New 'Lord Gove of Torry' says 'finger pointing' over Raac must end
Newly appointed Lord Gove of Torry says the 'finger pointing' over Raac must stop as he urged decision makers to work together for residents.
We revealed on Wednesday how Aberdeen-raised former politician Michael Gove will take the title when he enters the House of Lords next month.
In an exclusive interview with the P&J we asked for his thoughts on the Raac crisis which is hitting homeowners in the tight-knit community he's picked for his title.
No longer in politics, Mr Gove is now the editor of The Spectator magazine.
But he said he has followed the plight of Torry Raac residents over the past year.
While he wouldn't be drawn on which government holds responsibility for rectifying the issue, he said the 'finger pointing' has to end.
The former Tory government, of which he was part, was unwilling to offer any extra UK Government cash when the crisis first unfolded last year.
Mr Gove said: 'When I was in government we tried to set to deal with unsafe buildings after Grenfell.
'I do feel we should get the UK Government, Scottish Government and Aberdeen City Council to work together rather than finger pointing.
'There can be a way forward so people who through no fault of their own are in unsafe buildings can have a brighter future.'
On Thursday, the P&J launched its campaign to support Aberdeen homeowners Trapped by Raac.
For the past year, we've reported how the discovery of this cheap and potentially dangerous concrete in local authority-built housing stock has plunged residents of Torry into chaos and uncertainty.
Homeowners face losses of between £35,000 and £55,000 on average on the sale of their property, according to valuations from the council.
We revealed earlier this week how residents in the area will finally get to put their concerns to the SNP's housing minister after 'months of silence'.
Paul McLennan is due to meet with campaigners for the first time since the problems came to light, during a visit to Aberdeen on May 2.
However, his office, in a letter seen by the P&J, stated the Scottish Government considers Raac a matter of 'building maintenance', with building owners 'responsible for any costs incurred'.
While Scottish ministers have called for a UK funding solution to be put in place, the UK Government has no plans for a UK-wide response on the issue.
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