Locals to be first in queue for social housing under council policy:
PLANS TO ENSURE ‘PEOPLE WITH STRONGER CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY’ GET PRIORITY
LOCAL people will be given priority for social housing in Gwynedd under new plans.
A report, to be considered by the council’s cabinet, recommends a new social housing policy that puts greater emphasis on people who have lived in the county for at least five years.
Gwynedd council housing portfolio holder Cllr Craig ab Iago said the authority was looking to “push the boundaries” by ensuring more housing is allocated to people with strong connections to the county.
If approved, the policy is expected to be in place by the autumn.
The move would also allow housing applications through the council website for the first time.
The proposed new banding system would see housing prioritised according to the following criteria (from highest to lowest priority):
● Applicants in urgent housing need with a Gwynedd connection
● Applicants in urgent housing need (with no Gwynedd connection)
● Applicants in housing need with a Gwynedd connection
● Applicants in housing need with no Gwynedd connection and applicants with reduced priority
● Applicants with no housing need but with a Gwynedd connection
The Gwynedd Common Housing Register Partnership was established in 2012 and is administered by Gwynedd Council’s housing options team on behalf of Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd, Grŵp Cynefin and North Wales Housing.
Previously there were four separate housing registers and five different allocation policies, which the authority admitted could cause confusion and was an “unsatisfactory situation.”
If approved, the new policy would consider people who have lived in Gwynedd for five years or more as ‘local’, but those who are in urgent need would still be given overall priority.
Cllr ab Iago said: “Our aim is to secure a system of letting social housing in Gwynedd which reflects the need for housing, and the connection of applicants with the county, and also with individual communities.
“This progressive policy strengthens the emphasis on addressing the housing needs of local people.
Cllr ab Iago added: “People have told us that the current system can be complicated and that more should be done to ensure that housing is offered to people who have a stronger connection with the community.”
“By listening to these comments, we are proposing to introduce a new and progressive system that will get to grips with the needs of people by introducing a new procedure that will be easier to understand.
“This new policy will prioritise those applicants where the need for housing is greatest and applicants who have a connection with Gwynedd.”
The report was due to be discussed by the council cabinet in Caernarfon as the Herald went to press yesterday Tuesday, June 25.