Shelter Scotland Calls for Edinburgh Council Leadership Change Over HMO and Homelessness Controversy
Dispute Over Council Leadership
Shelter Scotland, a leading housing and homelessness charity, calls for a change in Edinburgh Council leadership. The charity points to a dispute over the council’s work with unlicensed Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and its plan to change rules on homelessness. Edinburgh shows high homelessness rates. About 5,250 households stay in temporary housing. Over one quarter of these households live in homes that break the Unsuitable Accommodation Order.
Allegations Against the Council
A meeting of the council’s housing, homelessness, and fair work committee happened on 3 December. At that meeting, council officials voted on a plan. The plan would set aside key housing rights until March 2028. Shelter Scotland sees this step as a break of human rights. Alison Watson, Shelter Scotland’s director, voiced her anger. She said the council has long ignored homeless people. Watson said the leaders remove rights to hide their own failings. Her words urge every citizen in Scotland to feel this injustice.
Council’s Response
Edinburgh Council sharply disagrees. It calls Shelter Scotland’s statement “factually incorrect and misleading.” According to the council, the committee did not decide to set aside rights forever. Instead, it planned to write to the Scottish government. The aim was to ask for a short delay to use unlicensed HMOs. The council says this step keeps tenants safe while dealing with high homelessness numbers. Mandy Watt, the council’s deputy leader, stressed the need for teamwork in handling the housing crisis. She noted that past talks with Shelter Scotland had helped shape the council’s housing emergency action plan.
Ongoing Issues and Government Involvement
This fight shows how councils in Scotland struggle to meet their duties to homeless households. Edinburgh faces problems like those in other areas, such as Glasgow. The Scottish Housing Regulator has noted big problems in how both councils deal with homelessness. Scottish Housing Minister Paul McLennan has talked with Edinburgh Council. He wants to know its plans to reduce the use of unlicensed HMOs. McLennan is keen to see more funding—over £14 million—to buy homes and fix empty properties.
Conclusion
Tensions between Shelter Scotland and Edinburgh Council raise hard questions about housing and the rights of vulnerable people. The council now works on housing laws and tries to slow the debt of homelessness. Shelter Scotland’s bold call for leadership change wakes up both the public and the authorities. Local groups must follow housing laws and keep both safety and rights for all.
Edinburgh now needs many partners to work as one. The Scottish government, local councils, and charity groups should all join in to find lasting fixes for homelessness.
