director - Repairs and Building Maintenance

    Ian leads our repairs and maintenance service, and is responsible for all council buildings, including over 18,000 homes. His duties include:

    • day-to-day repairs and maintenance
    • delivery of large programmes of improvement projects, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and roofing replacements
    • preparing empty homes for reletting, including all necessary repairs
    • delivery of disabled adaptations for all council tenants
    • making sure all homes and building are safe, with a focus on structural and fire safety in multi-storey housing
    • preventing and remedying damp and mould issues in compliance with statutory regulations
    • compliance with the Safety and Quality regulatory standard

    Neil Bouch, Service Director - Neighbourhoods and Localities

    As Service Director for Neighbourhoods and Localities, Neil has responsibility for a wide range of housing services including:

    • rent arrears prevention, advice, and support
    • the letting of empty council homes
    • homelessness and rough sleeping, including homelessness prevention
    • housing support services 
    • refugee resettlement, asylum, and migration
    • antisocial behaviour case management and partnerships  
    • neighbourhood housing services, including tenancy and estate management 
    • older persons' housing support 
    • multi-storey management, including caretaking, concierge, and handypersons services
    • locality development, including community development and engagement
    • compliance with both the Tenancy and Neighbourhood and Community regulatory standards

    Sandra Watson, Service Director - Property and Assets

    Sandra leads investment planning for council-owned buildings, including our housing stock. This includes:

    • making sure that we have clear and up-to-date information about the condition of our buildings and homes, then using this to shape our investment plans
    • a focus on delivering the Decent Homes Standard and providing an improved minimum standard of housing condition at every opportunity
    • overseeing building standards and safety compliance for housing and public buildings
    • management of the Home Ownership team, providing information and advice on Right to Buy, leaseholder services, and affordable home-ownership schemes
    • improving customer contact options