Fair hearing

SHETLAND Islands Council’s executive housing manager Anita Jamieson said she received “a fair hearing” from the Scottish government over threats to local council house rents.

The government is proposing to remove the housing support grant which is paid to the SIC to cover its historic debt for building houses during the construction of Sullom Voe oil terminal.

Mrs Jamieson warned Holyrood’s local government and regeneration committee that removing the grant would force the council to increase council house rents by about £8 a week.

After Wednesday’s meeting, she said: “We had a fair hearing. Our case was listened to and the chair of the committee concluded that Shetland was in a unique position, and that we had given them food for thought.

“We will now have to wait and see if details of transitional arrangements are forthcoming and await the further stages of the bill through parliament.”