Subj: Sco: Drug dealers will lose council homes 



Source: Scotsman (UK)



Pubdate: 23 Dec 1998





Drug dealers will lose council homes 

Marie Sharp 



SUSPECTED drug dealers will be turned over to the police by housing

officials under a pilot scheme aimed at evicting those who supply illegal

substances from council houses. 



The pilot scheme in two of Edinburgh's most notorious areas, Burdiehouse

and Southhouse, means dealers and their families will be evicted and struck

off the housing lists. 



Recent raids in the housing estates, and across the city, led to more than

80 people being arrested. Nearly all are awaiting court appearances. 



 Housing officials are introducing a formal procedure that will allow

officials to pass on any allegations of criminal activities to Lothian and

Borders Police. 



Tenants are being warned if they are convicted of drugs dealing from their

council houses they and their families will automatically face eviction. 



The City of Edinburgh Council says it has the authority to evict tenants

convicted of a crime, though it does not often use the power. 



The new policy is tougher and assumes that anyone caught selling drugs is

making themselves "intentionally homeless" by breaking its rules. One

council official said yesterday there would be safeguards. "Obviously we

will do everything we can to re-house children and elderly people ... but

if a person is convicted the council has no legal requirement to re-home

them." 



Donald Anderson, a councillor whose ward includes the two housing estates

targeted by the new policy, welcomed the move. It would send a strong

message to the dealers that they were no longer wanted. 



"Most people living in housing schemes are decent and law-abiding and they

want the drugs dealers out. The move towards more co-operation means the

housing department is able to act on information given to them by concerned

tenants by letting the police know. And if that ends in a conviction drugs

dealers will then be booted out of their homes." 



Residents in Burdiehouse said they hoped the move would end the daily sight

of people streaming into the homes of known dealers for a fix. 



One woman said: "Everyone knows who the dealers are but nothing is ever

done about it."