Council housing: 'Building vital low-cost homes is what matters'

Published on Friday 26 June 2009 09:12

IT seems almost incredible that work will soon begin on a new generation of council homes in Edinburgh – the first in 20 years.

Incredible, not so much that it has been so long since public sector bricks and mortar were laid, but that we are finally returning to local authority housing after it was sent into apparently terminal decline by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.

The ideological debate about that particular Conservative policy has been well-aired ever since and needs no repeating here. What matters now is that hundreds of much needed low-cost homes are to be built in the Capital, with more across the Lothians.

The need is clear: as the News reported earlier this month, one in 17 people in Edinburgh is on the council's waiting list – a remarkable figure for Scotland's most affluent city.

Yesterday's announcement of 1.68 million from the Scottish Government should help kick-start Edinburgh's plans to address this shortfall. This takes central funding for the city's project to 3.35m, which should build 134 homes.

East Lothian's share of a 26m central pot is 2.9m, for 117 homes, while Midlothian gets 2.5m for 252 homes and West Lothian wins the biggest portion, 3.73m towards 298 homes.

This is all to be welcomed, especially in the Capital, where the need for low-cost housing has been evident since even before residents voted against housing stock transfer. That may still prove to be an opportunity lost, though at least it has spared the city some of the difficulties faced in Glasgow.

With private construction in the doldrums, the important thing is that local councils are taking the lead in building more affordable houses. They must now make sure that they are fit for the 21st century – and that those lucky enough to get the new homes take pride in them and help foster much-needed community spirit.

Burns kicked out

THE unceremonious eviction of Labour group leader Andrew Burns from the council meeting yesterday had comic elements.

He became the first member for decades to be kicked out of chambers, after accusing council leader Jenny Dawe of telling "untruths". He clearly felt strongly to use such "unparliamentary" language, and his rivals were affronted enough to vote him out.

It was all good political knock-about, but will have done nothing to enhance the council in the eyes of a public which wants action, not a war of words.