COUNCILLORS have hit out at Argyll and Bute Council’s response to its declaration of a housing emergency in the area, claiming that it “does not feel like an emergency response”.

The authority declared a housing emergency in June 2023 – the first local authority in Scotland to do so, though several more have since followed – and a report on a summit in March went before councillors at a committee meeting.

However, criticisms were made of the council’s response, with its own leader saying that “a measurable output” is needed.

The discussion took place at a meeting of the authority’s environment, development and infrastructure committee on Thursday, June 20.

Councillor Andrew Kain (Independent, Oban South and the Isles) said: “Looking at the definition of an emergency, it is defined as ‘a serious, unexpected or dangerous situation requiring immediate action’.

“I do not believe what we have here comes close to being immediate action. There are also issues within the plan which I find difficult to go along with, and certainly do not endorse.

“So I am happy to note the report, but I cannot endorse what I do not believe is sufficient for the situation. I think the recommendations are insufficient.”

Matt Mulderrig, the council’s development policy and housing strategy manager, responded: “It is important to note, and maybe it is not entirely clear in the report, the housing summit was meant to be a collective one and represents what happened on the day with a mix of delegates.

“These delegates were not all from the council, but there are things we might want to take forward which are not in the report.

“The action plan report is not the council action plan; it is an honest representation of what happened that day at the housing summit.

“We have asked for endorsement rather than approval, and the idea is that later in the year, we will come back to council with a housing strategy update.

“There is an action plan for the strategy itself, which will be an opportunity for the council to state the approach it wants to take and identify the key points to tackle.”

Executive director Kirsty Flanagan said: “We are doing a number of things behind the scenes, so I am happy to bring a report outlining the actions taken and also keen to understand which ones you are concerned about.”

Councillor Gary Mulvaney (Conservative, Helensburgh Central) said: “A lot of the points are one to five years, and there are other things outwith our control.

“Clearly we need to speak to the Scottish Government about it and lobby them to change the law, but there may well be opportunities within our framework to speed the process up.

“We need to look at what we do by changing how we do things, or by changing some of the policies.

“If all we do is what we have always done, we will always get what we have always got.

“We can have all these questions and reports but if it does not change what is already going to happen, there is no real impact.”

Councillor Peter Wallace (Conservative, Isle of Bute) added: “I agree with colleagues; it does not feel like an emergency response. A revised action plan, 10 months after declaring an emergency, does not feel like an emergency response.

“I appreciate the work going on in the background, but are we prioritising this enough in the council?”

Ms Flanagan responded: “There have been additional resources allocated through the strategic frameworks in Oban and Helensburgh, but they will take a significant amount of time.

“I am not sure where we are in recruiting towards that, but another resource will be helpful. We are doing what we can within the constraints of funding available.”

The council’s leader, Cllr Jim Lynch (SNP, Oban South and the Isles), added: “If there is an emergency, I think we need to see a measurable output, and there needs to be pressure to ensure we are not doing all the heavy lifting.

“I think Councillor Mulvaney is right; we have to separate from what would happen anyway.”