Meetings

PAC(4)-25-15 Paper 4

5.1 Members agreed that the Chair should write to the Welsh Government seeking further clarification on the response to the Committee’s report.

PAC(4)-24-15 Paper 6

7.1 Members noted the Welsh Government response to the Committee Report. The Auditor General for Wales advised the Committee that he would be writing to the Chair later this week with his comments.

PAC(4)-21-15 Paper 1

4.1 Members considered and agreed the draft report subject to a few minor amendments. The Report will be published later this month.

PAC(4)-18-15 Paper 1

6.1 Members considered and discussed the key issues paper and suggested a number of issues they wished to see incorporated in the report.

6.2 Members agreed to request a copy of the agreed framework for the administration of DHP from the Welsh Government.

5.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.

PAC(4)-15-15 Paper 1

Research Briefing

June Milligan - Director General, Local Government and Communities, Welsh Government

John Howells - Director, Housing & Regeneration, Welsh Government

Sara Ahmad - Economist, Local Government & Communities, Welsh Government

3.1 The Committee took evidence from June Milligan, Director General, Local Government and Communities, Welsh Government; John Howells, Director, Housing & Regeneration, Welsh Government and Sara Ahmad, Economist, Local Government & Communities, Welsh Government,  on its inquiry into welfare reform.

3.2 June Milligan agreed to:

·       Send a note advising of the sites local authorities have released for housing development on;

·       Note on the current situation of housing associations changing their allocations policies so there is no prohibition on tenants who have rent arrears based on housing benefit debts;

·       Note on the impact in Wales of the proposed lower benefit cap;

·       Breakdown of local authority area of affected households (where available) by the proposed lower benefit cap

6.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.

PAC(4)-14-15 paper 1 – TPAS Cymru

Research Briefing

Steve Clarke – Managing Director, Welsh Tenants

David Lloyd - Director, TPAS Cymru

3.1 The Committee took evidence from Steve Clarke, Managing Director, Welsh Tenants and David Lloyd, Director, TPAS Cymru on its inquiry into welfare reform.

3.2 Steve Clarke agreed to send figures of the number of tenants under the age of 21 currently occupying one and two bedroomed properties.

3.3 When Members were considering the evidence received, they requested that Steve Clarke provide a note on why he thought the administration of housing benefit should be devolved.  

PAC(4)-14-15 paper 2 – NPTHomes

PAC(4)-14-15 paper 3 – Wales & West Housing

Research Briefing

Jim McKirdle - Housing Policy Officer, Welsh Local Government Association

Linda Whittaker - Chief Executive, Neath Port Talbot Homes (NPTHomes)

Claire Maimone - Director of Housing and Regeneration, Neath Port Talbot Homes (NPTHomes)

Steve Porter – Operations Director, Wales & West Housing

Mike Halloran – Housing Manager, Wales & West Housing

4.1 The Committee took evidence from Jim McKirdle, Housing Policy Officer, Welsh Local Government Association; Linda Whittaker, Chief Executive, and Claire Maimone, Director of Housing and Regeneration, Neath Port Talbot Homes (NPTHomes); Steve Porter, Operations Director, and Mike Halloran – Housing Manager, Wales & West Housing on its inquiry into welfare reform.

4.2 Steve Porter agreed to send details of how many of the 200 homes currently being built will be one or two bedroomed properties and what that equates to as a percentage in Wales & West current builds and how many of the planned 1000 homes scheduled to be built in the next five years will be one or two bedroomed properties.

4.3 Jim McKirdle agreed to provide a note on:

·       the local authorities’ policy for housing transfers when a tenant is in housing arrears. When Members were considering the evidence received, they requested to see a copy of the Discretionary Housing Payment agreement.

·       which two local authorities have not signed up to the agreement.

·       eleven local authorities with plans to build social housing including the proposed number of houses they wish to build.

·       figures on the number of tenants with disabilities who have been affected and relocated as a result of the policy.

·       whether local authorities take into account Disabled Living Allowance when considering Discretionary Housing Payments.

6.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.

PAC(4)-13-15 Paper 3 – Shelter Cymru

PAC(4)-13-15 Paper 4 – Citizens Advice Cymru

John Puzey – Director, Shelter Cymru

Jennie Bibbings - Policy and Research Manager, Shelter Cymru

Lindsey Kearton - Policy Officer, Citizens Advice Cymru 

Elle McNeil, Policy Officer, Citizens Advice Cymru

4.1 The Committee took evidence from John Puzey, Director and

Jennie Bibbings, Policy and Research Manager, Shelter Cymru; and

Lindsey Kearton, Policy Officer and Elle McNeil, Policy Officer, Citizens Advice Cymru on its inquiry into welfare reform.

PAC(4)-13-15 paper 1 – Community Housing Cymru

PAC(4)-13-15 paper 2 – Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru (CIHC)

Research Briefing

Sioned Hughes – Director of Policy and Regeneration, Community Housing Cymru

Paul Langley – Senior Adviser, Community Housing Cymru

Helen Northmore – Director, Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru (CIHC)

Hayley Selway - Head of Housing & Building Services for Vale of Glamorgan Council (Member CIHC Board)

3.1 The Committee took evidence from Sioned Hughes, Director of Policy and Regeneration, and Paul Langley, Senior Adviser at Community Housing Cymru; Helen Northmore, Director, Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru (CIHC) and Sandra Alexander, Housing Income Manager, Vale of Glamorgan Council on its inquiry into welfare reform.

3.2 Sioned Hughes agreed to send further information on:

·       the different approach taken in England to appeals

·       the number of homes in the rented sector that have been sublet in Wales

·       the number of people with disabilities affected by the spare room subsidy

·       evidence of how housing associations have still not updated their transfer policies to ensure that arrears relating to welfare reform are not a barrier to downsizing.

PAC(4)-04-15 Paper 5 – Welsh Government Response

PAC(4)-04-15 Paper 6 – Scoping Paper

7.1 The Committee considered the Welsh Governments response to the Auditor General report on Managing the Impact of Welfare Reform Changes.

PAC(4)-01-15 Paper 2 - Wales Audit Office: Managing the Impact of Welfare Reform Changes on Social Housing Tenants in Wales

5.1 The Committee considered the Wales Audit Office’s report on Managing the Impact of Welfare Reform Changes on Social Housing Tenants in Wales, and noted the Chair had requested a response from the Welsh Government to the report.

5.2 Julie Morgan AM declared an interest, as her daughter is employed by Shelter Cymru.