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The Tide Turns in Favour of Council Housing |
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Friday, 15 August 2008 |
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The Tide Turns in Favour of Council Housing Edinburgh to build 1100 new council homes The announcement by City of Edinburgh Council that they are looking at building 1100 new council homes represents a major breakthrough for the future of council housing in Scotland. It is also a vindication for the lefts arguments in the recent stock transfer campaigns and shines a beam of hope of change for campaigners in England and Wales. “They said it would never happen, but it has” said one Edinburgh campaigner, reacting to the announcement. A series of No Votes to stock transfer has forced the government and Edinburgh Council to look in a different direction. Councillor Paul Edie, the city's housing leader, said: "I am really pleased to announce that we aim to build the first new council housing in Edinburgh for nearly 20 years.
"This is the first time in a generation that the council has considered building homes which marks a major shift in strategy and defining council housing in the 21st century.”
The combination of a wider political desire for change with a series of No Votes to stock transfer has made the difference. The public dissatisfaction with New Labour and in particular the “public bad, privatisation good” mantra has lead to the formation of a SNP government who want to show that they are at least a little different. Although not a radical government, small policy shifts are making a difference, in this case the putting together a £25 million package earlier this year to encourage the building of new council houses across Scotland. The tide is turning in favour of council housing in Scotland. Tenants and campaigners in England have delivered many No votes and it is crucial that the political pressure is kept up to deliver changes needed there. Luke Henderson Lothians Solidarity
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