When is something unfair suddenly ok? Answer – When Danny is asked to deliver
July 5th, 2010 | 
Author: I brought a motion to Highland Council asking for the Council to reaffirm it’s position that the Housing debt should be written off. This grossly unfair piece of financial blackmail has been roundly condemned by members of all parties and Independents since it was first employed to try to force Highland’s tenant to accept a transfer of council housing to housing societies. The carrot was – transfer and we will write this off, don’t and you will have to live with the debt (around £146 million pounds)
Just servicing the interest paid to Westminster costs Highland council around £15 million pounds per year, put into context, that roughly equates to the amount being advertised as needed in “cuts” to Highland council’s budget for the next three years by the Lib Dem led administration.
My motion was simple and simply called for the council to restate it’s position. Although everyone agreed it had to be countered by an Administration motion, for political reasons, saying much the same but using around 3 times as many words (wriggle room? I will leave you to decide)
I was not unduly concerned by this “reverse” as the principle had been accepted and the council was still committed to calling for the “write off”
The path ahead should have been easy. As recently as December, during a period when everybody was aware of the financial situation caused by the mishandling of the UK economy, the newly appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury, MP Danny Alexander had described the debt as “unfair” and urged action to write it off. Indeed, this was one of a few bullet points for the Lib Dem’s demands for “A fairer funding deal for the HIghlands” Full details can be seen here
The issue was clear, this was a “fairness” issue – everyone was agreed, surely at last the issue would be dealt with as promised?
It seems not. In yet another reversal, yet another commitment has been blown away and suddenly MP Danny Alexander says “”the UK’s “overall financial situation” must be resolved first.”
That is one mighty kick into the long grass.
Highland must wait until all other UK issues are resolved may be a convenient way out, but remember, in his own words, this was an issue of “fairness” not simple economics. Surely the benefit of being able to deliver is to be able to deliver what is fair?
So, in other words Danny will do nothing about the “Fairness” of the situation, it simply is no longer a priority.
Posted in In Highland
Dear Mr Hendry
I moved up to the Highlands ten years ago to set up Inverness’s first permanent homeless day centre.
It’s been my experience from working with other Local authorities who have transferred housing stock to private housing association, that the number of people with severe social, financial, and mental health issues were the one’s most likely to become homeless due to the ambition criteria of some of those housing associations.
I worked in the caring profession for 32 years, both in Psychiatric nursing, Social work, homelessness, and substance misuse.
I feel that if the transferral of council housing stock goes ahead it will only affected the most vulnerable in the highlands.