Report to the People
Housing
On Tuesday night I attended a meeting of the Bow Farm Housing Association at which, somewhat unusually for a public meeting these days, there was a splendid turnout.
A recurring theme at the meeting was how the area has turned itself around in recent years. Indeed, the Bow Farm of today is a far cry from the area in which, 25 years ago, I moved into my first council house. Years of decline resulted in people being anxious to leave. Now there's a waiting list of people eager to move in.
So how have the people in Bow Farm achieved this? Certainly, the area has benefited from significant funding in the past. But a cash injection is not a magic wand. Large sums have been spent in other areas throughout Scotland - refurbishing houses; installing secure entry systems; landscaping common areas - but regeneration there is short lived and, ultimately, superficial. It seems that money itself, while the foundation, is not enough to rebuild a community.
The question is, then, what have the people of Bow Farm done which makes the rejuvenation of their area so robust?
The answer, I believe, is underlined by the size of the attendance at Tuesday's public meeting.
Residents in Bow Farm feel involved in the renewal of their community. They have an important part to play in this regeneration. Their willingness to take responsibility for the future of their community has been key in sustaining this success.
Looking at how Bow Farm has been transformed can teach us a valuable lesson. Regeneration projects which involve, consult and gain the support of communities must have a greater chance of success.
We are, at this time, facing a radical change in housing policy. The new Housing Bill, which will be discussed in the Scottish Parliament in the coming session, has put the issue back at the top of the Executive's priorities list.
There is a recognition that we must give housing policy a focus it hasn't had in many years. We need coherence in housing and, to this end, are moving towards a single budget, a single housing plan, a single regulatory framework and a single social tenancy.
Whatever happens in regard to the provision of social housing, tenants will have a key role to play. As I saw for myself on Tuesday night, allowing communities a greater say is not only democratic and fair, it gives us a better chance to deliver sustainable, quality social housing for all.
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