On Tuesday 8th March Community Housing Cymru’s tour ‘Are you on board’ reached Aberystwyth and joined forces with local housing associations to take a hard look at Ceredigion’s housing issues before the Welsh Assembly Elections in May.
Tai Ceredigion hosted the event at the Morlan centre, and, along with other local housing associations highlighted the innovative work being done around housing, care and regeneration within the county.
Tai Ceredigion’s Chief Executive Steve Jones, who presented on Tai Ceredigion’s regeneration work and job/training creation at the event, said “We were thrilled to be playing our part in this important tour. It is paramount that we bring Ceredigion’s housing issues to the forefront of people’s minds for the upcoming elections. Rural housing is often at the bottom of the agenda but we need to give a voice to the local communities around their housing, care and regeneration issues.”
Nick Bennett, Group Chief Executive of Community Housing Cymru said “Housing associations provide so much more than brick and mortar – they help build communities all over Wales and create jobs and training opportunities for local people. For every one person employed by a housing association, another two and a half jobs are supported in the Welsh economy.”
Dafydd Pugh-Jones, the Manager of Ceredigion Care & Repair said “If people live in poor quality housing, it can have a detrimental effect on their health and well being. It was estimated last year that falls amongst older people cost the NHS in the UK £4.6million a day. Care & Repair agencies throughout Wales provide services that help keep older people living independently in their own home and for every pound spent on their Rapid Response Adaptation Programme (RRAP), saves health and social services around £7.50. This is a great example of spending wisely on preventative works rather than picking up the far higher cost after event.”
The event ended with a cross party panel debate, made up of prospective candidates standing in the Assembly Elections. Attendees were able to ask the panel questions regarding local housing issues and discuss the challenges ahead.
