Not all council homes in Wales will reach a decent standard by the Welsh assembly鈥檚 2012 dealine, it was claimed at a Welsh housing conference last week.
Despite the news, delegates warned stock transfer was not the only solution, and called for debate on the alternatives.

Delegates accused speakers of 鈥渃hickening out鈥� of discussing transfer as an option for Wales鈥� ageing housing stock in favour of awaiting the national assembly鈥檚 Community Mutual Model as a means of investing in housing.

Phil Roberts, assistant director of housing at Swansea council, said: 鈥淚t seems unlikely that the Welsh housing quality standard will be achieved with current resources.

鈥淪ome councils will be unable to meet the 2012 deadline and transfer is one of the things they may have to think about if they can鈥檛 make the target.鈥�

There were also calls for a portion of the 拢300m extra budget cash earmarked for the Welsh health service to go towards improving housing conditions.

Steve Thomas, head of strategy policy at the Welsh Local Government Association, told delegates that transfer was 鈥渘ot the only show in town鈥� and called for a national housing debate.

Opposition to stock transfer remains firm in the face of the expected community mutual model, despite hopes it will create more jobs and prospects for regeneration.

Source

Housing Today