Concise Minutes - Local Government and Housing Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 2, Senedd

Meeting date: Wednesday, 18 September 2024

Meeting time: 09.30 - 12.33
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/14900

Hybrid

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Attendance

Category	Names
Members of the Senedd:	John Griffiths MS (Chair) James Evans MS Altaf Hussain MS Hannah Blythyn MS Lee Waters MS Siân Gwenllian MS, Virtual
Witnesses:	Stuart Fitzgerald, Welsh Government Neil Hemington, Welsh Government Emma Williams, Welsh Government Jayne Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Committee Staff:	Manon George (Clerk) Catherine Hunt (Second Clerk) Evan Jones (Deputy Clerk) Jennie Bibbings (Researcher)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

1.1     The Chair welcomed Members to the meeting of the Local Government and Housing Committee.

1.2     Hannah Blythyn MS attended as a substitute.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Social housing supply - Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government

2.1     The Committee received evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government.

2.2     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to write to the Committee with further information on the costs of the housing conditions survey.

2.3     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to share Welsh Government’s response to Audit Wales’s report on affordable housing.

2.4     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to share the Cabinet Secretary’s letter to local authorities with the Committee.

2.5     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to write to the Committee with more information in relation to land value and the new South Wales metro.

2.6     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to write to the Committee with exact numbers of how many social homes have been lost over the course of the current Senedd term through sales and demolition.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Papers to note

</AI3>

<AI4>

3.1 Letter from the Finance Committee in relation to Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26

3.1     The Committee noted the letter.

</AI4>

<AI5>

3.2 Letter from the Welsh Local Government Association in relation to the social housing supply inquiry

3.2     The Committee noted the letter.

</AI5>

<AI6>

3.3 Letter from Joel James MS in relation to the inquiry into the role, governance and accountability of the community and town council sector

3.3     The Committee noted the letter.

</AI6>

<AI7>

3.4 Letter from Business Committee in relation to committee remits

3.4     The Committee noted the letter

</AI7>

<AI8>

3.5 Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning in relation to abuse in politics

3.5     The Committee noted the letter.

</AI8>

<AI9>

3.6 Letter from the Development Bank of Wales in relation to the social housing supply inquiry

3.6     The Committee noted the letter.

</AI9>

<AI10>

3.7 Letter from Housing Justice Cymru in relation to the social housing supply inquiry

3.7     The Committee noted the letter.

</AI10>

<AI11>

3.8 Letter from Housing Europe in relation to the social housing supply inquiry

3.8     The Committee noted the letter.

</AI11>

<AI12>

4 Motion under Standing Order 17.42(ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting and from the next Committee meeting on 25 September 2024

4.1     The Committee agreed the motion.

</AI12>

<AI13>

5 Social housing supply - consideration of evidence and key issues

5.1     The Committee considered the evidence and key issues.

5.2     The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government with the questions not reached during the evidence session:

          - What role does the Cabinet Secretary see for Tirion Homes to bring forward more large-scale developments?

          - Is the Welsh Government exploring how to increase the role of the Development Bank for Wales in financing social and affordable housing supply?

</AI13>

<AI14>

6 Private rented sector - consideration of draft report

6.1     The Committee agreed to consider the draft report at its next meeting on 25 September 2024.

</AI14>

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