Malachy Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Why does a subject like this always encourage some folk to write absolute tripe? There's some significant points that seem to be getting lost here: Firstly, council housing is social housing, and it must be allocated according to social need. You can't have a simple queue system for council housing because that would defeat the entire purpose. If someone who has lost their job and been evicted and finds themselves sleeping in a bus shelter, I defy you to explain why they should not be placed higher on the list than someone in Sandwick who fancies a council house in town so they can go out on the piss more easily. Equally, if you can afford to rent privately but would rather rent from the council because it's cheaper, your need is frankly not very great. Secondly, this issue about folk getting off the north boat and being handed the keys to a house is rubbish. As someone mentioned earlier, the best they are likely to get is homeless accommodation, temporarily. Whether they are housed permanently after that will depend, as with everybody else, on need. Thirdly, as some folk have mentioned but others are ignoring, Shetland is still part of the UK. If I moved to Glasgow, or Kent or Orkney, I could get on the housing list there; if someone from those places moved here, they can get on our list. It's reciprocal and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Nor should they wish to. We cannot expect to get the benefits of being part of the UK without having to offer those benefits to other citizens. All this talk of 'Shetlanders First' just sounds like the BNP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ of Hildisvik Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 ^^^^^ Well said Malachy, Shetland is a County not a country, well not yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 BACK to the topic anybody moving up here study up on what you are doing it will make your life easier. please dont be put off by some of the posts on this forum. shetland is a nice place to live but its not perfect . the people are in general great and helpful if you have a problem someone will help you. if you want to be a hermit shetland is not for you. dont expect city living and you wont be disapointed. i dont think we would make a very good pr company for promoting shetland. its odd that its the none residents who want to keep shetland "pure" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Malachy wroteEqually, if you can afford to rent privately but would rather rent from the council because it's cheaper, your need is frankly not very great. Two points here. The cost of private renting is seriously damaging the finances of some people in Shetland. They cannot afford to rent privately by any normal definition of "afford" but are forced to as the chances of getting a council home are low and also there is a big plus about council housing which is that tenants have far more security of tenure than with private landlords and that matters to people wanting to make a home out of where they live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khitajrah Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medziotojas Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 ^Beat me to it. There's plenty places in the country where you can live a very quiet life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Na you will have a full background check before you move in. we know a lot of the people in wester skeld by contact it helps that we have animals and are obviously new to it. having to say sorry to your neighbours for your geese eating there garden does help. we have probably got lucky and moved into a close small community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medziotojas Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 I forgot how much I missed Shetland until I was home for two weeks in August. It has an enviable blend of community spirit, and a capital town which is perhaps not an exuberant metropolis, though lively enough; and as I mentioned earlier today in this thread, it also has remoter communities where it is pretty much possible to keep oneself to oneself. Before I moved to Lithuania I enjoyed staying in Billister, North Nesting, as a refuge where I could live an almost hermit’s lifestyle, yet with the ability to drive into town within half an hour. I preferred my solitude for the most part, but not when I was in my teens. I think Shetland caters for a wide range of people, but if you’re used to city life it could take some time to acclimatise, and vice versa. On the whole I think Shetland is a great place for bringing up children with good education and leisure facilities, but one must have the ability to entertain oneself, particularly through the winter months. I for one, from time to time, miss the solitude and the harsh south-westerly winds. It makes you feel alive when you stand up to a force 12, and it makes you feel strangely revitalised the following day if there is calm after the storm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Ooooh err dunno whether to type this or not but here goes ... << is English << is self-employed but plans to work in Shetland still bashing away at own computer like one does now but hopefully grow a tad bigger and sub-contract some of the secretarial work out << allegedly has a GSOH and at times is quite nuts << does tend to voice opinions but believes in learning from others << doesn't intend to build underground (if you've got moles up there, I'd leave it to them) << probably has an average IQ, never bothered to check (was mega chuffed though when got a PG Dip, despite having no A levels or a degree) << has no half baked ideas Err am I welcome? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ of Hildisvik Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Well, oooooh your not going to build a space ship then? NO??....your welcome then. Hope your a Man U fan!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Well, oooooh your not going to build a space ship then? NO??....your welcome then. Hope your a Man U fan!! Well, it would all depend upon whether I could get a grant to have the rocket launch deck on Tesco's roof ... Not really a mega footie follower; was born in S{by the way, do you realise I tried to swear here?}horpe and local team is West Ham (very handy when hubby walks the dog wearing my Scunny scarf - team colours are the same!). Watch the occasional game on telly and that's about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jps Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Ooooh err dunno whether to type this or not but here goes ... << is English << is self-employed but plans to work in Shetland still bashing away at own computer like one does now but hopefully grow a tad bigger and sub-contract some of the secretarial work out << allegedly has a GSOH and at times is quite nuts << does tend to voice opinions but believes in learning from others << doesn't intend to build underground (if you've got moles up there, I'd leave it to them) << probably has an average IQ, never bothered to check (was mega chuffed though when got a PG Dip, despite having no A levels or a degree) << has no half baked ideas Err am I welcome? You sound normal enough for me WELCOME Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKerosene Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 I just read this entire thread and I had to say that; My partner and I moved here nearly 5 months ago. I had a job set up and I am still at that job,and can actually say I love my job. We also had housing set up before our move (private rented accomodation), we wouldnt have done our move to Shetland any other way. My partner and I love shetland and have been made to feel so welcome and included in our community from day one. I believe that when you make the effort to become part of your community and actively contribute to your community then you will benifit, its far easier for people to accept incomers who are actively trying to add to the community here and contribute than ones who just want a handout and want to change what shetland is. Anyway my point being is I certainly would never have even considered moving here jobless or homeless. I am not a shetlander and I feel for me its a matter of respecting the place and people where I am choosing to call my home by contributing with my job and taxes and paying my own way as well as getting into the knitty gritty and becoming part of the community. This is just my own personal belief and my own experience but I can certainly understand why people would feel frustrated or even less likely to be welcoming to anyone ,no matter where they are from, if they dont take an active,working and contributing role in the community. I am no saint and am still trying to find my feet here but I do know that I moved to shetland because I fell in love with the place after many visits, I dont want to change it just be part of it and enjoy our lives here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 You sound like the "model incomer"! Glad you're enjoying staying here and contributing to the community Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKerosene Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 You sound like the "model incomer"! Glad you're enjoying staying here and contributing to the community Thank you for the welcome. And I got to say I am far from perfect but I just think you can make life easier for yourself by thinking about those around you as well as yourself. Shetland to me seems built on this idea of others helping each other out. But you have to put in the effort to reap any benifits. I hope the original poster does find a way to get their dream life they want here in Shetland, if they put the work in then it will be a dream come true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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