Council calls ‘housing emergency’ in Argyll
Council chiefs could be set to declare a housing emergency in Argyll and Bute – as the number of people on the area’s housing waiting list has increased by eight per cent in a year.
A report also revealed that as well as 3,290 people on the waiting list, there are 253 households in the area classified as homeless. This represents a 15 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.
Councillors are now recommended to formally declare a housing emergency and note several actions, including the updating of the local housing strategy and a housing summit to take place in autumn. The report will go before the council’s environment, development and infrastructure committee today, Thursday June 1.
Executive director Kirsty Flanagan said: “Over recent decades structural changes within the housing system have occurred which see us now in a position which is commonly recognised as a housing emergency across the UK.”
Ms Flanagan then listed a range of factors, including increasing property values, a smaller percentage of housing stock available, and an increase in construction prices by 22 per cent in 2021/22. She continued: “These problems/issues have a direct impact on property prices, rental levels, and general housing availability that contributes to wider economic and social challenges.
“Whilst many housing issues are common and widespread, the UK is a large and disparate geography and the nature of the national housing emergency manifests differently in different geographical areas.
“This is a complex and interdependent picture, and collectively these local statistics point to a housing emergency within Argyll and Bute, set within the context of a national crisis that exacerbates the issues we face.
“The council has already declared housing as one of its top priorities, bringing forward a number of projects across Argyll and Bute. It would, however, be useful for the council to specifically acknowledge and declare a ‘housing emergency’, as this will help to focus our limited resources, help raise the issue at a national level, and ultimately justify future decision-making if any further interventions are decided upon.
“The council intends to refresh its LHS (local housing strategy) to ensure we are specifically addressing the issues identified with a clear focus on housing delivery actions.
“There is a clear intention to hold a housing summit in the autumn of 2023 to examine this issue further bringing together a range of housing stakeholders and partners.
“An officer housing group has been established to focus on these issues and to identify appropriate actions which are likely to include new and direct housing interventions.”
An Argyll haulier has called on CalMac to help provide spaces for an extra “350 cars per week” on the ferry to Islay and Jura, as the MV Finlaggan is due for drydock this month, writes Sandy Neil.
Islay haulier B Mundell Ltd photographed an expanse of empty vehicle deck of the MV Isle of Arran, departing the island on Thursday May 18.
General operations manager Matthew Mundell said: “It clearly shows the amount of deck space that is not being used due to the vessel being fully freighted (maxed out on weight limit before meterage is met).
“In the 70s, 80s & 90s, despite our equipment being many years older and the ferry ports being 1/3rd of the size with poorer infrastructure, The Isle of Arran sailed fully freighted with this space utilised. The vessel ran the same timetable with the same turnaround times, on the same route but carried an additional 14-20 additional cars or an additional unladen 17m CV (commercial vehicle).
“With all the improvements that have been made to ports, equipment and safe working practices, why is CalMac Ferries refusing to reinstate a dropped trailer service on the Isle of Arran immediately using the same safe operating procedures that both CalMac and B Mundell Ltd operated on this mirror service in the 90s? With a stellar safety record.
“When we see the departure of the MV Finlaggan [for a delayed overhaul on June 4], and the ferry capacity once again being significantly compromised the ferry operator could free up space for an additional 350 car spaces per week or 25 additional unladen 17CVs on the service by reverting to a dropped trailer procedure on the Isle of Arran vessel.
“B Mundell Ltd and the island community are struggling to understand why CalMac will not re-instate a tried and proven, safe method of moving CVs on the Islay route using the Isle of Arran.”
A CalMac spokeswoman said: “We are currently working with all stakeholders involved to progress with a dropped trailer service trial on MV Isle of Arran. Port and vessel risk assessments are complete, and we expect to have the insurance position agreed by 30 June. We are awaiting the output from the Systra Traffic Management report, commissioned by Argyll and Bute Council, which we are expecting mid-July.”