The executive wants councils to end homeless priority tests

The Scottish Executive wants all councils to provide access to anyone without a home regardless of their circumstances by 2012.

Dumfries and Galloway Council has said it is working to meet that target.

Housing operations manager John Lynch added it would be difficult to achieve unless more homes became available.

'Challenging target'

He said it would take some major changes to address the situation.

"The executive nationally has set a very challenging target and all local authorities are having to wrestle with these kind of difficulties," he said.

"The fundamental difficulty - whether somebody is labelled as homeless or not - is that there are many more people in housing need than there are available houses to let.