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Darling urged to write off city's housing debt



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Published Date: 20 November 2008
CHANCELLOR Alistair Darling could help stimulate economic growth in his home city while addressing the issue of housing shortages by writing off the city's housing debt, according to Lothians MSP Shirley-Anne Somerville.
Her call comes as the UK Government still has to announce an economic stimulus package for the whole UK.

Ms Somerville said: "If Alistair Darling is serious about bringing forward a stimulus package to boost the economy he could start by looking at his own city and lift the burden of Edinburgh City Council's housing debt.

"Not only would this help boost the local economy it would help the construction market and address Edinburgh's housing problems. Housing debt has crippled too many of Scotland's local authorities and contributed to a real shortage of homes in Edinburgh.

"As an Edinburgh MP Alistair Darling now has the opportunity to stop this situation continuing."

She said that, having given billions to cash-strapped banks, the Chancellor should free up some funds to help his home city.





The full article contains 174 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 20 November 2008 11:23 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Ecto,

20/11/2008 12:18:13
Why can't the council do what it is supposed to do and collect the debt, same end result and the approriate people end up paying rather than the rest of us!!!
2

alex paterson,

edinburgh 20/11/2008 12:50:00
Good idea Ms Somerville but can you really see it happening,it will be left to us again.
3

pofi,

20/11/2008 17:57:59
#1, Dohhh!!!
The Council's housing debt is not the (relatively) small amount owed by some tenants to the Housing Department- it is the huge sum of money owed by the Council to the Banks for the cost of building existing council houses.
Having been forced to sell off the majority of council flats and houses under the Right to Buy scheme at knockdown prices the cost of building them is still partly outstanding.
Hence the difficulty in financing new council housing, hence this initiative.
A promise to pay off this debt was made during the referendum a few years ago to council tenants if they voted YES to a transfer to the proposed Edinburgh Housing Association.
Needless to say they voted NO to a huge hike in rents and the addition of service charges.
Time to suspend the RTB scheme (under the existing Pressurised Area mechanism) and build more social housing to rent.
4

MummyWease,

20/11/2008 21:29:14
I'd much rather the Education debt was written off.

 

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