26/02/2010
A petitioner has inspired an evidence session on the “slum” housing in parts of Govanhill in Glasgow.
Scottish Government Housing Minister Alex Neil MSP and Steven Purcell, the leader of Glasgow City Council, will take part in the Public Petitions Committee meeting on Tuesday 2 March.
Anne Lear has submitted a petition on behalf of the Govanhill Housing Association urging the Scottish Government to conduct an inquiry into the responsibilities of private landlords, below-standard social housing and the impact of slum living conditions on the health and well-being of residents.
Committee Convener Frank McAveety MSP said: “Govanhill presents a particular housing challenge and this is a petition on behalf of local residents asking for help from national and local government.
"The hope is that they will be listened to by the key decision-makers who are gathered round the table.”
Those attending the meeting at the Scottish Parliament are:
- Alex Neil MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Housing and Communities
- Steven Purcell, leader of Glasgow City Council
- Anne Lear, director of Govanhill Housing Association and petitioner
- Tom Warren, Govanhill Residents Group
- Hamish Battye, Head of Planning and Implementation for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, South East Community Health Partnership
Background
Members of the Public Petitions Committee – Convener Frank McAveety MSP, Anne McLaughlin MSP and John Wilson MSP – visited Govanhill on 15 January 2010 to look at some of the properties which have given rise to the petition and to meet with the Govanhill Housing Association and local housing groups.
Members of the Public Petitions Committee – Convener Frank McAveety MSP, Anne McLaughlin MSP and John Wilson MSP – visited Govanhill on 15 January 2010 to look at some of the properties which have given rise to the petition and to meet with the Govanhill Housing Association and local housing groups.
The Public Petitions Committee meeting on 2 March will start at 2pm and aims to produce evidence and highlight key issues which the Local Government and Communities Committee may wish to consider further as part of its scrutiny of the Housing (Scotland) Bill.
The Scottish Government introduced the Bill on 13 January 2010.
The principal policy objectives of the Bill are:
- to improve the value that social housing delivers for tenants and taxpayers, to safeguard the supply of that housing for the benefit of future generations of tenants, and to improve conditions in private-sector housing.
The Bill seeks to achieve its policy objectives by:
- modernising the regime for regulating social landlords (local-authority landlords and registered social landlords)
- reforming the right to buy social housing
- amending the law on registering private landlords, licensing houses in multiple occupation and dealing with disrepair in private housing.