News / Tenants ‘disappointed’ with Urquhart
SHETLAND’s 1,800 council house tenants, threatened with rent rises of more than £8 per week, are calling on list MSP Jean Urquhart to meet with their representatives.
Shetland Tenants Forum (STF) said they were disappointed that the SNP’s Highlands and Islands MSP had not contacted them before making public statements on the removal of the housing support grant.
Last week, Ms Urquhart said that the removal of the grant should not automatically lead to a rent increase, a position challenged by local tenants.
As of next financial year, Shetland Islands Council is set to lose £760,000 of grant payment from the Scottish government.
The cash was being paid to help the local authority service a £41 million debt accrued during the housing boom when the Sullom Voe Terminal was built in the 1970s.
The loss of the grant means the council has few other options than to hike up rents or build fewer new council houses. Shetland already has the second highest council house rents in the country.
The SIC and local MSP Tavish Scott have unsuccessfully been trying to convince the SNP government to amend legislation to allow for a transition arrangement.
But Ms Urquhart insisted that the local government minister had already vowed to work with the SIC in support of such a “transitional arrangement”.
On Tuesday, the tenant’s participation worker Joann Johnson said the forum had given evidence to MSPs on several occasions regarding the impact the removal of the housing grant would have on local tenants.
She said: “Shetland Tenants Forum are absolutely clear that the loss of the housing support grant will have to be met within the council’s housing account and that can only be achieved by more income or less spending on properties.
“The £8 per week quoted is correct based on the loss of grant at the current value without anything else changing.
“Disappointingly Jean Urquhart has not been in contact with STF as the representative body for tenants in Shetland and we would invite her to come and meet the group to get a better understanding of the impact this will have on tenants.”
Speaking from Edinburgh on Tuesday, Ms Urquhart said: “As my role is to represent the citizens of the Highlands and Islands, my door is always wide open to groups and organisations across the region to discuss issues of importance.
“The difficulties faced by Shetland Islands Council in delivering a budget that balances the needs of all of Shetland, including housing tenants, makes it all the more important that all councillors and MSPs with a responsibility for Shetland hear about the impact of decisions from those they will affect.
“I am currently in the process of putting together an itinerary for future regional visits, and would be delighted to take up the STF on their offer.”
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