![\"Edinburgh](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Edinburgh-multi-storey-blocks.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTuesday December 2nd 2025<\/p>\n
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Multi-storye flat blocks in Edinburgh<\/p>\n
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan<\/b><\/p>\n
Edinburgh\u2019s freeze on council housing allocations will now run until at least February 2026, as bosses admit they haven\u2019t spent almost \u00a33 million meant for tackling homelessness.<\/p>\n
Councillors made the decision at Tuesday\u2019s housing committee meeting, where concerns were also raised about the council possibly breaching the law due to overcrowding.<\/p>\n
City bosses have now been directed to assemble a new interim allocations policy that helps deal with a range of concerns raised over the suspension.<\/p>\n
Housing convener and Labour councillor Tim Pogson said the council was failing at its legal responsibilities to the homeless and other groups at \u2018the most basic of levels\u2019.<\/p>\n
A bid by council housing officers to extend the suspension to March 2027 was knocked back by councillors, with one describing it as a \u2018hopeless thing to propose\u2019.<\/p>\n
During the meeting, councillors brought attention to the \u00a32.83m housing underspend, disclosed in a report before a finance committee last month, and asked what had caused it.<\/p>\n
Housing and homelessness service director Derek McGowan said the underspend was due to persistent staff vacancies, alongside other factors.<\/p>\n
The freeze was brought in during April last year to tackle the dual issues of Edinburgh\u2019s housing crisis and the council using unlicensed HMOs to provide temporary accommodation.<\/p>\n
Both the council\u2019s failure to house people presenting as homeless and the city\u2019s use of the unlicensed properties placed it in breach of its legal responsibilities.<\/p>\n
Green councillor Ben Parker asked whether the council was also at risk of breaching the law through the amount of overcrowding being experienced in temporary housing.<\/p>\n
Mr McGowan replied some council-administered properties in the capital may meet the legal threshold for being overcrowded.<\/p>\n
Gareth Barwell, the council\u2019s executive director of place, then added: \u201cThe only way we will solve this and give homes to people is to give them homes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Referencing discontent over the allocation, he added: \u201cYou need to be able to click on something and have a bit of hope that allows you to plan your life.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor an organisation as big as a council, [an averse risk appetite] is going to be very hard to move away from.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it\u2019s possibly a debate to be having around whether that risk appetite needs to be changed if it\u2019s not delivering everything we need.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard for me, even on a professional basis, to argue that we are doing everything for everybody right now, because it\u2019s a matter of fact we aren\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cllr Pogson said \u201chard progress had been made in difficult circumstances\u201d by officers, but that more work was needed, referencing a deputation in the morning about overcrowding.<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cWe sadly acknowledge that we are turning people away even from a night in temporary accommodation, we\u2019re not fulfilling those legal duties on the most basic of levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no right decision, \u2018oh yes, those are more deserving than that\u2019. They are both clearly equally deserving.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact of the matter is that there is currently not enough housing resource in the city of Edinburgh to meet our needs, statutory or otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Councillors agreed a composite position on the suspension, which came in response to concerns that it was focused on complying with the law to the detriment of some of those housed by the council.<\/p>\n
It requires that housing officers assemble an interim allocations policy in consultation with several outside organisations.<\/p>\n
Officers will have to consider whether the interim policy could provide moves for those living in overcrowded properties and some other groups who currently cannot bid for housing.<\/p>\n
But councillors acknowledged that freeing up additional space for moves may not be something officers were able to do.<\/p>\n