A Scots local authority has declared a housing emergency in an area represented at Holyrood by the SNP’s Housing Minister.
East Lothian Council announced the decision after warning that an expected Scottish Government funding cut meant they could no longer invest in sites for new builds.
The move is embarrassing for East Lothian MSP Paul McLennan, who has faced calls to resign from opposition parties from his role as Housing Minister.
A total of 13 councils across the country have now declared housing emergencies in various forms, meaning they can no longer meet local demand for affordable accommodation.
It comes as a record number of children in Scotland are currently living in temporary accommodation.
The meeting was told East Lothian had become a “victim of its own success” after receiving £12 million a year in funds as part of its Strategic Housing Investment Plans (SHIP) before it dropped to just £7 million last year.
The report said: “If investment were available to deliver all of the projects set out in the SHIP a total of 1,566 unit could complete over the next five years.
“Based on the actual allocation received, there is a very high risk that we could lose 1,226 units of affordable housing.”
Officers had initially invited councillors to declare a housing emergency but brought an amended proposal to them describing it as an ‘affordable housing emergency’ to reflect the concerns about losing the sites.
Councillor Andy Forrest, Labour cabinet housing spokesperson, moved a motion calling on the Scottish and UK Governments to their declaration of such an emergency saying “it requires an urgent response to ensure we do not lose affordable housing units available through our Section 75 obligations”.
SNP councillor Lee-Anne Menzies, however raised concerns that simply declaring the emergency and asking for more money to secure the sites which they face losing would not solve the problem.
Councillor Menzies called for a postponement of the declaration calling for more information on alternative means of raising revenue, including borrowing against current housing stock by raising the rent, to be considered.
She said: “We have the highest priced housing in East Lothian yet the lowest council rent. I do not think we have all the information we need on options to make this declaration.”
Her motion was voted down by 15 votes to four.
Councillor Shona McIntosh, the county’s sole Scottish Greens councillor, proposed an addition to Councillor Forrest’s motion which would call for officers to additionally draw up a housing plan to be brought back in six months looking at wider options for tackling the issue. It was also rejected by Labour and Conservative councillors who voted by 15 to four with SNP members supporting her.
Council leader Norman Hampshire told the meeting action had to be taken now to ensure the Scottish and UK Government were aware of the crisis facing East Lothian.
He said: “Families who are sitting homeless right now are not worried about all the other issues, they just want a home over their heads.
“We have done everything asked of us by the Scottish Government to bring housing to East Lothian but the 25 per cent affordable housing needs more funding.
“We are just days away from losing these sites unless we can get this message across to government now.”
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