Sir, The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) is delighted the Scottish Government has decided to bring an end to all forms of the Right to Buy in Scotland.
The SFHA has long campaigned for this policy to be curbed or ended, as almost half a million social rented homes have been lost, mostly from local authority stock, over the 33 years of this policy.
The sales have often been of the houses in the more popular areas, leaving behind flats which are harder to live in and maintain. Whilst our members have tried to replace the homes lost to renting, investment constraints have made it impossible to keep pace with these losses by building new stock.
The Scottish Conservative Party says it is disappointed by the Scottish Government’s decision. It has argued that the policy allows landlords to invest the receipts from property sales, clearly unaware that this was already happening to some extent.
The Conservatives claim the value of sales receipts to be roughly £15,000 per home. It can cost around £120,000 per unit to build a three-person flat for social rent to modern energy efficient standards. £15,000 barely pays for a plot of land for one house!
Many social landlords are struggling to build in today’s financial climate, with reduced grant levels and concern about resources in the face of welfare reform and other cuts. And the recession means that housing associations are finding it harder and more expensive to borrow.
We thank the Scottish Government for listening to the arguments which the SFHA and its members put forward. Ending the Right to Buy will retain much needed housing for affordable rent when there are over 300,000 households on housing waiting lists.
We urge MPSs across the Scottish Parliament to support these proposals when they appear in the forthcoming Housing Bill.
Mary Taylor. Chief Executive, SFHA, Sutherland House, Glasgow.
Was this a joke in bad taste?
Sir, Was Jim Crumley’s article on his (and his brother’s) secondary school experiences a joke? If so, it was in extremely bad taste.
I am one of many, I am sure, former pupils of Logie Junior Secondary School, who are utterly incensed by his second-hand and ignorant opinion of this very fine establishment.
I spent three very happy years at Logie in the 1950s, where my under-endowed brain cells enabled me to study a broad curriculum, which included French and secretarial studies.
This education stood me in good stead for my future in the outside world of employment.
Many former pupils of this fine seat of learning, which was full of dedicated and highly-skilled teaching staff, went on to make significant contributions in industry, science, journalism and many other fields.
Many such people chose to shun Harris Academy in favour of a Logie education, which was probably a wise choice if Jim Crumley is to be believed about his experiences there. I am in no doubt that a number of Harris former pupils will strongly disagree with his views on that much respected seat of learning.
What would Crumley’s Lochee forefathers make of his bigoted, second-hand views, I wonder?
Helen Wenseth, 42 Ceres Crescent, Barnhill, Dundee.
Many happy years at Logie
Sir, Jim Crumley was being facetious in his comments on Logie, I am sure. It may be he was doing it purely to elicit a response from the readers. Perhaps the reaction will not be what was expected. However, a pinch of salt with some journalistic musings is usually required in any event.
Should he be entirely serious, of course, then we must defend our old alma mater vociferously. See, we did learn words of more than one syllable there!
Myself and many classmates spent three very happy years at Logie and I know I left with more confidence to face the world than when I entered that fine establishment. The French and secretarial studies, along with a broad range of other subjects, enabled us to enter the workplace with a good grounding and
knowledge of the world around us. Indeed, one of our classmates was Dux of the school, no mean achievement, I can assure you.
Surely Jim, of all people, having come from humble beginnings in Lochee, knows that a person’s worth is measured, not by where they come from, but what they do and make of their lives after they leave school.
Lena McGregor (A proud ex-pupil of Logie JS School). Dundee.
Thanks for the help and care
Sir, My sincere thanks to everyone who came to my aid when I fell on the road in Broughty Ferry on May 21.
Special thanks to the lady from a care home who propped me up and chatted until the ambulance arrived and the person who lent their phone to my daughter to phone an ambulance.
Many thanks also to the ambulance crew and the surgeons at Ninewells Hospital, A&E and the staff at Ward 17 for their exemplary care.
May Beattie. Arbroath.
Which is worse?
Sir, I wonder which is more agonising watching our wonderful, talented Andy Murray nearly lose, or watching him being interviewed after he has won?
Barbara Sturrock. 12 Invergowrie Drive, Dundee.