Opinion

John Alexander Fresh thinking, a change in attitude and a frank discussion. This is what is required if we are to seriously change the way in which local authorities deal with the travelling community and the associated public outcry, Councillor John Alexander tells Scottish Housing News.

By Emma Dore at Shelter Scotland This week the Scottish Government released the annual Homelessness Statistics. In general, the statistics paint the same picture as last year with headline trends staying the same. The numbers of homeless applications and assessments as homeless continue to go down (

Jimmy Black You are looking for your first rented flat, and a landlord says "give me £200 and I'll keep this flat for you. But back out and the money's mine". Would you know this was an illegal premium? If the landlord then said: "Leave the place in good order and I'll give you back a month's rent"

By Jonathan Henson, Savills head of rural in Scotland The Land Reform Bill, published in the Scottish Parliament this week, is a punctuation point in landownership history, with the proposed Bill being a starting point for further reforms. It establishes a Land Commission whose remit is to deliver a

Jim McCormick We need to face up to inequalities, and find solutions, to reduce poverty in a fair way, says Jim McCormick, Scotland adviser at Jospeh Rowentree Foundation.

Andrew Carlin, commercial director, PfH By Andrew Carlin, commercial director of PfH Scotland

Ellie Hutchinson, Private Renting Project Manager, introduces Shelter Scotland’s national private tenants forum. Running in four local areas, and supported by a national online presence, this forum aims to strengthen private tenants’ voices in policy formation. A house is more than bricks and mo

Art students brighten up Edinburgh Students from Edinburgh College of Art have been working with Castle Rock Edinvar, and Places for People Scotland Care and Support service users to add some light and colour to the Cowgate area of Edinburgh.

New Abbeyhill mural brings joy to older people

By Adam Lang, head of communications & policy at Shelter Scotland Shelter Scotland believes that the proposed reforms to the Private Rented Sector (PRS) tenancy that the Scottish Government is due to bring forward later this year represent a positive and progressive step forward and are sorely n

By Adam van Lohuizen, senior economic analyst at Shelter The impact of the cuts already made by the coalition government has been severe. And the government has pledged to make a further £12 billion reduction in welfare spending by 2017-18. But the task of making these cuts has got a whole lot hard

John McClarey with Weslo staff John McClarey, business development officer at CIH Scotland, charts his day shadowing staff at Weslo Housing Management.

Annie Mauger Following last year’s referendum on independence for Scotland and the SNP surge in the General Election, what does the future hold for the make-up of the UK? Annie Mauger, director of CIH’s national business units, shares her views ahead of Housing 2015.

Jimmy Black Cllr Jimmy Black counts his profits

Terrie Alafat New CIH chief executive Terrie Alafat reflects on her first month at the helm.