Chamber and committees

Good morning. I want to ask about the practicalities of reviewing valuations each time that coronavirus legislation or guidance is amended. Do you want to add anything from your experience in that regard?

I do not know whether you had the chance to listen to the evidence of the previous panel of witnesses, but we heard that there are likely to be 130,000 potential appeals. What are your views on that?

No, convener, thank you. My questions have been answered and I am happy to hand over to the next member.

I have a question about temporary accommodation and I will ask for your input on trends in relation to the individuals that we are talking about. Findings from the “Hard Edges Scotland” research by Heriot-Watt University show the complex needs of those individuals and that they often fall through the gaps of services.

From my five years as an MSP trying to help such people, I know that they are often ex-military, people with learning disability issues or people with drug and alcohol problems. Do you have any evidence that you could provide the committee with about individuals who seem to be constantly in temporary council accommodation? Should we consider different models, such as a supported living model when individuals cannot hold down a tenancy?

Having referenced the “Hard Edges Scotland” research, I will bring in Dr Watts first.

Perhaps we can bring in Maggie Brünjes here.

On the point that Beth Watts has raised and on one of the issues that is important to note, we have already heard that nine local authorities—or at least seven—are likely to be in breach of the unsuitable accommodation order. What accommodation is there for the individuals whom we are talking about? I know from a visit that I undertook last Friday in my region that there are more than 50 people in Edinburgh with alcoholic brain damage who are currently on waiting lists to get into supported living. That accommodation does not necessarily seem to be in existence currently.

On the support that people need, wraparound care is expensive, and the workforce is not necessarily there. I turn to Maggie Brünjes now. What should the committee suggest to the Government needs to be put in place for that group? My experience is that people often end up pinging around services, sadly. What, in your expert opinion, could be a solution for that cohort of clients?

On that note, we have lost you, Maggie.

Yes.

I will ask a few questions on the theme of prevention and on future opportunities for the Scottish Government.

The programme for government contains plans to strengthen the law on homelessness prevention. I put on record that I often feel that people have to declare themselves homeless before any support is made available. What would panel members’ ideal model be for changing that, so that support starts earlier? For example, some ideas that have been put forward include public sector bodies having a conversation with vulnerable individuals up to six months before they face a crisis point.

I will start with Gordon MacRae, because he touched on that earlier, and I will then go around any others who want to come in.

I want to go back to a point that Gordon MacRae made earlier, with regard to Edinburgh and the east of Scotland, and specific pressures that we are seeing in our cities with regard to delivering services. Mr Balfour, Mr Choudhury and I represent Edinburgh. We see and we know from our public bodies the pressures that Edinburgh faces in delivering these services.

I wonder about potential solutions. Would you support, for example, pressured areas, such as have been developed for London, specifically, given the cost of delivering services that we have seen. Do you have other suggestions on the specific issue of cities, which you have highlighted? Gordon, I will bring in you, as I referenced you in the question.

Good morning, everyone. What is your understanding of community wealth building? What are your views on the roles of what are being called anchor organisations, such as local housing associations, hospitals, colleges and universities? Let us start with Alison Macleod, because she outlined how her organisation benefited early on from other organisations supporting its establishment. If anyone else wants to speak, please put an R in the chat.

I am interested in the responses that the cabinet secretary has given. We need to look at the cost of delivering services. I see through the eyes of an Edinburgh MSP, so I know the challenges that exist and the cost of living here in the capital. Per head of population, City of Edinburgh Council is the lowest-funded council and NHS Lothian is the lowest-funded health board.

Has there been any consideration of the cost of delivering services and of, for example, delivering an Edinburgh weighting? The council and the health board constantly report that delivering the workforce and providing services are fundamentally more expensive here in the capital, because of the cost of buying land and things such as that. Has the Government pursued any work on that?

I want to ask a few questions about the national care service. In several sessions, we heard concerns about the impact that the service would have on local governance. What impact have the Scottish Government’s proposals for a national care service had on the local governance review? COSLA has expressed concerns about the review’s wide proposals and the impact on local democracy.