North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has
questioned the new First Minister over what action he is taking to
address the shortage of new homes in both the social and private sector.
With reports showing that Wales needs at least
12,000 new homes each year, including 5,000 annually in the social sector, and
the Welsh Government’s target being only 20,000 ‘affordable’ homes over the
full five year Assembly Term, inflated by adding new intermediate rent and low
cost home ownership properties to new homes in the social rented sector, Mr
Isherwood (pictured) challenged Mark Drakeford over the shortage
in the Assembly Chamber.
He said: “The average number of new homes delivered by
Housing Associations annually in England has risen by a third since 2010, compared
to 25 per cent in Wales.
"The average number of new homes delivered by Local
Authorities in England is up nearly sevenfold (since 2010) compared to a
two-thirds fall, up to 2017-18, in Wales. You referred to removing the
borrowing cap (by the UK Government) – and exit from the Housing Revenue
Account system (enabled by the UK Government) does enable local authorities to
retain income from tenants and invest that in new council housing.
"How will you
ensure that that is invested, where practicable, in new housing for social
rent, either delivered directly by Councils themselves or where they can get
best value for the resource available in partnership with Housing Associations,
including the 11 where Local Authorities have already transferred stock to them?”
The First Minister agreed that partnerships
between local authorities and housing associations are going to be key to
accelerating the availability of housing built for rent in all parts of Wales
and stated that “the challenge is everywhere in the United Kingdom”.
He added: “The Member will have seen the report
from Shelter today calling for major additional investment in housing for
public rent in England. I welcome that report. If it were to be adopted it
would lead to a significant Barnett consequential for us here in Wales, which
we would be able to put to work.
"As it is, our 20,000 affordable homes target
for this Assembly term is amongst the single largest capital investment that we
will make as a Government. With the efforts that we are making with the new
possibilities that Local Authorities have, we are determined to do everything
we can to make sure that we have a building programme that better meets the
needs we know are there for decent, affordable housing in all parts of
Wales.”
Mr Isherwood responded: “My figures for England contrasted with those
during the previous 13 years of Labour UK Government. However, Labour-led Welsh
Government has been responsible for housing in Wales since 1999 and Wales was
already lagging behind England when Labour left UK Government in 2010.
"The new
First Minister trumpets his Government’s target to deliver 20,000 affordable
homes over this 5-year Assembly Term, but successive independent reports
showing that Wales needs at least 12,000 new homes each year, including at
least 5,000 in the social sector, make a mockery of this."