The Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Drew Hendry, has written yet again to the UK Government urging a re-think over its under-occupancy policy, which he says is impacting heavily on the Highlands and in particular remote and rural communities.
In a letter to Lord Freud, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Welfare Reform, the Leader urges the Government to back a recommendation from one of its own committees – the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee – to exempt settlements of fewer than 3,000 people.
This exemption would recognise the serious lack of adequate suitable alternative accommodation in small and rural communities for those seeking to downsize to meet the under-occupancy rules. Currently there are over 66 Highland Communities with no one bedroom council houses and 16 without even 2 bedroom units.
Councillor Hendry said: “We would of course like the bedroom tax policy to be scrapped altogether as it is an unfair to many people living in the Highlands, where we just do not have enough smaller homes to allow people to downsize.
“I was, however, heartened by the recommendation of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee which offers a solution to at least those living in remote and rural communities. This would see settlements of fewer than 3,000 excluded from the policy.
“I was disappointed by Lord Freud’s initial response, which focused on the housing situation in England and the Localism Act. This is concerning and I have to question if he has a genuine understanding of the difficulties facing communities across the Highlands. Highland Council will not be fobbed off with a “cut and paste” letter sent to Councils in England.
“I have asked him, once more, to consider adopting the recommendation of one of the Government’s own committees and help the rural and remote communities of the Highlands.”