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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Welsh Liberal Democrats accuse Government of spinning their own target
March 2, 2010 12:00 AM
The Welsh Liberal Democrats will use a National Assembly debate this week to call on the government to clear up uncertainty over what their housing target means.
In the One Wales agreement, the Welsh Assembly Government commits to "ensure that the supply of affordable housing increases by at least 6,500 over the next four years". However, a Government amendment to the Welsh Liberal Democrat debate claims that they are on target to meet their commitment, as 4,235 additional affordable housing units have been built.
The figures, provided by the Deputy Minister for Housing in answer to a written question submitted the Welsh Liberal Democrats show that while there has been 4,235 new affordable properties built, a further 1,900 properties have been either sold or demolished during the same period.
Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Peter Black AM said:
"If the Government has promised to increase the supply of affordable homes, then that means there will be 6,500 more affordable homes when the Government leaves office, compared to when it came in."
"However, while 4,235 properties have been built, something we welcome, a further 1,900 have been sold or demolished. This means at present there has only been an increase in supply of 2,335 properties, only one third of the One Wales target."
"The Government amendment and the Deputy Minister's answers to written questions seem to indicate that the Deputy Minister is now backtracking on this promise and attempting to spin her failure to meet the target as a success. Her own figures show that the Government are failing, so she is attempting to move the goal posts. It is simply ridiculous and purely cynical politics."
"We have warned that the Government would fail if they simply tried to build their way to their housing target. It now appears that we will unfortunately be proved right. It may have been possible if the Government had not made so many mistakes with the original Affordable Housing LCO, but there is simply not enough time to implement and use the powers within the new LCO."
"Steps must now be taken to maximise the number of affordable homes that will be provided by the time this Government leaves office. Putting empty homes back into use would provide a cost effective and sustainable way of achieving this, yet there is still no strategy for dealing with them. Why does this Government insist on dragging their feet on this issue?"
ENDS
Notes:
The motion tabled by the Welsh Liberal Democrats is as follows:
NDM4431 Peter Black (South Wales West)
The National Assembly for Wales:
1. Notes the Welsh Assembly Government's commitment to ensure that the 'supply of affordable housing increases by at least 6,500' before 2011.
2. Believes that increased supply means that there should be 6,500 more affordable homes in Wales by 2011 compared to 2007.
3. Calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to take urgent action to maximise the number of affordable homes being provided in order to increase the chance of reaching this target.
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