Wales Audit Office report: Progress in delivering the Welsh Housing Quality Standard
Wales Audit Office report: Progress in delivering the Welsh Housing Quality Standard
The Auditor General for Wales’ report Progress in delivering the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, which
published in January 2012. The report
examined whether landlords had made good progress to improve the quality of social
housing in line with the requirements of the Welsh Housing Quality Standard
(WHQS). The Welsh Government introduced the WHQS in 2002 as a minimum standard
for homes and set a target that all social housing should comply with the WHQS
requirements by the end of 2012.
The core elements of the WHQS are that homes:
- Are in a good state of
repair;
- Are safe and secure;
- Are adequately heated,
fuel efficient and well insulated;
- Contain up-to-date
kitchens and bathrooms;
- Are well managed (for
rented housing);
- Are located in
attractive and safe environments; and
- As far as possible
suit the specific requirements of the household, for example, catering for
specific disabilities
The Auditor General’s report notes that from the outset, the Welsh
Government has identified the wider benefits that could flow from work to
achieve the WHQS. These included job creation and area regeneration, as well as
improved health, well-being, safety and security. Enhanced tenant consultation
and participation in housing management were also seen as important outcomes.
The report concluded that many tenants have seen substantial improvements in
the quality of their housing, although the original aim that all social housing
would achieve the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) by 2012 will not be
met. The report also concluded that the Welsh Government has not acted swiftly
enough to support and monitor progress and has not put an effective framework
in place to demonstrate value for money from the significant investment that is
planned to achieve the WHQS.
The Public Accounts Committee
undertook an inquiry into the WHQS which examined:
- Achievements in
delivering the WHQS against targets
- Weaknesses in the
Welsh Government’s leadership and monitoring
- The future of the WHQS
Business type: Committee Inquiry
Status: Complete
First published: 15/04/2014
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