Councillor under fire for remarks

A Fife councillor has admitted using the term “social cleansing” in the debate about St Andrews houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) was inappropriate.

Councillor Linda Holt came under fire for her comments about the town’s student population as a new policy was promoted for HMOs.

In a statement issued by the Scottish Conservatives, she said: “I intend to continue to represent the concerns of local residents on this issue but I accept that the use of the phrase ‘social cleansing’ was inappropriate and I won’t use it again.”

Last week Fife Council’s north-east Fife area committee recommended thresholds be set for the number of HMOs permitted in St Andrews, where many areas of the town centre are dominated by student lets.

Mrs Holt had argued the population of permanent residents was dwindling due to the rising number of HMOs.

In a letter to The Courier, St Andrews University’s director of communications Niall Scott demanded the East Neuk and Landward councillor withdraw her “deeply offensive” remark.

He said: “Linda Holt’s claim that St Andrews University and its students have engaged in the social cleansing of St Andrews has caused palpable anger amongst our students and staff.”

Mrs Holt had previously stood by her comment, telling the student newspaper The Saint the social profile of St Andrews had changed markedly over the last 30 years.

She told The Courier yesterday: “I don’t want to offend anyone but I want the fact that there is an issue in St Andrews with displacement of the resident population by the student population to be talked about.”

Councillor Linda Holt.