, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
And answers.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
So, I think that just gives a bit of an outline of the focus on delivery, really.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Some might have different views. It is early days, but I think what is important is having the Minister for delivery focusing on a particular area, working with her as well. I think, luckily in this area, she very much knows this probably back to front as…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Well, that's an interesting point, but, yes, it's very early days. And I'm not sure all deep-dives have gone away, have they, but some might have different views.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
And just to mention about that letter, which I said I'm very happy to share with the committee, just saying that, in the short term, as Stuart said, some of my asks have been consideration of the schemes within the social housing grant programme that could be…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Well, I think it would be really significant. It's really important, as I mentioned, there are—. It's not straightforward, in terms of we're not just talking about money, we're talking about areas where we've seen—. We've talked about the phosphates, and…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes, aboslutely.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Siân. Obviously, with the recent changes around the Cabinet table—. This was something that Jack Sargeant was due to be chairing, but that has not progressed, because of those changes around the Cabinet table. The taskforce was intended to look at…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes, absolutely, and thank you for raising that, and, certainly, I'm happy to have a discussion with you about that and also about the conference that you went to, which sounds very interesting. But, absolutely, I would certainly consider that.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
No, absolutely, Siân, and I think one of the things that we do need to recognise—and I said at the start, really—is around that preventative side of things as well, and working both sides, making sure we're preventing people being pushed into homelessness as…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Siân. First of all, I'd just like to put on record my thanks to Audit Wales for their report into affordable housing. We have already considered their findings and their recommendations and responded. We can, Cadeirydd, again, perhaps, make sure that…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
I think that's a fair—. I think what you've raised is an important aspect and we can certainly look for that, Lee. Thank you.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes, I think, certainly, acquisition is a really important aspect now of how we’re looking to bring more social homes for rent into the mix of everything, really. So, that is something we’re looking at. I don’t know if Emma would like to say a bit more about…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch. I think that’s an important point about—. I’m keen to look at what more we can do within that area, so I can certainly assure you that I’ll have those discussions to see how we can accelerate that. I think the point you make around just how important…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
And just to say, I've seen this in my own constituency. It's worked particularly well within Newport, where you have seen, in the city centre, that the local authority, and housing associations, have bought up some properties above shops and we've seen more…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Sorry, Stuart.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
I think that's an important point around the pragmatism, really, but I certainly recognise the point you've outlined, which is frustration within the locality. But, it is about being pragmatic, keeping as close as possible and making sure that we are not…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Well, I completely take your point, and again it's the point of looking at different areas and responding to that local need. Perhaps I can bring in Emma to give some specifics, or Stuart.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes, absolutely. We're looking at those opportunities and it's something that we're already investing in. We are safeguarding but converting existing larger properties into single-person accommodation. So, we've seen examples of terraced housing where they've…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes, absolutely. I absolutely recognise that we've got an urgent need for suitable homes for single-person households. This is evident in these LHMAs and from the number of single individuals in temporary accommodation. And, as you say, it's evidence that I'm…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Absolutely.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
We'll keep you up to date with progress on that.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
I think it's quite early on at the moment, but perhaps—I don't know if Emma has a specific timescale.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Thank you. I know my predecessor made some comments around this as well, but I really don't underestimate the need for quality data to inform our policies, measures and the impact that they have. But we do need to find the most effective and most…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Social housing supply: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
It's quite a complex area, and, just to say again, we've only just had that final one in [correction: final draft one in]. We will look now at what, perhaps, is useful, and that can be aggregated or disaggregated, but perhaps I can bring officials in on this…
