Housing switch re-think ruled out

The city council is laden with £900m housing debt

The Scottish Executive has ruled out a re-think over the planned Glasgow council housing stock transfer.

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Deputy Minister for Social Justice Margaret Curran said the housing switch would not be dropped in the Scottish Executive's policy review.

She said ministers were "completely and utterly committed" to the plan to switch the houses to community ownership and transfer the city's housing debt.

The policy review was ordered by First Minister Henry McLeish following his appointment last month.

Margaret Curran: "Way forward"

Ms Curran said: "The transfers to community ownership will deliver up to £3bn of new investment, a major improvement in the quality and energy efficiency of our housing stock as a result of that investment

"Accountability to tenants and the wider community through properly regulated, not for profit voluntary organisations and the potential to stimulate local economies.

"It is about getting jobs into our local deprived communities.

"That's the way forward for Scottish housing.

Plan opposed

"It is about getting investment in, it's about putting communities in the driving seat and I'm delighted to say that it is not part of our policy review and we will be taking it forward."

The plans to switch Glasgow's public housing stock to private ownership have been opposed by some tenants who fear it will lead to a rise in rents.

They also fear that security for residents could be cut and the jobs and conditions of staff in the council's housing and building services department could be threatened.

Before the council can complete any deal, it must win majority backing from the city's 90,000 tenants in a referendum.