‘Drastic action needed’ over housing crisis [Dundee]

[From the Evening Telegraph] Dundee’s housing crisis is real and will only get worse unless drastic action is taken now to halt further demolition of council houses and increase the supply of affordable homes (writes Bruce Robbins).

That was the consensus that emerged from a public meeting on the subject in a Ward Road church.

Academics, housing professionals, tenants and two of the city’s SNP councillors made it clear that, from their point of view, housing difficulties are greater now than at any time for decades.

And, they said, ongoing demolition of council stock and the global credit crunch, which is making it harder for first time house buyers to secure a property, will only increase the pressures already apparent in the rented sector.

The meeting was called in response to concern raised in the Evening Telegraph that the city is facing a housing crisis following the publication of figures by the SNP group which showed there are almost 10,000 people on the waiting list.

Dundee’s housing convener, Councillor George Regan, hit back by saying only 2000 people on that list were currently without adequate housing and this did not constitute a crisis.

Dozens of angry Tele readers responded to the convener’s comments with their own accounts of the poor conditions they say they are forced to live in because of a shortage of suitable houses.

Last night’s meeting was hosted by the Dundee Social Forum and attracted an audience of around 40, including many tenants, some eager to recount their housing problems.

Criticism of the city council’s housing policy has been led by the SNP groups, and two of their number, Councillors Willie Sawers and Jimmy Black, attended the meeting.

The failure of any members of the council’s Labour/Liberal Democrat administration or the Tory group to attend was highlighted by some of the organisers. A decision by the Dundee Tenants Federation not to attend on the grounds it was a non-political organisation and did not get involve in political debate was also criticised.

Dr Sarah Glynn, an Edinburgh University lecturer who lives in Dundee and has studied the city’s housing set-up for three years, and John Carracher, chairman of the Scottish Tenants’ Organisation, addressed the meeting.

Dr Glynn said, increasingly, housing decisions were made for financial reasons and not social ones. It was necessary to bring a social dimension back.

She said, “It’s great that the Tele has opened up this debate, but it must not become last week’s story. If anyone was in any doubt about the importance of independent housing associations, they shouldn’t be now.”

Mr Carracher called into question Mr Regan’s assertion there is no crisis. He said both the UK and Scottish Governments had acknowledged there was.

He told the audience, “If you want something done about it, you will have to do it yourselves.

“People should be getting together, deciding for themselves what the agenda is, deciding what information they want and pursuing it.”

Bruce Forbes of Angus Housing Association said, “Every housing association in Dundee would fundamentally disagree that there’s no housing crisis.

“We are only building 200 houses for rent in a year. The (council) administration seems to think this is some sort of achievement, but I think it’s a great under-achievement.”

There was also criticism of comments made by administration leader Kevin Keenan concerning a cross-party working group he wanted to set up. Councillor Keenan said it now appeared unlikely the group would go ahead because of “outlandish requests” in terms of membership made by SNP councillors.

However, Tony Cox, of the Dundee Social Forum, said it was more likely Cllr Keenan did not want to face the likes of Dr Glynn, who had the “facts and figures at her fingertips”.

“We should be under no illusions that this is going to be an easy fight, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. There are nearly 2000 houses sitting empty with a demolition order on them. We have to put pressure on the council to lift that order.”

Councillor Sawers said some council stock was rightly demolished. The people of Whitfield, for example, would not shed a tear over the loss of the Skarne blocks. But he urged people to put pressure on their councillors by reminding them there was a crisis.

Councillor Black said the SNP group had placed no conditions on its participation in Councillor Keenan’s cross-party working group and denied they refused to take part.

At the end of the meeting, around 20 tenants put their names forward for a working group that will put pressure on Dundee City Council to rethink its housing policies and, in particular, to abandon plans to demolish more council homes.

Anyone wishing to support the group can call Dr Glynn on 07803052239.

Dundee City Council was asked to say whether or not it would be prepared to meet the working group formed at the meeting, but no answer was forthcoming by press time.

Tags: Council Housing, Dundee