Calls to licence migrant housing

Angus council wants to be able to enforce health and safety rules

Regulations governing accommodation for migrant workers in Angus look set to be tightened up following a fatal fire.

The council is planning to ask the Scottish Government to change the rules in the wake of Petr Adamik's death.

The Czech farm worker was killed in a blaze at a temporary caravan site near Arbroath in April.

Such accommodation does not have to be licensed under current laws and the local authority wants the exemption to be removed.

The proposal is contained in a report which goes before Angus Council's infrastructure services committee on Tuesday.

Immediate action

It follows inspections of all known caravan sites housing migrant workers in the region.

Committee convenor David May said the process had revealed that some landlords were failing to meet basic safety standards.

He said: "In conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive and colleagues in Tayside Fire and Rescue, the council took immediate action to ensure that any identified health and safety breaches were rectified.

Everyone living and working in Scotland should be able to live in a safe and secure affordable home Archie Stoddart Director, Shelter Scotland

"However, the licensing and enforcement powers of local authorities are severely limited under the current legislation.

"That is why it is proposed that we ask the government to withdraw the current exemption for agricultural workers accommodation in Angus."

He added: "If the exemption was to be lifted the council would be better able to control the development and enforce the licensing of caravan sites on agricultural land to ensure compliance with the basic operational standards required."

Housing and homelessness charity Shelter Scotland described Angus Council's plans as "encouraging".

Director Archie Stoddart said: "It is imperative that local authorities are given more powers to ensure migrant workers have decent living conditions.

"Everyone living and working in Scotland should be able to live in a safe and secure affordable home.

"It is unacceptable if those who have moved to this country to work are living in unsuitable and often unsafe accommodation."