The previous administrations ‘Ostrich-style’ approach to housing provision has left the Scottish Government saddled with “unsustainable” commitments, Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell said today.
Speaking as he unveiled this year’s Affordable Housing Investment Programme, Maxwell said:
"This is a mature, forward-thinking Government with a long term, strategic vision for housing provision in Scotland. We want to maximise our record planned investment of £1.5 billion over the next three years.
"Unfortunately, the previous administration's ostrich-style approach of burying its head in the sand has left this Government saddled with unsustainable inherited commitments.”
Maxwell said the Government’s £1.5bn investment over three years will deliver “at least” 21.500 new approved affordable homes by 2011.
He also said that new and improved ways of working will be needed to achieve the 2012 homelessness target, however, he added that there should be “absolutely no compromise on the quality or standards of new social housing.”
Maxwell went on to stress that housing associations have an “important and central role” in helping to meet demand. However, he said that the present arrangements for subsidising Housing Association Grant (HAG) will be reformed to deliver “better value for money”, and in the short term HAG will be based on “more realistic” assumptions about the costs of housing associations and their alternative sources of extra funding.
A short-term working group will also be set up to streamline the management and operation of the existing HAG system.
Maxwell added: "I want to reassure the sector that what we're proposing will not mean the end to small-scale and local providers. Indeed, what matters is an organisation's ability to meet need and deliver services effectively and efficiently, not its shape or size.
"I firmly believe that housing associations can achieve these efficiencies and still deliver the quality of service for which they are renowned."
One person has commented on this article. 1. Previous housing commitments “unsustainable”
Chris, Unregistered Ah Ha! Another example of the 'a big boy did it and ran away' style of government!!
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