Thousands of families’ long housing wait

Rutherglen and Cambuslang remain in the grip of a housing crisis with thousands of families still waiting on council lets.

The Reformer can reveal 487 people on the list had been found a house between April 1 and November 13 last year.

But across the two towns, 3815 people had been on the waiting list at the end of 2015/16 financial year.

According to a recent council paper on housing, 290 lets had been allocated in Rutherglen in the first half of 2016/17. In Cambuslang, the figure is 187.

But on March 31 last year, 2003 people and families from Rutherglen were on the list, with a further 1812 in Cambuslang.

Well over half of those who received lets were in urgent need of housing.

Across South Lanarkshire, the council project more than 5000 new housing applications in 2016/ 17 alone and nearly 2000 homelessness applications.

The Rutherglen and Cambuslang lets represent 24 per cent of the total across the county until November.

Executive director of housing and technical resources at South Lanarkshire Council, Daniel Lowe, said: “Demand for social rented housing across South Lanarkshire is very high, with around 16,000 applicants on our housing list. This position is echoed in Cambuslang and Rutherglen where almost 4000 applicants are queuing.

“Despite almost 500 properties becoming available to rent in 2016/17, the availability of housing to let, by the council or one of our housing association partners, does not match this level of demand.

“The council and our partners are committed to working together to increase the supply of affordable homes, with the council building 155 new homes in Cambuslang and Rutherglen since our new build programme commenced.”

Last year Rutherglen and Cambuslang Housing Association revealed residents were facing a 14year wait for a new home.

Clare Haughey MSP said the blame for the lack of social housing lay with the Right to Buy scheme which was scrapped by the SNP.

She added: “Over the next ten years, this action alone will keep up to 15,500 homes in the social sector which would otherwise have been sold off.

“In addition, despite a challenging financial environment, the Scottish Government has invested heavily in affordable housing. 33,490 affordable houses have been completed since 2011, including 22,523 for social rent.

“We will continue to work closely with social landlords, including Rutherglen and Cambuslang Housing Association, as well as local authorities, including South Lanarkshire Council, and the private sector, to maximise our investment in housing and deliver on our ambitious target of 50,000 affordable homes over the lifetime of this parliament, including 35,000 social homes.”

However, Glasgow Labour MSP, James Kelly, urged the government to do more: “Waiting lists for homes across Scotland are stretching into the decades – we need a change of direction from the Scottish Government.

“Part of the problem is the lack of affordable housing and a rental sector which needs regulated.

“Too many people are stuck paying out the nose to private landlords, while there is a significant underinvestment in housebuilding.

“The SNP government should a c c e l e rate investment in housebuilding.

“It’s the twin track route to a better nation that will cut poverty and stimulate the economy.”

Waiting lists across Scotland are stretching into decades . . .