A last-ditch attempt by the Labour group to limit council rent increases in Dundee has been defeated despite pleas that many tenants are struggling to feed themselves.
An 11th hour amendment was put forward by Labour councillor Brian Gordon, which would have seen the option of a 2% rise added to a consultation document, which proposes to raise council rents by between 2.5% and 3%.
Commenting on a review of rents and housing charges, he proposed the increase could be limited to 2% and be paid for by reducing the planned maintenance budget increase of (£692,000) by 32%.
At a meeting of Dundee City Council’s housing committee on Wednesday, Mr Gordon said: “We have got to remember that some of our tenants are struggling and having to go to foodbanks.
“That’s why I would ask the council to consider offering a 2% option.”
The increase in the maintenance has been put forward to pay for improvements to various environmental areas.
A 2.5% increase would equate to an average weekly rise of £1.69, while 2.75% would be £1.86 and 3% would be £2.03.
The review is due to be discussed with tenants and the council’s director of housing is to consult with tenants for two months on the options for the rent increase for 2015-16.
Arguing for the inclusion of the lower rent option in the consultation, Councillor Fraser Macpherson said: “There is utterly no harm from giving tenants the maximum options.
“What have you got to fear from that?”
However, the motion lost out in a vote 16 to 12 with housing committee convener John Alexander also refusing to support it.
He said: “I can’t support something that will not deliver for tenants on maintenance. There is a fine line between low rents and quality of service.
“The proposals are sensible and coherent. Tenants want to see their rents deliver results.
“They want tidy and nice environments and the condition of some of these areas needs addressing.”
See more on this story in Thursday’s Dundee edition of The Courier.