Shelter Scotland has said Councillors must stick to their promises and make social house building the top priority for the next administration in Edinburgh as talks to decide who will head up the council continue.
Ahead of the election the housing charity’s petition demanding action on social homes attracted more than 3,300 signatures in Edinburgh, and in excess of 12,000 nationally.
Before voters went to the polls, councillors from the SNP and Labour, the two largest parties on the City of Edinburgh Council signed the Shelter Scotland social housing pledge to make social housing delivery a top priority for their term in office.
Shelter Scotland’s analysis of the council’s figures shows the city needs at least 7,000 social homes over the next five years.
Director of Shelter Scotland, Alison Watson, said: “Social housing ends homelessness. It protects against worsening child poverty and helps our communities thrive. It is easily one of the best things the new council can do to improve our city. Despite that, none of Edinburgh’s previous administrations have delivered the homes the council’s own figures say the city needs.
“Before this election, the parties now negotiating a new power sharing agreement promised the 3,360 citizens in Edinburgh who signed the social housing petition that they would make building at least 7,000 social homes a top priority. Now they need to deliver.”
Alison added: “Communities across Edinburgh are suffering as a direct result of the housing emergency. They will not easily forgive or forget if councillors do not deliver what they’ve promised.
This is one thing the parties can agree on and something the people of Edinburgh will expect to see on the first pages of their new plan for the city.”
