Susan Aitken: closing homeless hotel is a step forward

Turning that service around was a priority for us and, although it was a long and difficult task, Glasgow’s homelessness services now are unrecognisable from those of six years ago.

Strong partnership working with colleagues in the third sector has led to street homelessness being dramatically reduced, regularly to single figures.

But our homelessness services are under the greatest pressure they’ve faced in years.

READ NEXT:Hotel used for homeless people to be 'decommissioned' to save cash

One of the less discussed consequences of the cost-of-living crisis is a very significant increase in the numbers of households requesting homelessness advice and assistance, with 2000 more in 2022/23 than the previous year.

Our investment in homelessness prevention work means that fewer of those approaches have actually turned in to formal homeless applications, but nonetheless the huge pressures on households are translating into equally large pressures on services.

A consequence of that is there are too many people in Glasgow living for too long in temporary accommodation.

Our ambition is to reduce time spent in temporary accommodation and eradicate the use of bed and breakfast accommodation.

READ NEXT:Number of homeless people in hotels rises in Glasgow again

That is unquestionably being made harder by the context we’re working in just now.

But just because times are hard doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep pushing for progress.

Following the successful closure of the Bellgrove Hotel, that’s why the announcement that Glasgow’s Health and Social Care Partnership is decommissioning a further bed and breakfast that’s long been used as temporary homeless accommodation is an important one.

Far from the problem that some have painted it as, this is in fact a step forward in pursuing our aim of all homeless people in Glasgow being provided with settled permanent accommodation as quickly as possible.

If we just keep doing the same things, we won’t ever make the progress we want.

We turned around the failing homelessness services of the past by working differently and that’s what we need to do again in response to these new pressures.

A hotel is not a home, and a decent home is what we want everyone to have.

READ NEXT:Funds for councils should be targeted at poorer areas: Susan Aitken

POLITICAL leadership is about delivering and the SNP City Government will fight for every penny we need to deliver for Glasgow.

We have never shied away from demanding the resources and powers required to address disadvantage in our communities and to unlock the potential of the city economy.

From the failure of successive Westminster policy agendas to our frustrations at the funding that Glasgow receives from the Scottish Government to deliver services, we make sure the city’s voice is heard.

But we don’t criticise for the sake of cheap politicking.

Soundbites and gestures don’t improve lives and Glasgow’s wellbeing and prosperity is too important.

Instead, when Glasgow has been short-changed by Government, we make the case for how this can be rectified.

Since my last column, the Glasgow City Region has been announced as one of two Scottish areas selected by the Scottish and UK Governments as an Investment Zone.

READ NEXT:Glasgow to get £80 million investment in milestone moment

This means that we will receive £80million over five years to help build on our economic potential, to stimulate business growth and to create more good quality, well-paid jobs.

The Investment Zones are the result of years of hard work in promoting the Glasgow City Region as a centre of innovation and investment, of building up our UK and international reputation instead of knocking it down, and of putting the effort into building meaningful partnerships across the public, private and academic sectors.

It’s also what comes when we continue to make the constructive case for Glasgow and our city region to Government.

Earlier this year, we suffered two significant setbacks. The UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda failed to live up to any of its promises, with a last minute rule change shutting out communities in Glasgow where the need for actual levelling up is deeper and more acute than practically anywhere else in Britain.

Similarly, the decision to locate new Green Freeports on the east coast placed Glasgow and the west of Scotland at risk of further significant social and economic disadvantage.

I didn’t hide my anger at how badly Glasgow was let down by these decisions, but I also made the case to both the Scottish and UK Governments that they needed to invest in and empower metropolitan Glasgow.

I pointed to our proven track record in delivering projects with real social, economic and regeneration outcomes and that rather than rolling back on the progress of recent years, they should build on opportunities.

We may have significant generational disadvantage to address but the success of the Glasgow City Region is pivotal to Scotland’s and the UK’s economic success.

I’m delighted that the decision by both Governments reflects the case we made for Glasgow, including not only our economic potential and the strength of emerging hi-tech sectors and our universities and colleges, but also our commitment to an inclusive economy that prioritises people.

I was particularly pleased to see Scotland’s Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray make specific reference to our communities benefitting and the importance of not only high-quality jobs but also of fair work practices and payment of the living wage.

Our economy can only work when it works for people.

In the months ahead, council leaders from across the City Region, businesses, universities and Government will work together to shape the Investment Zone.

And in doing that, your City Government will continue to ensure we deliver for Glasgow’s people.