Get involved in shaping Perth and Kinross

We gave tenants a choice of three rent level increases for 2025/26, alongside details of what each option would mean for investment in their housing services: 

• A 6% rent increase 
• A 6.5% rent increases
• A 7.5% rent increase 

A total of 3,055 tenants took part in the consultation - the highest ever total in the eight years that we have been running this annual consultation. 

64% of tenants chose a 6% rent increase for 2025/26.

25% chose a 6.5% rent increase, and 11% chose a 7.5% increase.

As a result, a 6% rent increase is being recommended for 2025/26 reflecting tenants’ views.

This proposal will be considered at a meeting of the Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee on Wednesday 22nd January 2025.

The proposed changes would result in an average weekly rent increase of £4.78 per week, bringing the average weekly rent to £84.52. Perth and Kinross would maintain the 4th lowest council rent in Scotland, £7.87 below the projected Scottish local authority average.

A final decision on rent levels for 2025/26 will be made by the Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee at a meeting on Wednesday 22nd January 2025.

As a result of the Food Growing Strategy 2021, which identified areas with a demand for community food growing, we asked what type of community food growing areas are needed, if any sites have been identified as suitable for this purpose and if the current community food growing provision provided by the Pitlochry Garden Share scheme satisfies the identified demand from 2021.

We received 12 responses through the consultation hub and one response from the paper copies provided at the Atholl Centre. As their preferred site;

• 5 people requested an allotment site,
• 3 people requested a community garden,
• 2 people requested a community orchard and woodland,
• 1 person requested an urban farm,
• 1 person requested wheelchair accessible raised beds,
• 1 person did not specify

You said that the most important benefits of community food growing to you personally area are reducing the use of pesticides, better nutritional value and taste and increasing local food provision in the local community.

Four people already knew about the existing community food growing provision of the community garden run by the Pitlochry Garden Share organisation, four people were unaware of any other existing provision and five people did not specify.

After analysing the responses we found that whilst there is demand for a community food growing area this demand is not sufficient enough to take forward a project at this time and we encourage those who are looking to becoming involved in food growing to visit the Pitlochry Garden Share organisation’s community garden on Manse Road.

In August 2024, we asked for views on the possible provision of community orchards in 3 separate areas around Glebeway in Meigle.

The community expressed strong support for the initiative, although not necessarily in the proposed locations, emphasizing the importance of connecting with nature and teaching children how to live in harmony with the environment. There was shared enthusiasm for involving local schools and promoting horticulture as a lifelong skill, along with planting more trees to restore ecosystems and support biodiversity. Some suggested that the orchards be located elsewhere to ensure the best possible impact for both nature and the community through collaboration and shared responsibility.

Of the total number of comments received overall, 35% were in favour of planting orchards in these areas while 65% were against. 

After considering the suggestions of alternative areas for the orchard we are now working with the Meigle and Ardler Community Development Trust and Meigle Primary School to create a food growing area in closer proximity to the school.

Following an onsite consultation with the Friends of Legion Park in 2023, we produced a concept masterplan for the site including the play facilities.  We then ran a further consultation from August to September 2024 asking for your views on the design.

We received 94 responses through the consultation hub with a small number of others providing feedback through other means.

The responses were extremely positive overall, and raised a number of themes for us to consider in more detail as we develop the detailed design. These themes include the provision of sensory and inclusive play equipment, as well as accessibility and seating in the park. The consultation also touched on issues regarding grass management in line with PKC’s Grow Wild scheme and increasing tree planting in the park, and there appears to be a high level of support for incorporating these changes into the masterplan design. This will hopefully lead to a reduction in maintenance in the park as well as increasing biodiversity and adding aesthetic improvements to the park.

The comments and feedback from the consultation are currently being discussed and the outcome of these discussions will inform the next stage of the design process, which will see the masterplan design amended to take the key themes into consideration.’

For your thoughts on the council’s approach to Nature Networks and Biodiversity Enhancement, and telling us your projects, nature rich sites and enhancement opportunities that could be part of a nature network.

Please see the results section for a report on the responses.

The information has assisted in developing interim biodiversity guidance and will inform our approach to nature networks in the coming months. A full review of Planning for Nature Guidance next year will also be informed by this.