A Councillor described Edinburgh Council’s handling of a troubled Gorgie block of flats as an “ethical and moral failure” during a meeting with residents on the future of the building on Wednesday.
The meeting, organised by tenants’ rights campaign group Living Rent, heard testimony from residents of the building and took place at Gorgie Mills Bowling Club – just next to Westfield Court.
Westfield Court, a block of flats which has stood in Gorgie for over 70 years, has faced uncertainty over its future for months.
While the City of Edinburgh Council is a minority owner, it remains as the factor of the building.
A report submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council’s housing committee in November recommended the Council should buy back homes from residents to pursue demolition due to the “abortive” cost of “essential repairs.”
In December, residents and tenants interrupted the committee’s meeting, with campaigners following housing convener Tim Pogson out of the chamber.
Along with residents, Wednesday’s meeting was also attended by Councillors Dennis Dixon, Ross McKenzie, and Ben Parker, along with senior council officers.
Cllr Parker was the only member of the Council’s housing committee in attendance.
During the meeting on Wednesday, residents of Westfield Court described the history of the building as well as issues they had been facing.
Several residents described their ceilings collapsing due to leaks from broken pipes, with others explaining that family members becoming so ill from the building’s condition that they were unable to return to work.
One resident alleged the Council’s oversight “is so extreme it borders on criminal negligence.”
Some residents claimed that the Council had falsified records of asbestos in the building.
Gareth Barwell, the corporate director of place at the City of Edinburgh Council and present at the meeting, later responded to residents that he was “willing to say professionally that I don’t believe that my team would falsify information” but that all the information at the meeting would be investigated.
Following statements from residents, Barry Will, community organiser for Living Rent in Gorgie and Dalry, put questions to councillors and senior officers.
When asked by Mr Will whether the Council had failed in its duty as a factor, Cllr McKenzie responded: “I’m not an expert on factoring law. You would genuinely need to have 22 solicitors stand there and beat that out.
“I believe there’s been an ethical and moral failure, but I can’t sit there and say to the letter off the law on this because I don’t have that understanding. Sorry for the cop out.”
Mr Will concluded the meeting by thanking Mr Barwell and Graeme Reid, the Councils’ head of high-rise management and investment for speaking to residents.
Mr Will said: “You’ve at least committed to the different demands that residents in the room have.
“We will be making sure that you’re held accountable to those commitments.
“Historically, you’ve not followed through with the commitments and promises that you’ve made to residents.”
“That is not going to continue any longer.”
In January, Deadline News reported that a person close to the situation described residents being “left in the dark” by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Housing convener, Cllr Tim Pogson, denied the claims, stating that the Council had “written to residents to keep them up to date with what is happening.”
An updated report on the future of Westfield Court is expected to go before the housing committee on 1 June 2026.
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