Why we are engaging with Perth & Kinross Council (Perth & Kinross)
We are engaging with Perth & Kinross about its sites for Gypsy/Travellers.
In November 2024, the residents of the Double Dykes and Bobbin Mill Gypsy/Traveller Sites contacted us setting out their concerns about their landlord, Perth & Kinross. We considered this under our Serious Concerns process and investigated the residents’ concerns.
In February 2025, we found that Perth & Kinross had not met the Scottish Government’s Minimum Site Standards (minimum site standards) and did not meet all of the standards and outcomes of the Scottish Social Housing Charter. We then engaged with Perth & Kinross to seek assurance on its approach to urgently addressing the serious issues at both sites including how it was communicating and engaging with residents. We also regularly met with residents of both sites to understand their perspective.
We now have assurance from Perth & Kinross regarding the steps it continues to take to meet the standards and outcomes of the Scottish Social Housing Charter, particularly on how it communicates and engages with residents. Improvement work continues at Double Dykes and planning and engagement activity continues at Bobbin Mill to help ensure that both sites meet minimum site standards as quickly as possible.
Double Dykes Gypsy/Traveller Site
Perth & Kinross has progressed modernisation and improvement works including replacing residents’ accommodation and other upgrades on the site. It received public subsidy from Scottish Government to help it achieve this. Some remaining work is still to be completed to fully meet minimum site standards, which is expected in June 2026.
Bobbin Mill Gypsy/Traveller Site
Perth & Kinross has progressed a feasibility study and consulted residents to identify future potential improvements to the site. Perth & Kinross has also taken steps to make some immediate improvements on the site pending a decision on the site’s future and has been regularly engaging with residents to ensure their perspective is taken account of. Perth & Kinross is unable to say at this stage when it will comply with minimum site standards at Bobbin Mill.
We will engage with Perth & Kinross to seek assurance on the steps it is taking to meet minimum site standards at both sites. We will also engage with the residents of Bobbin Mill to get their feedback on the plans for improvements.
Perth & Kinross is engaging openly and constructively with us.
What Perth & Kinross must do
Perth & Kinross must:
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send us quarterly updates from April 2026 on its progress in meeting the minimum standards for both its Gypsy/Traveller sites including information on how it is engaging with residents;
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tell us when it expects its Bobbin Mill site to comply with the minimum site standards as soon as possible; and
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tell us when it considers the sites meet the minimum site standards and provide us with the assurance we require to confirm this.
What we will do
We will:
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review the quarterly updates on the progress in meeting the minimum standards for both Gypsy/Traveller sites including the information on how Perth & Kinross is engaging with residents and engage as necessary;
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review the information Perth & Kinross provides us when it considers the sites meet minimum site standards and engage as necessary;
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meet the residents of Bobbin Mill annually to consider their perspective on plans for the site; and
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update our published engagement plan in the light of any material change to our planned engagement with Perth & Kinross.
Regulatory Returns
Perth & Kinross must provide us with the following annual regulatory returns:
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Annual Assurance Statement; and
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Annual Return on the Charter.
It should also notify us of any material changes to its Annual Assurance Statement, and any tenant and resident safety matter which has been reported to or is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive or reports from regulatory or statutory authorities or insurance providers, relating to safety concerns.