Mark Ruskell MSP
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
4 June 2026
Dear Mr
Ruskell,
We are
writing following your contribution during General Questions in the Scottish
Parliament on 2 June 2026 regarding the evacuation of residents in
Coalsnaughton.
Your remarks
stood out because they recognised something that many decision-makers have too
often overlooked. Referring to the evacuation of RAAC homeowners in
Clackmannanshire, you stated:
"RAAC
evacuations were badly handled by the council, houses were boarded up, personal
possessions were left to rot for months on end. I hope that lessons were
learned from that incident about the need to address the trauma of the evacuees
while at the same time protecting their personal safety."
On behalf of
many affected homeowners, we would like to thank you for acknowledging publicly
the hardship experienced by residents in Tillicoultry. Unfortunately, while
much attention is now rightly focused on the situation in Coalsnaughton, the
trauma faced by RAAC homeowners has not ended.
Many
families remain trapped in uncertainty and continue to suffer the consequences
of decisions made years ago.
We are
therefore writing to ask whether you are aware that homeowners in Tillicoultry
are still awaiting the outcome of Clackmannanshire Council's application to the
Scottish Government for grant funding that could determine the future of their
homes.
The outcome
of this funding application is critical. Some homeowners sold their properties
to the council on the understanding that any future Scottish Government funding
would be reflected in revised settlements. Others have continued to retain
ownership, paying mortgages, insurance and other costs on homes they cannot
occupy, reluctant to sell while uncertainty remains. Many fear that if grant
funding is not secured, remediation may ultimately offer a better outcome than
the terms currently available, leaving them trapped between two difficult
choices with insufficient information on which to make an informed decision.
Yet despite
the significance of this decision, residents remain without answers.
A meeting
was recently held by council officers to discuss what information could be
shared with homeowners. Residents were informed that an update would follow.
However, no meaningful information has yet been provided.
The latest
explanation offered by Clackmannanshire Council is that senior officers have
been fully occupied responding to the emergency situation in Coalsnaughton.
Whilst
nobody disputes the importance of supporting residents affected by that
incident, many homeowners are struggling to understand why another housing
emergency should prevent the council from providing even a basic update on a
grant application that has been under consideration for many months.
The concern
amongst homeowners is growing. The prolonged delays, absence of clear
communication and continuing uncertainty are having a profound impact on
people's wellbeing. For many residents, the trauma you referred to in
Parliament is not a historical event—it is an ongoing reality.
You have
previously offered support to homeowners affected by the RAAC crisis and have
consistently shown a willingness to raise difficult issues affecting residents
in Mid Scotland and Fife. We would therefore be grateful if you could once
again raise this matter with both Clackmannanshire Council and the Scottish
Government.
In
particular, we would ask whether you could seek clarification regarding:
• The
current status of the grant funding application affecting Tillicoultry
homeowners.
• The
reasons for the continuing delays in communicating the outcome to residents.
• Whether
ministers are satisfied that affected homeowners are receiving appropriate
information and support.
• What steps
can be taken to bring greater transparency and urgency to resolving this
long-running crisis.
Your
intervention during General Questions demonstrated that you understand the
lasting human impact of these events. While your recent comments were greatly
appreciated, homeowners now need practical support and renewed political
attention if they are finally to receive the answers they have waited so long
for.
We hope you
will be able to help bring this matter back before Parliament and ministers so
that the plight of Tillicoultry homeowners is not forgotten amidst newer
crises.
Thank you
for your time and consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours
sincerely,
Wilson
Chowdhry
Chair
UK RAAC Campaign Group
Lynsey
Macquater
Chair
Tillicoultry RAAC Campaign Group
Homeowner, 45 High Street
Tillicoultry
FK13 6AA
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