Glasgow urged to focus on 'needs of residents' and not hosting another Commonwealth Games

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Campaigners have questioned whether Glasgow can afford to host another Commonwealth Games after the last event in the city cost £543 million.It was revealed yesterday the sporting extravaganza could return to Scotland for the first time since 2014 if no other host nation can be found.Organisers are struggling to find a city willing to take on the Games in two years' time after Singapore, Malaysia and the Australian state of Victoria all ruled themselves out.Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) has now claimed a "cost effective" event for between £130m and £150m.Ian Reid, CGS chair, claimed yesterday the event could return without "significant sums of public funding" if established sporting venues were used and the number of sports scaled back.But campaigners working on the frontline of the city's homelessness and drugs deaths crises have questioned whether affordable Games could really be delivered.They argued public spending and political capital should instead be focused on delivering more affordable housing and treatment facilities.It comes after Glasgow City Council last year declared a housing emergency due to "unprecedented pressures" facing the local authority.Annemarie Ward, CEO of the Faces & Voices of Recovery UK charity, doubted whether the event could really be staged without any significant public funding."The claim by Commonwealth Games Scotland that staging the event would require 'no significant ask of public funds' raises serious concerns, especially in light of Glasgow's devastating drug death crisis," she told the Record."With limited resources allocated to support individuals in their recovery journey, the idea of diverting funds towards hosting the Commonwealth Games becomes even more troubling."Moreov