An ambitious £4.6 million plan to fast-track homeless people into accommodation in West Dunbartonshire has been approved by councillors.

But the local authority’s housing and communities committee has heard that the project could take up to a decade to deliver if the Scottish Government fails to stump up the cash required to fully fund the initiative.

Councillors won’t find out until April if they will receive the money which would allow them to tackle the growing issue of homelessness in the area.

Last week, the Reporter revealed West Dunbartonshire had the the worst levels of people without homes in the whole of Scotland.

Read more: West Dunbartonshire has worst homelessness levels in Scotland

John Kerr, housing development and homelessness manager, told members of the committee: “There will be an announcement from the Scottish Government in April whether we have been successful in getting the funding, full or partial.

“The expectation of people working in the sector is that the programme will be over-subscribed and we may need to look at other sources of funding streams.

“We have a particularly strong case in terms of homelessness, both the causes and the consequences, particularly around the support needs for homeless persons.

“I would hope that we get as close to the £4.6m, but if we don’t get the full amount we will have to review the plan going forward.

“The five-year plan may become a seven or ten-year plan.”

Read more: Council could still face more cuts despite £3.2m more funds

The Rapid Rehousing Transition Programme, dubbed ‘Home at the Heart’, aims to make sure that people who are officially designated as homeless spend as little time as possible in temporary accommodation.

SNP councillor and depute provost Karen Conaghan told the committee: “It’s a very good report but we need to tackle the levels of poverty in a constructive way.

“Having been with people who have needed support, the thing that makes a difference is the staff.

“Many of them live in the local community and have a good understanding of the issue.”

Labour councillor David McBride added: “We have a long history of good work here.

“We introduced supported accommodation and it’s been well received by people who use it and the local community.

“The project has been doubled in the last few years which is excellent.

“We will always have homelessness, here but the real problem is not the consequence, but the cause.”