Dundee councillor Jimmy Black has hit back at comments suggesting figures showing homelessness dropping were incorrect.
The Coldside councillor and chairman of the national Homelessness Prevention Strategy Group defended the city’s homelessness policy following comments from Mike Cordiner of the Eagles Wings Trust.
He said: “I was disappointed to read comment from the Eagles Wings charity about Dundee’s falling homelessness figures.
“Homelessness is falling across Scotland as a result of a Scottish Government initiative, enthusiastically supported by Dundee City Council.
“Sometimes linking people up with the right medical or social work support can help prevent homelessness.
“By doing this we prevent many people reaching crisis point and losing their homes.
“This national strategy is called Housing Options.
“I chair the national Homelessness Prevention Strategy Group, which brings together the Scottish Government, local authorities and voluntary organisations such as Shelter.
“The group oversees the Housing Options strategy across Scotland and drives forward change and improvement.
“I’m keen to meet Eagles Wings, so I will be in touch shortly.
“Like them, I am concerned that some people are not finding their way to the homelessness services and I want to know more about that.
“If anyone is not getting the service they should, I want to know about that too.
“Meantime, let’s celebrate the fact that fewer people are going through the misery of homelessness because we are helping them before the crisis strikes.”
Dave Morris from the Trussell Trust foodbank confirmed that the number of referrals they have through homelessness has remained steady at about 5% of the total, but that the number of referrals had increased dramatically in the last year.
New figures showed homelessness in the city has dropped by 46% since 2008, above the national average drop of 36%.
Latest figures for this year, though, show a drop of 3% across Scotland but a rise of 6% in homelessness applications in Dundee.
The city also boasted at not having to use bed and breakfast accommodation to house those threatened with sleeping rough in over two years.
Mike Cordinar from Eagles Wings Trust claimed he was “very suspicious” of the statistics.
He said: “I think that is a wide claim, it certainly isn’t what we see reflected on the streets.”