SUPPORT FOR HOUSE BUILDING PAYS OFF

SNP MSP Bob Doris has today welcomed official figures showing a record number of public sector affordable homes were built in the last year.

The figures show that nearly 5,000 affordable homes were built last year by housing associations or local authorities.

The Scottish Government brought forward £100 million of investment in affordable housing last August to help the construction industry through the downturn. In addition £50 million has been made available to local authorities for new council house building.

SNP MSP Bob Doris said;

“The impact of the recession on private developers is clear but today's figures show the record funding from the Scottish Government to housing associations and councils has helped to ease the pressure on the construction industry.

"With private sector home builders pulling back because of the recession it was essential investment in affordable housing by councils and housing associations could fill the gap.

"The SNP Government acted quickly last August to bring forward £100 million of housing investment to support our construction industry through tough times and while this recession still has a long way to go this pubic sector support has clearly helped to ease the impact on the housing industry.

Commenting on a fall in right to buy sales Mr Doris added;
“It is encouraging to see that public sector housing stock is staying in public hands. The reform of right to buy has had some impact.

“It is now essential that to continue encouraging local authorities and housing associations to build and invest in new affordable homes we bring an end to the right to buy on all new builds.”

Audit Commission to probe council ‘boomerang bosses’

Communities Secretary John Denham today announced a review to examine how Town Hall chief officers are being allowed to walk off with big pay-offs after falling out with the council’s political leadership.

Today’s action has been prompted by a spate of cases where well-paid local authority executives have been dismissed with large severance payments - only to be appointed shortly afterwards to a senior position in another authority. Some executives appear to have parted company on the basis of a fall-out or personality clash with the council leader – not because of any shortcomings in their professional abilities.

Mr Denham has asked the Audit Commission, which is responsible for monitoring Local Authority finances, to look at the specific issue of so-called “boomerang bosses” and to establish whether the practices and procedures that govern this issue are sufficiently robust to protect the taxpayer and offer value for money.

He wants to be reassured that taxpayers’ money is not being used inappropriately.

John Denham said:

"It’s not acceptable for Town Hall chiefs and Council Leaders to agree expensive deals to part company for no justifiable reasons or just because they don't get on or they'd prefer to work with someone else.

“In the current climate every taxpayer’s pound must be made to go further and councils must show they are providing value for money with services, with salaries and with tough decisions about their corporate executives.”

Communities and Local Government has already acted on this wider issue by announcing in April that it would introduce legislation to bring in new remuneration disclosure rules for a range of public bodies including local authorities. This will legally require all councils to set out in their annual accounts from next year detailed information about pay, perks, pensions and pay-offs for senior officers. These new standards would bring councils up to the same high standards that are already required of civil servants and Government Ministers. Mr Denham has made it clear that he is prepared to take further action where necessary to tackle what he sees as the inappropriate use of taxpayers’ money.

Mr Denham is clear councils do not need wait until the new regulations come into force. The starting point for increasing transparency and building trust between individuals and their councils should be now.