Details of how much public money has been spent with hotels housing homeless people has been refused by the council.

During the pandemic city centre hotels were used to house people at risk of rough sleeping, the Alexander Thomson Hotel in Argyle Street was one of those used.

Other hotels and B7Bs have been used over a number of years for the council to meet their requirement to provide temporary accommodation to homeless people.

Many are housed in B&B accommodation.

During the pandemic at least nine people died in the Alexander Thomson Hotel.

The council was asked by a anti-homelessness campaigner how much money has been given by the council to the owner of the Alexander Thomson hotel over a ten year period.

It was also asked for how much was spent with the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Hotel in Union Street.

In 2020 it was reported that nine people died in the Alexander Thomson Hotel through out the year since March when it was used for emergency accommodation.

The council admitted it did have the information however, however refused to reveal it, stating it was commercially sensitive and any public interest was outweighed by the need to provide confidentiality to ensure the council could purchase accommodation for vulnerable people who needed it.

The response stated: “Disclosure of the information would, or would be likely to, substantially prejudice the commercial interests of both the Council and the Alexander Thomson Hotel.

It added disclosure would allow other providers to know the costs charged and they could undercut the Alexander Thomson Hotel.

It also said disclosure could deter some organisations from continuing to provide temporary accommodation knowing that their price structure and costs can easily be made public.

The response stated: “

Any reduction in the number of temporary accommodation providers will likely drive up the cost, to the Council, of providing temporary accommodation as well as reducing the choice available to those require temporary accommodation.

The request for information was made by campaigner Sean Clerkin.

He said he will be appealing the decision and believes it is in the pubic interest to know how much public money is being spent with hotel owners, especially in the case of the Alexander Thomson hotel where several people died.