Labour’s Mark Griffin and SNP minister Paul McLennan at odds over empty housing.
By Bill Heaney
More people than ever are sleeping in the street and families are huddled together in temporary freezing accommodation without the money to feed themselves or heat the premises they are stuck in.
This is despite the fact that, according to Scottish Labour MSP Mark Griffin, that the stock of empty homes is valued at an astonishing £3.4 billion.
Mr Griffith asked Housing Minister Paul McLennan: “What action it is taking to bring more homes back into use, in light of reports that the stock of empty homes is valued at an estimated £3.4 billion?”
Paul McLennan replied: “We are strongly committed to returning empty homes to use and are already acting to support owners in doing that. Since 2010, our £3.2 million investment in the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership has helped to bring more than 9,000 homes back into use.
“The approach is anchored on building capacity to work with owners in each local authority area.
“I wrote to the Parliament last year, confirming the publication of an independent audit and setting out further actions to enhance our approach to empty homes, to reflect the wide range and complexity of circumstances that have to be addressed.”
But Mark Griffin was not content with this answer. He challenged the Minister: “The number of empty homes is now the second highest on record, having jumped by 3,500 in the past year. The numbers are going in the wrong direction.
“In October, the Government published a consultation finding that backed Labour’s proposal for an empty homes council tax escalator, which would increase the charges on empty homes for every year that they are empty, potentially raising £30 million for councils.
“When does the Government plan to lay regulations so that councils can increase the charges on the most problematic empty homes and end the farce of billions of pounds’ worth of homes lying empty while kids are stuck in temporary accommodation?”
Paul McLennan replied: “The reasons behind homes being empty are complex. It could be that owners have died and there is an intention to renovate; it could be that owners are in hospital or a care home; or it could be that owners are overseas.
“The 100 per cent premium was introduced by this Government. Prior to that—this was the position that we inherited from the previous Labour Government—local authorities could increase the discount by between 50 and 10 per cent.
“As Mark Griffin said, last summer we consulted on enabling the premium to be increased, but that would require primary legislation. The consultation analysis is being considered by the joint working group on sources of local government funding and council tax reform. Once the group has done its work, the Government will proceed.”
He pressed on: “Councils in England seem to be ahead of where we are in Scotland with the powers that they have. Salford, Cumbria and Bolsover councils are all using enforced sale powers, which we do not have, to get indebted empty properties on to the market and sold. The adjudication powers that we have here are archaic, complex and very rarely used.
“Does the minister not see that empty homes with inconsiderate owners should be forced on to the market? Will he declare a housing emergency and agree to work with Labour members so that enforced sale and rental powers can be included in the housing bill, to get empty homes back into use by families who are desperate for them?”