A new report by Andy Wightman MSP, Housing and Land Reform spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, shows that giving local councils the power to tax the 20,000 football pitches’ worth of vacant and derelict land in Scotland could generate £200 million a year to build affordable homes and tackle the housing crisis. Continue reading Green report shows taxing derelict land could help tackle housing crisis
The number of affordable homes approved over the year to the end June 2017 has increased by 30% on the previous year, bringing the total number of approvals over the year to 10,612. The government says the figures show good progress but the Scottish Greens will put forward their own plans to improve housing stock in a Holyrood debate later today. Continue reading Affordable homes boost but Greens offer radical alternative
GREEN REPORT: EXTENT OF HOUSEHOLDS HIT BY BENEFIT CAP REVEALED
The City of Edinburgh Council area has seen a rise of 302% in the number of households being affected by the UK government’s new benefit cap, new analysis by the Scottish Greens has revealed. Continue reading Greens reveal extent of benefit cap carnage
Alison Johnstone MSP, Health & Children spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, has responded to figures showing four times as many children under 13 were prescribed antidepressants last year as just seven years ago. The figures, obtained by BBC Scotland, show that last year 252 children aged 12 and under were given antidepressants while in 2009/10 it was 57. Continue reading More children on antidepressants: Greens comment
As tens of thousands of visitors descent on Edinburgh for the festival season, new analysis by Andy Wightman MSP shows that £10.6million of taxes are being avoided this year due to the boom in private homes being let out as holiday accommodation. Continue reading City losing out during festival boom, say Greens
Alison Johnstone, Health and Social Care spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for Lothian, said NHS Lothian’s overspend on care services of £1m a month highlights the need to raise more funds to meet the growing demand for social care services. Continue reading Lothian social care overspend shows need for funds, say Greens
The Scottish Greens will today (22 June) set out to amend the Child Poverty Bill as it comes before the Scottish Parliament’s social security committee. Continue reading Scottish Greens move to bolster Child Poverty Bill
Alison Johnstone MSP, Social Security spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, has urged the UK Government to urgently reconsider its cap on Child Tax Credits for more than two children. Continue reading Two child cap: Johnstone urges rethink
A report detailing the scale of the problem with ‘short-term lets’ in Scotland’s capital has been published by Green MSP Andy Wightman.
The publication by the Scottish Greens’ housing spokesperson shows there are more than 6200 properties available in Edinburgh for short term letting and that more than half of these are entire homes where the owner is not present.
A number of key issues with short term lets are also spelled out, including anti-social behaviour, loss of community, displacing available housing, the avoidance of non-domestic business rates and property security.
Lothian MSP, Andy Wightman MSP said: “I am calling for new powers to enable councils to plan and regulate the use of residential property for short term lets. Many constituents have contacted me in recent months to raise their concerns about the widespread growth of this sector in their communities. It is clear that we need to find a simple solution and one such way is through the introduction of new Use Class Orders in the planning system.
“To stimulate debate and greater awareness of the problem, I am delighted to be publishing the first in a series of briefing papers (below) on the topic.”
20170403 – Briefing Paper on Short Term Lets v.FINAL-1
Welfare cuts taking effect today (1 April) will remove money from some of the poorest Scots and undermine efforts to reduce child poverty, say the Scottish Greens. Continue reading Greens warn on April welfare changes
