‘Publish reports in homes row’
CALLS have been made for two reports on a scandal that saw more than 100 homes badly damaged to be published.
The reports – one a council audit report dating back to 2019, the other an investigation into links to a recently deceased councillor – are thought likely to contain evidence that would assist home-owners battling for compensation.
A year ago the current leader and chief executive of Bridgend council apologised to home-owners at Caerau, near Maesteg, for the saga that has left many of them facing repair bills of more than £20,000.
The authority paid more than £300,000 to Green Renewable Wales Ltd (GRW) to insulate the homes under a grant scheme administered by the council known as Arbed.
Senior council officers have con
firmed that no audit trail exists to trace the awarding of the contract to GRW, one of whose directors was Labour councillor Phil White, who died last month.
Cllr White had been a member of the council’s cabinet and was the subject of an investigation by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
The Arbed programme was launched by the Welsh Government to address fuel poverty and contribute to carbon reduction in some of Wales’ poorest areas.
Since the scheme was completed, numerous complaints have been raised regarding the internal and external wall insulation work that was undertaken.
While some of the complaints were dealt with by the contractors following intervention by trading standards, the council more recently commissioned an independent report from specialists NuVision Energy Wales. The report revealed significant problems with the building work.
The council’s chief executive, Mark Shephard, told councillors last year: “Irrespective of who carried it out or how it was funded, I am sorry that residents have had to put up with the impact of such poorly executed work.
“Following concerns which were originally raised by a former chief executive of the authority, our Internal Audit team conducted a thorough and lengthy investigation into all of the issues.
“This includes consideration of links between Green Renewable Wales Ltd and a former cabinet member, and has resulted in further referrals being made to external agencies which have the appropriate authority to deal with any issues raised.
“As we are committed towards making this a transparent process, I want people to know that the council referred the matter to the Public Service Ombudsman for their independent consideration some time ago. We have kept other appropriate bodies, such as Audit Wales, apprised of the situation throughout.”
Independent councillor Keith Edwards said: “The residents of Caerau have been badly let down and deserve to be compensated.
“We know that two reports exist which could help the residents, but neither of them has been published. Together with colleagues I have called for the council’s 2019 audit report to be published, but we have been told that the council is taking legal advice on whether it should do so.
“I have been criticised for bringing up a problem that dates back some years. But what needs to be understood is that the residents concerned are still suffering.”
A spokeswoman for the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales confirmed a report focusing on the late Cllr White had been referred to the Adjudication Panel for Wales but that in view of his death it would not be published.
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We are working with the local authority to a resolution for householders affected by the failure of external wall insulation. Welsh ministers have written to the UK Government to seek funding to undertake the remedial work as the scheme was part of the UK Government’s Community Energy Savings Programme, which ended in 2012.”