A CONCERNED councillor is calling for a “housing emergency” to be officially declared in Dumfries and Galloway so that radical steps can be taken to rescue the sinking service.
Paula Stevenson, who represents North West Dumfries, is appalled at the never-ending backlog of hundreds of people effectively homeless in temporary accommodation.
She was also shocked to learn that the Scottish Housing Regulator has announced that there is a “heightened risk of systemic failure” in the delivery of housing and homelessness services within Dumfries and Galloway Council.
A formal motion will now be tabled by Councillor Stevenson at the full council meeting tomorrow (Thurs) demanding serious action to try and address the dire situation.
The ten-point document, which has been seconded by Lochar Councillor Linda Dorward, calls on the council to note “the acute nature of Dumfries and Galloway’s homelessness crisis”, along with the “severe shortage of social rented homes”, and “the impact the lack of accessible homes had on other service areas within the council, including health and social care.”
Council housing chiefs have held their hands up in recent years and admitted that the housing and homelessness service has been under immense pressure.
In August last year, they revealed that the homelessness crisis in Dumfries and Galloway is so bad that housing officers are being forced to put people up in caravans.
And, at any one time, there could be homeless people staying in 50 bed and breakfast properties across the region.
Enough is enough for Councillor Stevenson as her motion will call for several steps to try and turn things around.
This includes declaring the housing emergency, and council officers working with existing third sector partners and external organisations such as Shelter Scotland, health and social care partners, and registered social landlords with the goal of establishing a housing emergency action plan to build on existing actions.
A housing emergency action plan should also be urgently formed by council committees dealing with housing matters, and progress should be reported to elected members, according to Councillor Stevenson.
The final paragraph in her motion states: “Request that the council leader writes to the First Minister, the Deputy First Minister, the housing minister, and the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, outlining the actions council is taking to address the housing emergency, and seeks additional resources to help meet the severe challenges and that the Scottish Government produces its own action plan.”
The declaration of a housing emergency in this region would follow similar approaches taken by eight other Scottish local authorities, including recently Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire Councils. The Scottish Government also declared a national housing emergency on May 15, 2024.
The Housing Minister has committed to the development of an action plan aimed at tackling the national emergency. It is understood, at this stage, that the focus will be on building more homes, and making the most out of empty homes and voids.
