You’re leaving families behind Housing bosses slammed over home improvements
A ‘ postcode lottery’ is denying villagershaving home improvements paid for, a councillor says.
Andy Doig has slammed housing chiefs for “leaving families behind” by rejecting taxpayer- funded upgrades in rural areas.
He says owners in Paisley have seen their buildings reclad, but calls to extend the scheme to other areas have been turned down.
Councillor Doig has demanded fair access to refurbishments and says a universal framework must be put in place following a standards scandal in other parts of the UK.
He said: “I have, over the last months, been contacted by constituents in both Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch who live in blocks of flats which are completely owner-occupied.
“They have been refused cladding improvements by Renfrewshire Council and Eon, despite being sent letters to say blocks which are wholly owneroccupied could still get the work done.
“I am very angry some blocks of owner- occupiers have been reclad before the council ran out of money.
“We all pay the same council tax, so it is scandalous that home owners in Paisley are being treated differently to home owners in the villages.
“They, yet again, are being left behind and there is palpable anger over this matter.”
Councillor Doig, independent member for Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood, and Lochwinnoch, will call for the scheme to be extended across the region at a full council summit tomorrow.
He says the last council administration should have “done their sums properly to ensure all homeowners are treated the same”.
Councillor Doig has demanded the local authority step because the private sector has been “unable to provide adequate housing for all”.
He has also urged the Scottish Government to plough more cash into revamps to ensure a good bank of affordable housing.
Councillor Doig added: “I understand that the SNP Government is to put another £30 million into the scheme, yet things seem to have ground to a halt for home owners.
“The SNP is guilty of not delivering in time so I am hoping our motion can maximise pressure to get that funding as soon as possible.
“I call on both Renfrewshire Council and the Scottish Government to get their act together.
“I am delighted for all council tenants, and for mixed blocks of home owners and tenants, who are having their flats renovated.
“However, to leave blocks of wholly- owned flats to languish sends a very negative signal that it does not pay to be aspirational and to want to own your own home.”
Building improvements are being probed around the UK following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
It is believed flames spread rapidly through the tower block due to the presence of flammable cladding. A review has raised fears over the same material used at 600 sites across the UK.
A Renfrewshire Council spokesman said: “We recognise the importance of refurbishing council housing stock to provide tenants with energy-efficient homes they are proud of.
“We have secured more than £11.5million in funding through the Scottish Government’s home energy efficiency programme area-based schemes since 2013, benefiting more than 900 home owners.
“In 2017, £ 1.4million has been awarded for Renfrewshire projects, benefiting a further 165 participating owners.
“Our current strategy is to prioritise mixed tenure blocks in areas where improvement works are required to ensure they meet the social housing energy efficiency requirements set out by the Scottish Government.
“Private owners can still apply to the Scottish Government for an interest-free loan to assist with the costs of a range of insulation and heating measures, and the council work in partnership with Home Energy Scotland to assess home owners’ eligibility for a range of energy efficiency measures, advising on any available financial support.”