North Wales MS and Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning, Mark Isherwood, has called on the Welsh Government to consider the pressures facing Housing Associations in Wales because they are taking more tenant allocations from priority lists.
Questioning the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government in yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood said that they’re also struggling with Welsh Government aspirations over decarbonisation.
He said:
“Housing Associations have raised concerns with me that, because they’re taking more tenant allocations from priority lists and therefore working with people in crisis or post crisis, this is having a big impact, where the needs of tenants are becoming more complex and the demands on them are increasing as they work with affected families and maintain their homes; and that they’re also struggling with Welsh Government aspirations over decarbonisation, where their actual ability to deliver is, quote, 'a moot point', with a massive black hole in funding to do it the way they’re being asked to, and there’s a need to balance the ambition with what is realistic, working out with tenants the best way for individual homes.
“So, in determining the standards of tenant care that it expects Housing Associations to provide, what consideration is the Welsh Government therefore giving to these concerns?”
The Cabinet Secretary replied:
“We’re working very closely with RSLs (Registered Social Landlords), and I think that’s an important partnership approach, as well as with local government, because we all want to see as many people gaining access to their entitlement, as they are. Community Housing Cymru have developed a cost-of-living support hub to share that learning, advice and best practice to housing associations, giving essential cost-of-living support to their tenants. So, there is work ongoing.”
