In November, following Tavish Scott's visit to Dundee to see local housing projects, I again highlighted the fact that the SNP government, whilst creating a lot of media spin about assisting the provision of providing more affordable housing in Scotland, had, in reality, been poor at actual delivery of the policy in communities across Scotland. Click on the headline above to view my earlier article.For 2008-9, Housing Association Grant for Dundee was reduced to £7.7 million by the SNP. This represents the poorest level of allocation in years - the figures below from a parliamentary answer from the Minister for Communities and Sport shows the funding for Dundee under the previous LibDem and Labour administration :
What has been staggering has been the total silence of our SNP parliamentary representatives over the huge cut in funding to the city, caused by their own government. I think it should be incumbent upon them to explain their silence on the issue.
The SNP has announced and reannounced on numerous occasions a £25 million additional capital funding for councils to build new council houses. £25 million is hardly a fortune if spread right across Scotland and I understand it is to be targeted, but it would be good to actually see it actually being used as opposed to being talked about.
In April, the SNP website announced :
"Scottish local authorities will be given a £25m package to build new council houses over the next three years.
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made the announcement as she addressed the SNP spring conference."
(Source : http://www.snp.org/node/13706)
Progress nine months on? In December, the First Minister was still rehashing the same announcement :
"Councils offered share of £25m housing pot
By Alex Salmond MP
Published: 02 December, 2008
LOCAL authorities in Scotland are being given the opportunity to apply for a share of £25 million to help kick start a new generation of council house building."
(Source : http://www.banffshire-journal.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/3530/Councils_offered_share_of__A325m_housing_pot.html)
I think it is high time we saw all the Scottish Government spin about supporting affordable housing and helping the construction industry actually being delivered across Scotland - a good share of the £25 million fund coming to Dundee to offset the negative effects of the cut in housing association funding would be a start.