Below is the official text of the open letter sent to Aberdeen City Council, requesting the suspension of the current Voluntary Agreement process:
Mr Stephen Booth Corporate Landlord and all Elected Members
Aberdeen City Council
Marischal College
Broad Street
Aberdeen
AB10 1AB
Open Letter to Stephen Booth, Corporate Landlord, and All Elected Members
This letter has been sent by email. Please reply in kind.
Dear Mr. Booth and Elected Members,
RE: RAAC Remediation in Torry: A Call for Responsible Action from Aberdeen City Council
I write to you amidst significant distress caused by Aberdeen City Council’s questionable and deeply troubling decisions regarding the Balnagask Estate in Torry. These actions have created undue anxiety and fear within our community.
Despite numerous attempts by my daughter Hannah and me to highlight the plight of homeowners trapped in negative equity due to RAAC-affected roofs—defects originating from council-built properties sold under the Right-to-Buy scheme—the Council is pressing ahead with a voluntary agreement process that has been overwhelmingly rejected by residents. Homeowners have made it clear they will not engage unless offers reflect pre-RAAC-declaration valuations, which would be a fair and just baseline given the history of these properties.
On 13th November, the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee reviewed our RAAC petition and responded with decisive and supportive actions:
Next Steps and Actions:
1. Petition Status: MSP David Torrance proposed keeping the petition open to gather more information and pursue further actions.
2. Consulting Experts: The committee will seek input from Built Environment Forum Scotland, RICS, the Chartered Institution of Building, and the Royal Incorporation of Architects of Scotland regarding the petition's concerns.
3. Engagement with Housing Minister: The committee will highlight that current local authority schemes primarily offer advice, not financial support, which is a concern for affected homeowners.
4. UK Government Funding: Updates will be requested on discussions with the UK Government about funding for RAAC remediation, including potential use of UK Budget allocations by the Scottish Government.
5. Home Report Standards: The committee will ask the Housing Minister about plans to update home reports to include essential structural details for future buyers.
6. Evidence Gathering: MSP Jackson Carlaw stressed the importance of collecting evidence from stakeholders, potentially including a session with the Housing Minister.
The petition will remain open as the committee gathers evidence and engages with the Housing Minister and UK Government. A future meeting to take formal evidence from the minister is being considered to address the concerns of RAAC-impacted homeowners and explore meaningful solutions.
You can read more and watch a video of the proceedings here: https://wilsonsthirdway.blogspot.com/2024/11/scottish-parliament-petition-committees.html
Aberdeen City Council stands alone in Scotland in pursuing a voluntary agreement process despite limited resources and ongoing public opposition. Simultaneously, you have approved a new development without secured funding, risking significant financial and reputational consequences should this escalate to a public inquiry. Residents view the Council’s actions as akin to a modern Scottish Clearance, prioritizing profit over people by replacing existing homes with developments likely to yield substantial gains for the Council.
The Balnagask Estate represents one of the UK’s most deprived communities, as evidenced by national deprivation indices. It is unacceptable for the Council to proceed without offering a fair deal to homeowners. We therefore urge you to:
1. Suspend the Voluntary Agreement Process: Await the outcomes of our petition and its associated findings before continuing with this controversial and inequitable approach.
2. Demonstrate Empathy and Leadership: Reverse the bleak narrative of bureaucratic indifference by taking meaningful, community-focused action.
Having spoken with some residents who have now initiated the voluntary
agreement process and are working with Atkins Realis, they have expressed a
desperate desire to continue. These residents, witnessing their community
deteriorate into a ghost town plagued by increased antisocial behavior and
declining hope, feel compelled to accept the meager compensation offered—simply
to preserve their mental well-being. The overwhelming depression of this
process has left them seeking an escape, despite the financial challenges they
know they will face in the future.
However, for the majority of homeowners who remain steadfast, I reiterate
the request for the council to postpone further steps in this process.
Proceeding with a costly and contentious Compulsory Purchase Order at this time
risks unnecessary expenditure and reputational damage. Instead, the council
could await the outcome of the Scottish Parliament's Petitions Committee's
favorable actions, which may offer a path toward financial reprieve for both
the council and the affected homeowners.
Sincerely,
Wilson Chowdhry
No comments:
Post a Comment