Rural Stirling’s AGM Unveils Building Plans.

Rural Stirling Housing Association continues its commitment to building more affordable homes despite facing a challenging year, as shared at its AGM. The Association highlighted the reduced government funding for social housing and the ongoing pressures of living costs as major challenges faced by tenants and the organisation.

Nevertheless, RSHA remains steadfast in its determination to carry forward its ambitious plan of constructing affordable homes in various communities. Mark Griffiths, concluding his five-year tenure as the chair, reflected on the year’s hurdles, stating, “The Association has been experiencing significantly higher cost increases in specific areas such as construction, maintenance, and repair costs. The Board of Management and the Association’s staff have and will continue to work very hard to control costs whilst maintaining services.”

Despite these challenges, the Association successfully completed four cottage flats at Graham Lambie Brae, Strathblane, in honour of the late local councillor. Construction is progressing at Croftamie and Killearn, with homes expected to be completed by the end of the year and June next year, respectively.

Furthermore, RSHA is collaborating with the Scottish Government, Stirling Council, and contractors to finalise arrangements for developments at Balmaha and Gartness Road, Drymen. Progress is also underway for a development of 18 homes at Tyndrum.

During the year, over £700,000 was invested in upgrading existing tenants’ homes, including new kitchens, bathrooms, and energy-efficient heating systems. Noteworthy achievements included the launch of “My Rural” – an online self-service portal accessible round the clock for tenants to manage their tenancy efficiently.

Mark Griffiths urged more tenants to sign up for this free service while emphasising the strong partnerships between RSHA and other organisations such as Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Stirling Council, and Community Councils.

The AGM also featured guest speaker Stephen Clark, head of housing at Stirling Council, discussing “Scotland’s Housing Emergency”. While Stirling Council has not declared a housing emergency, twelve Scottish local authorities and the Scottish Parliament have acknowledged the crisis.

Stephen underscored the complexities of defining a housing emergency, with common themes including pressures on homelessness services, high rates of people in temporary accommodation, and the scarcity of affordable homes compared to extensive waiting lists. Proposed solutions included advocating for increased funding for affordable housing development, collaboration with the private sector, and legislative changes.