Local Community Councils want a change in housing allocation policy in favour of local people – Nairn Suburban CC the first to draft letter calling for a change in the points formula

At the Suburban Community Council meeting held in Nairn Academy earlier tonight the members agreed to write a letter to politicians at Glenurquhart Road and maybe Holyrood too, outlining their displeasure at present Council/Social housing allocation policy. All eight Community Councils at last week's jont meeting agreed on this initiative.  A draft document  read out by the Chair Dick Youngson found favour with his fellow members. The letter approved unanimously tonight by the Subbies contains the following message for Glenurquhart Road and other politicians:

                 

“In terms of housing demand there was also concern that Highland Councils calculations and assessments which are compiled on a regional wide basis do not adequately and directly reflect local needs and demands. There is undoubtedly a need for housing including social affordable housing within Nairn but there is concern about the way in which such housing is allocated. There is widespread perception that the current approach fails to give sufficient priority to local needs and that the housing which is or has been allocated in the Nairn area tends to be assigned, because of the points system, mostly to applicants who have no, or very little, direct connection with Nairn but who are deprived or disadvantaged in other respects. The meeting therefore decided to request both the Council and, if appropriate, the Government to review and amend the current points formula to reflect the localisation agenda. This implies giving much greater weight to local residency, origins and connections in order that, as a fundamental principal, local housing is allocated to local people.”