Scottish Housing Minister Paul McLennan has finally visited the Raac-affected people of Torry.
It’s only taken a year, and constant pleas from beleaguered Balnagask families, but yesterday it finally happened.
Minister’s warmth welcomed by delegation
Alongside MSPs Liam Kerr, who helped get the minister to Torry, and Audrey Nicoll, he spoke to a delegation from Torry’s Community Raac Campaign, in the Bridge Centre community hall – once known as the Phoenix. But was his presence enough to reassure homeowners that they, too, can rise from the ashes of this catastrophe?
That remains to be seen.
His warmth and approachability, however, was hugely appreciated by those he met.
Promising to respond to each of the handwritten letters he received from families Trapped by Raac, it’s a stark contrast to the residents we’ve featured this week who heard about their houses being condemned from social media.
This is a crisis for ALL those involved
As our campaign has picked up steam, all attention has been on the homeowners. This has helped add more than 1,000 names to their petition. But let’s not forget that more than 400 households in council-owned properties have been – and are – trapped by Raac too.
When Dr Adrian Crofton spoke earlier this week on the harrowing health toll the Raac crisis has taken, his shocking findings weren’t exclusive to the homeowners. Being plucked from your community, removed from your lifelines and separated from your support networks has been the disproportionate reality of ALL those in social housing, now living in accommodation all over Aberdeen.
The result: the prescribing of sedatives and antidepressants.
Proof, if it was needed, that this is a living nightmare for those involved.
Don’t forget, leaders, you’re here to serve the people
Every single person at the Raac end of this crisis is coming to terms with starting again, through no fault of their own.
How long will this game of piggy in the middle continue? As long as the lives – and livelihoods – of Aberdeen families are tossed between Aberdeen City Council, Holyrood, Westminster and back, people will continue to suffer.
We’re calling on every elected official, called to serve the people at the heart of this crisis, to come together. Fairness is what’s needed, not abdicating responsibility.
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