7 JULY 2010
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

£1.9M BOOST DOES NOT DISGUISE MASSIVE CUT TO REGION’S HOUSING BUDGET

Dumfries MSP Elaine Murray and Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown have welcomed the news that Dumfries and Galloway will receive an additional £1.9 million for affordable housing projects in the region. However they say that it is only  “drop in the ocean in tackling our region’s housing crisis” and doesn’t disguise the fact the SNP cut our region’s housing budget by almost half earlier this year.

Dumfries MSP Elaine Murray said, "While any investment in local housing is welcome, this is only a drop in the ocean in tackling our region's housing crisis. And it is massively over-shadowed by the fact that the SNP Scottish Government in Edinburgh is this year cutting investment in affordable housing in Dumfries and Galloway by almost half- from more than £14 million to less than £8 million. Dumfries and Galloway Council's plan to build 1,200 new homes over the next 5 years has been left in tatters as a consequence.

"Unfortunately local people living in over-crowded or unsuitable properties will take little comfort from the SNP's pitiful attempt to right the wrong of their massive housing cuts."

Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown added, "The SNP Scottish Government received an increase of almost £1 billion to their budget this year and yet they have imposed swingeing cuts to housing investment in Dumfries and Galloway. We can only imagine the scale of the cuts we can expect from the SNP Scottish Government when the ConDem Government at Westminster starts the assault on the Scottish budget that they have promised.

"The SNP's housing cuts underlines that in Dumfries and Galloway we aren't getting a fair share. The SNP has forgotten about our region."

ENDS

CONTACT - ANDREW MACKENZIE 07769206856