Written Question · S3W-29892 · Session 3
Further to the answer to question S3W-29298 by Alex Neil on 9 December 2009, which 26 local authorities were initially approached regarding…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-29298 by Alex Neil on 9 December 2009, which 26 local authorities were initially approached regarding the development of a national housing trust.
The answer
As part of the exploratory work by the Scottish Futures Trust, the local authorities listed below were approached informally regarding the development of a National Housing Trust. This was to seek their initial views in order to gauge whether or not there was likely to be local authority interest and whether a viable business case could be made for the model. Local authorities were selected on the basis of falling into one or more of four broad categories:
Councils where there was likely to be demand for mid-market rent housing;
Councils facing particular challenges in meeting their homelessness targets;
Councils who had already expressed an interest in this type of innovative model, and
Other Councils suggested by housing officials working in that region.
The local authorities marked with an asterisk below expressed interest in looking at the housing trust model in more detail. Two of the 26 councils initially contacted did not provide any response. Most others who did not express any interest did not provide detailed reasons, but noted that they did not feel the model would be suitable in their area. Where councils did provide reasons these focussed on: there being little or no suitable mothballed private housing sites in their area; mid-market rent housing not being a priority for their council or concerns about the need to borrow funds from the Public Works Loan Board.
COSLA has since been consulting all Scottish councils to confirm which councils wish to be involved in further discussions on the housing trust proposals.
Aberdeen*
Aberdeenshire*
Angus*
City of Edinburgh*
Clackmannanshire
Dumfries and Galloway
Dundee City*
East Dunbartonshire
East Lothian*
East Renfrewshire*
Eilean Siar
Falkirk*
Fife*
Glasgow*
Highland*
Midlothian*
Moray*
North Lanarkshire*
Orkney Islands
Perth and Kinross*
Renfrewshire*
Scottish Borders
Shetland Islands
South Lanarkshire*
Stirling*
West Lothian.
Councils where there was likely to be demand for mid-market rent housing;
Councils facing particular challenges in meeting their homelessness targets;
Councils who had already expressed an interest in this type of innovative model, and
Other Councils suggested by housing officials working in that region.
The local authorities marked with an asterisk below expressed interest in looking at the housing trust model in more detail. Two of the 26 councils initially contacted did not provide any response. Most others who did not express any interest did not provide detailed reasons, but noted that they did not feel the model would be suitable in their area. Where councils did provide reasons these focussed on: there being little or no suitable mothballed private housing sites in their area; mid-market rent housing not being a priority for their council or concerns about the need to borrow funds from the Public Works Loan Board.
COSLA has since been consulting all Scottish councils to confirm which councils wish to be involved in further discussions on the housing trust proposals.
Aberdeen*
Aberdeenshire*
Angus*
City of Edinburgh*
Clackmannanshire
Dumfries and Galloway
Dundee City*
East Dunbartonshire
East Lothian*
East Renfrewshire*
Eilean Siar
Falkirk*
Fife*
Glasgow*
Highland*
Midlothian*
Moray*
North Lanarkshire*
Orkney Islands
Perth and Kinross*
Renfrewshire*
Scottish Borders
Shetland Islands
South Lanarkshire*
Stirling*
West Lothian.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-29892 by reference.