February 15th, 2011

HOUSING CUTS FURY 

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil fears the area’s impressive house building and modernisation programme will be jeopardised by swingeing cuts imposed by the Scottish Government.

Mr McNeil joined local housing reps at a rally at the Scottish Parliament to protest at the huge spending reductions in the Housing and Regeneration budget passed this week.

Staff from Clock, Oaktree and Care and Repair Inverclyde came through to Edinburgh to demonstrate about the 19 per cent cut.

The MSP is concerned that cuts to the housing association grants will push up rents and hold up new projects from going ahead.

He said: “Housing yet again is the big loser in the Scottish Government’s budget and this undermines the good work being done in the area by housing associations like Cloch and Oaktree.

“So they are right to be angry at the Scottish Government’s failure to prioritise housing and I am sure that tenants will share this disappointment.

“I am delighted that Inverclyde Council has been able to protect services like Care and Repair but I fear it will become increasing difficult to sustain the housing standards we aspire to.”

According to the Scottish Draft Budget 2011-12, the Housing and Regeneration Budget will fall from £488m in 2010-11 to £393m in 2011-12, a drop of 19.4%.