Gordon Banks MP visits new homeless unit in Clackmannanshire

4 January 2008

Gordon Banks MP for Ochil and South Perthshire visited the new Homeless units at Backwood Court in Clackmannan along with two officers from Clackmannanshire Council’s Homeless Division.

Mr Banks said

“I was impressed by the standard of these properties and the security measures undertaken are to be highly praised. The Concierge on the door 24/7 gives the residents a sense of security but also deters any acts of vandalism or anti social behaviour.”

Mr Banks went on,

“The flats have now been in use since November and the residents seem to have taken pride in the units and accept the way the unit runs.”

“There is a stigma attached to Homeless units but what I saw today certainly impressed me and hopefully the renovated Units at Lochbrae in Sauchie when completed ( which will also contain a ground floor flat adapted for disabled persons) will add to the rapidly improving stock of temporary accommodation available to those who are unfortunate enough to find themselves homeless.”

Mr Banks concluded,

“These flats which lay derelict for sometime and were due to be demolished, are now providing a better quality of life to residents and I intend to monitor the situation, and would hope that in the future Clackmannanshire Council will be able to persist in improving the quality of it’s homeless housing stock.”

“These units and other proposed and possible future units are vital to allow the Council to reduce and eventually eradicate the high dependency on Bed & Breakfast Accommodation that currently exists to meet the needs of the homeless in Clackmannanshire.”