A Fife MSP has hit out after revealing that there are hundreds of empty homes despite the region declaring a housing emergency.

Jenny Gilruth attacked Fife Council for a “lack of urgency” in dealing with the crisis - but her statement was attacked as “a disingenuous view” by Labour.

The SNP politician, who represents Glenrothes, submitted a Freedom Of Information (FOI) request to Fife Council. It revealed there are 397 empty homes eligible for repurchase through the Scottish Government’s housing buy-back scheme currently empty, plus 17 undergoing major repairs/project works and a further 83 properties coded as "unavailable for let".

Fife was the fourth Scottish council to declare a housing emergency last year, but Ms Gilruth claimed it had underspent on its Affordable Housing Programme Budget by £30 million in 2023/24 and £9 million pounds in 2024/25. She said the Scottish Government is investing £768 million in affordable housing this year alone - including an additional £2 million through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership.

The development site in Fair Isle Road, Kirkcaldy - one of four where over 200 new council houses are back on track after work stopped after a company collapsed. (Pic: Fife Free Press)

placeholder image — The development site in Fair Isle Road, Kirkcaldy - one of four where over 200 new council houses are back on track after work stopped after a company collapsed. (Pic: Fife Free Press)

She said: “I was very disappointed to discover through an FOI that Fife Council has failed to make full use of funding from the Scottish Government’s buy-back scheme to bring empty homes back into use. While Labour-run Fife Council celebrate 66 houses being brought back into use, they fail to acknowledge that hundreds of eligible homes remain lying empty while local families here in Mid Fife and Glenrothes remain stuck on ever-growing housing waiting lists.

“This scheme exists to bring homes back into use and is one of the most immediate tools available to councils during a housing emergency. I am extremely concerned that in the middle of this crisis, Labour-run Fife Council have chosen to underspend their housing budget and only act on a fraction of available Scottish Government investment.

“My constituents deserve a council that steps up and treats this housing emergency with the seriousness it demands. While the SNP Government has provided support and funding to local authorities, Labour have let Fifers down by failing to fully use the funding to support direly needed housing locally.” But her criticism was described as “a skewed view” by Labour councillor Altany Craik.

Responding to her statement, he said: “'The MSP is deflecting. The housing emergency is across the whole country and after 18 years in government they have no plan but to play the blame game. Using a mixed bag of statistics to present a disingenuous view of the efforts of the Council, Ms Gilruth has outdone herself - a skewed view of council reports presented to divert attention from the SNP Government shambles at Holyrood.”

He said the Scottish Government had “no plan, no answers and, patently, no real understanding of the situation” adding: “Those on the housing list deserve better than being used as a political barb at the council. We will continue to address the housing emergency, using every tool that we have available.”