Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 07 January 2020
07 Jan 2020 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Empty Homes
On empty homes and the council tax surcharge, concerns were raised in the committee that some councils do not even bother to inspect the situation on site. As well as being hugely discourteous to the individuals concerned, that shows a really quite worrying approach to fairness. Will the minister comment on that?
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
The next item of business is a Local Government and Communities Committee debate on motion S5M-20280, in the name of James Dornan, on empty homes in Scotland...
James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to open this debate on empty homes in Scotland, on behalf of the Local Government and Communities Committee. Today’s debate reflects on the fin...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani)
SNP
I call Kevin Stewart. You have about 10 minutes, minister. 15:04
The Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning (Kevin Stewart)
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer. Happy new year to you and to everyone in the chamber. I welcome the Local Government and Communities Committee’s recent repor...
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
Has the minister had any discussions with the councils that are point-blank refusing to take on empty homes officers? Have they said why they will not do so?
Kevin Stewart
SNP
I have talked to many councils over the past wee while, and I will outline those discussions in some depth later. I have not spoken to every council on the i...
Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
It is not only residential properties that are a problem in town centres; commercial properties are a problem, too. Is the planning system too inflexible to ...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
I do not think that there is inflexibility in the planning system. Often, local planning policies do not take account of what is happening in particular comm...
Annabelle Ewing (Cowdenbeath) (SNP)
SNP
On empty homes and the council tax surcharge, concerns were raised in the committee that some councils do not even bother to inspect the situation on site. A...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
I agree with Annabelle Ewing that that is extremely discourteous. The councils that do such things look at the initiative as a revenue-raising tool, rather t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Will you wind up in a minute or so, please?
Kevin Stewart
SNP
I am conscious that I have taken a lot of interventions, Presiding Officer, and there are a lot of areas to cover. I would like to cover one point relating ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Graham Simpson to speak for around nine minutes, please. 15:17
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I will do my best, Presiding Officer. I wish you and other members a very happy new year. It gives me great pleasure to kick off for the Scottish Conservati...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
I, too, commend Falkirk Council for the efforts that it has made. I visited it recently in that regard. Bringing in an empty homes officer can make a real d...
Graham Simpson
Con
They should certainly look to the Western Isles, but not to South Lanarkshire—maybe to Falkirk, which has been ahead on this.
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Sorry—I meant Falkirk.
Graham Simpson
Con
In our evidence taking, South Lanarkshire also stood out as a council that took a hard line on applying the empty homes surcharge, and it was rightly critici...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I join others in wishing members a happy new year. It is 7 January, but it still feels a bit like a new year to me—so far, anyway. I congratulate the Local ...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Ms McNeill mentioned resources. My argument—the argument of the partnership and of many other stakeholders—is that, by employing an empty homes officer, loca...
Pauline McNeill
Lab
That is a valid point. I am interested to know why the other local authorities have not made such an appointment. Perhaps the case for that needs to be made ...
James Dornan
SNP
Does the member accept that the evidence from some local authorities was that it is not as complicated as some other authorities made out? Often, just the fe...
Pauline McNeill
Lab
Yes. I noted that, in his opening remarks, the convener made the point that local authorities fear an adverse risk in going through a legal process. I have ...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Glasgow City Council is a good example of an authority that is doing very well, with an increase in the number of CPOs being obtained. It is working well wit...
Pauline McNeill
Lab
I agree that local authorities require legal expertise to inform them about and talk them through the risks, which might not be as adverse to their positions...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Andy Wightman, for a generous six minutes. 15:36
Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green)
Green
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I beg your pardon—was your request for a short six minutes?
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
A generous six minutes.
Andy Wightman
Green
A generous six minutes—excellent. I thank members who have already spoken in the debate. The committee’s work on this subject has provided a fascinating ins...
Neil Findlay
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?