Concerns over closure of hostel for former prisoners

A hostel for ex-prisoners will be closed by Aberdeen City Council, prompting fears that the city’s already-lengthy waiting list for homes will be put under further strain.

St Fitticks House, a 14-bed centre at Torry, will shut because the local authority can no longer afford to keep it open.

The decision to close the centre down after more than 20 years was made at a meeting of the council’s social care and wellbeing committee yesterday. It was also decided that the local authority will withdraw support to a national voluntary group that finds homes for ex-offenders.

Sacro (Safeguarding Communities – Reducing Offending) manages 25 tenancies in the city for former criminals.

Conservative councillor Alan Donnelly, who represents Torry and used to work at St Fitticks House, told the committee he was “very, very, sad” about the loss of the Crombie Road hostel, which supported 44 people last year.

Opposition Labour group leader councillor Barney Crockett, who also voted against the motion, said: “My biggest concern is that it seems we are putting a vast amount of work on to the housing budget without considering it.”

There is a waiting list of around 6,000 for council houses in Aberdeen and the city’s homeless services are in disarray.

Ten councillors voted in favour of the changes, with the other five voting for an amendment to keep the current services open until next spring. A new community-based social work team will be created as a replacement, with a manager and four support workers.

North-east MSP Richard Baker said the “disastrous” decision to close the hostel could lead to an increase in crime. A council spokesman said the process to shut St Fitticks House had begun.

A Sacro spokesman said last night: “Given the current pressure on local authority budgets, we fully understand that best value and best practice must be considered in regard to commissioning services and will welcome the opportunity to tender for the new service.”