Scottish Borders Council sends homeless to England due to shortage of temporary accommodation

Greatest Hits Radio can reveal a shortage of homes in the Scottish Borders has meant some families are being forced to LEAVE THE COUNTRY to secure temporary accommodation.

The local authority's confirmed "a limited" number of residents declared homeless are being offered refuge in Carlisle due to its "good transport" links and "range of shops".

But it says they are offered a return to the region, from England, as soon as accommodation becomes available.

The revelation comes after it emerged more than £5 million set aside by the Scottish Government to provide more affordable housing in the Borders last year went unspent.

That's despite the region failing to meet its annual target of completing 141 new properties by almost a third.

And comes two years after councillors declared a housing emergency.

Councillor Julie Pirone (Conservative, Tweeddale East) told members of Scottish Borders Council's Executive committee: "We are letting the people of the Borders down.

"Carol Hamilton (SBC's Executive Member for Housing) has talked eloquently about the difference that these new homes in Hawick and in Jedburgh have made to people's lives."

But she added: "There will be much disappointment across the Borders that they are not just quite getting it there."

The reasons for the underspend included the increasing costs of materials and some building firms going bust, in addition to a shortage of land supply.

Councillor Hamilton (Conservative, East Berwickshire) said: "We can see that the provision of new builds is increasing; there is still a little bit of reluctance to invest but that is changing.

"There is momentum in building and a good allocation of funding for the next four years which gives this council, along with the RSLs (registered social landlords) a good way of moving forward and making a difference.

"The lack of housing is an economic challenge for everyone, all over the country.

"There's strict guidance on how to use the funding and there's little room to be flexible, but I know that our officers and RSLs are always looking for innovative ways."

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The number of people seeking advice or assistance on homelessness in the Borders has risen each year since the pandemic.

Of the 928 who approached the local authority's dedicated service last year, almost a quarter were young people aged 16 to 24.

But Maxmill Park in Kelso, which provided 14 residential units for homeless applicants on a temporary basis, was boarded up in April last year after it was deemed to no longer meet the standard required.

And yesterday's meeting heard that has been exacerbated by increased regulation in the private rented sector leading to less properties being available.

A council spokesperson said: "The use of accommodation outwith the Scottish Borders is limited, and we try to avoid using out of area placements as much as possible.

"If we have suitable local temporary homeless accommodation that is our preferred option, followed by local hotel /B&B accommodation if available.

"Out of area accommodation is offered when there is nothing suitable in the Scottish Borders.

"We tend to offer Carlisle as it has a good transport link, there are a range of shops and eating places."

And they added: "People are moved back into our area as soon as we have available accommodation."

Local SNP MSP Calum Kerr is welcoming the Scottish Government's plans to help first-time buyers onto the property ladder - by providing up to £10,000 towards the cost of a new home, in return for a small stake in the property.

But admits more action's needed.

"Local groups like Eildon and SBHA are putting more into the system," he said, "but we still have a gap.

"Otherwise, we end up having to send a very small number of people to places like Carlisle, out of area. And that's not good, especially for people with young families.

"So, we need to build more houses and we need to have more houses available for rent and purchase at an appropriate price."

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