07-07-2025
Legal threats to council in Glasgow over homelessness
Details of the number of cases over a three-month period showed more than 700 threats of legal action.
The most by far were submitted by solicitors working with charity, Homeless Project Scotland.
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The charity is currently involved in a planning wrangle with the council over its night shelter in Glassford Street.
It has been told that it has no planning permission to operate the premises as a shelter for people overnight and must close.
When people come to the shelter the charity tries to get them into accommodation. The charity says without it these people would be left on the streets.
Working with Ross Harper Solicitors, it has been using the threat of Judicial Review to force action to get people accommodated.
The council said often cases are resolved before they get to court.
Other legal representatives have used the same redress for people.
The recent figures obtained by Homeless Project Scotland under Freedom of Information, and shared with the Glasgow Times, showed the charity with the solicitors has submitted more than others.
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Legal charity Govan Law Centre and Shelter Scotland have also use the Judicial Review process for clients.
It asked Glasgow City Council for details of Judicial Review notifications or threats.
The FOI reply stated: 'The number of Judicial Review threats the Council has received in the 12 weeks prior to 9th June 2025 were as follows: Ross Harper Solicitors acting in partnership with Homeless Project Scotland – 424.
Govan Law Centre – 205.
Shelter Scotland – 131.
Legal Services Agency – 4.
The council stated: 'All the Judicial Review threats were submitted by email and the subject matter for all the Judicial Review threats was homelessness.
'These totals include duplicate Judicial Review threats for the same cases as well as Judicial Review threats for cases which were already resolved.'
Colin McInnes, chair of Homeless Project Scotland, said: 'The law is there to be used to protect vulnerable people and the council's responsibilities on homelessness are clear.
'We will seek to ensure the council is held to account and will use legal means to get people the accommodation they are legally entitled to.'
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council, said: 'On a weekly basis – sometimes daily – the council receives notification of potential judicial reviews.
'The majority of cases do not even make it to court. This is because we either don't have a responsibility for the person/s involved or they already have accommodation in Glasgow or elsewhere.
'In situations where we do have a responsibility, it is usual for accommodation to be arranged before it gets to court. I
'In many cases, efforts to secure that accommodation will have been ongoing before notice of potential judicial review is received.
'We obviously try and accommodate everyone who presents as homeless. We resort to the use of hotel and B&B accommodation to meet immediate need.
'In cases where we can't accommodate, we explore all options available to them and remain in touch in order that we can offer accommodation as soon as we are able.'
