SENEDD Members welcomed a bill aimed at ending homelessness in Wales but warned of missed opportunities to support veterans, prisoners and those discharged from hospital.

Jayne Bryant gave a statement on the introduction of the homelessness bill which aims to increase access to services and prioritise social housing for those most in need.

With around 11,000 people currently housed in emergency temporary accommodation, Wales’ housing secretary told the Senedd: “Across Western Europe and beyond, homelessness poses an escalating and urgent challenge.

“It is a devastating and pervasive issue. It shortens lives and isolates people from their communities. It impacts people’s health, mental wellbeing, people’s ability to engage in work or with the economy, or indeed on educational outcomes.”

Ms Bryant, who is also responsible for councils, said the pandemic revealed a hidden homelessness need, placing unsustainable pressure on households and services.

“This is why reform is absolutely necessary,” she said, describing the “landmark” bill as an important step towards a bold vision of a Wales free from homelessness.

She explained that the bill, “which is rooted in evidence and experience”, will move away from a system that responds to crises to one focused on early identification and prevention.

She said the priority need and intentionality tests for homelessness support – which have been criticised as “unjust and immoral” for setting a high threshold – will be abolished.

Ms Bryant was particularly proud of a new duty in the bill on councils to take reasonable steps to secure suitable accommodation for young people transitioning from care.

“These reforms are ambitious,” she said. “They have to be to match the scale of the challenge. They will take time to implement. This is not a quick fix.”

Laura Anne Jones, the Conservatives’ shadow housing secretary, broadly welcomed the “much-needed” reforms, particularly the commitment to care leavers.

But she expressed concerns about ministers not taking forward proposals to specifically support those leaving hospital or custody – “two of the most high-risk groups”.

“Ignoring these proposals misses a vital opportunity for a joined-up approach,” she warned.

Ms Jones asked: “What message does that send, that support for people leaving NHS care or prison has been dropped from our most significant homelessness reforms in years?”

She added: “While we support these reforms, let’s not pretend they solve the deeper crisis that we face… the chronic shortage of social housing in Wales.”

She called for radical levels of investment to deliver desperately needed housing, pointing out that the Welsh Government is set to miss its target of 20,000 social homes by 2026.

Ms Jones raised concerns about an Audit Wales report, which suggested between £580m and £740m extra could be required to deliver on the target.

Calling for an exemption, she warned that the local connection test for support could discriminate against veterans who may not live near family nor friends.

“We all owe them a debt, not just local communities,” she said, pointing out that the UK Government removed the local connection rule for veterans in England.

Ms Bryant argued that ensuring nobody is discharged from hospital into homelessness can best be achieved by using existing mechanisms rather than creating a new duty.

She said guidance will be introduced to stop people being discharged onto the streets or stuck in hospitals due to a lack of suitable housing.

Ms Bryant agreed the bill must be underpinned by an increased supply of social homes, with a record £2bn set to be invested from 2021 to 2026.

Turning to veterans, she said the bill provides powers for ministers to reconsider certain elements including problems associated with the local connection test.

Ms Bryant told the Senedd her officials are working on regulations to stop veterans being “pushed down the list for social housing just because they do not have a local link”.

The bill was part of the now-collapsed cooperation agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru in return for support to pass budgets.

Siân Gwenllian, Plaid Cymru’s shadow housing secretary, welcomed the trauma-informed, person-centred approach taken in the bill.

She said: “We have to confront the situation… because the figures on homelessness today are truly staggering. There are more than 11,000 people in temporary accommodation, including over 2,600 and 400 children living in B&Bs or hotels.

“At the moment, we are letting the most vulnerable people down – with one in four young care leavers homeless, so I am pleased to see this bill focusing on those at particular risk.”

Warning of a lack of social housing, Ms Gwenllian told the Senedd: “You as a government have to recognise that you have entirely failed to meet your own targets.”

Ms Bryant stressed: “Legislation alone can’t end homelessness… we do recognise that supply and social housing has a really important role to play.”

Closing her statement on May 20, the Labour minister said: “This is a government that cares about the future of Wales – a future where homelessness is confined to the history books. These reforms take us closer to realising that vision.”

A CALL to extend a chapel and hall near Haverfordwest to provide much-needed space for activities has been submitted to Pembrokeshire planners.

Reverend Jenny Gough, through agent Sureline Design Services Ltd, seeks permission for an extension to Bethlehem Chapel and its attached hall, in the village of Bethlehem, near Haverfordwest.

A supporting statement says: “Bethlehem Baptist Chapel, located on the outskirts of Haverfordwest has 45 adults in membership of the church at the present time ranging from 19 years to those in their mid 90’s. In addition, on a Sunday we have a further 46 adults in regular attendance and 11 regular under 16-year-olds.

“The growth of the church fellowship in the past ten years has necessitated the provision of a portacabin in church grounds which is a temporary measure, intended to be removed once the proposed extension to the church hall is completed.

“Whilst the church is currently providing various community activities we are limited in the number of people who can attend and often find that we are restricted in the services we would like to provide due to the space available.

“Allied to this, the need to meet public standards for disabilities, parking, health, and safety and the need for an extension becomes ever more pressing. The project aim is to provide a first-class facility that will enhance the community, be a welcome lift to the area, and enable existing and new activities to be undertaken in a pleasant, warm, accessible and welcoming environment.

“There is adequate land situated to allow the extension without impinging or compromising on the chapel’s burial grounds and the funding for the project will be obtained through grant applications, through appeals and fundraising activities.

“Over the last four to five years it has become increasingly clear that the current building facility could not meet the needs of its users, nor hope to satisfy the ever-increasing regulatory demands placed on facilities that are open to the general public.”

The chapel hosts many activities including adult and toddler/baby group, ladies craft group (which includes a Safe Space provision), community lunch group, bereavement peer support group, dementia support group, primary school children’s holiday clubs, secondary school youth clubs, young adult groups, Christian teaching groups and social events.

“Since many of these activities are well attended we are often lacking space in the building.  For some larger gatherings we are forced to use halls in the communities around us, which increases our workload for holding the events in having to transport necessary equipment.

“The main result is that we are not holding events to our full potential, if more space was available at Bethlehem Chapel, we would be able to hold more events to benefit the wider community with what we are already providing.”

The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.

COUNCIL plans for ‘alien’ and ‘industrial’ metal gates to prevent vehicle entry on to Tenby’s iconic harbour have been refused by the national park.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Pembrokeshire County Council sought permission to install a swing gate that prevents unauthorised vehicle entry, but allowing pedestrians, at Tenby Harbour Yacht Station & Harbour Office, Pier Hill, Tenby, in the town’s conservation area.

The proposed gates would be sited approximately mid-way along the harbour office.

The scheme included a related listed building consent application covering the harbour ‘pier’.

The scheme was supported by Tenby Town Council but Tenby Civic Society objected due to design, operation, justification and impact on the harbour setting.

A national park officer report recommending refusal said: “Whilst consultees are generally supportive of the proposal, it is not regarded as acceptable in terms of its impact upon the special qualities of the National Park including both character and appearance of Tenby Conservation Area and the setting of listed buildings.”

It detailed the scheme: “This application is for the installation of a metal gate on Tenby Pire alongside the Harbour Office to restrict unauthorised access to the end of the pier.  The pier itself is Grade-II-listed and the site lies within Tenby Conservation Area central to the iconic harbour view.

“Due to the industrial design of the gates in what is a highly sensitive and extremely popular area, the proposal is not considered to preserve the setting of the listed pier or the character or appearance of Tenby Conservation Area.

“It therefore follows that there will be an impact on the special qualities of the National Park, that the proposal will cause visual intrusion and that it pays little regard to the sense of place and local distinctiveness.

“Whilst it is recognised that restricting access to the working pier would sustain harbour activities and may contribute to a certain extent to supporting community cohesion and health, the proposal is not considered to conserve or enhance the existing character of the harbour.”

It added: “The design and scale of the gates neither preserve or enhance the character of the area. In terms of character, the pier currently is available for users and visitors to enjoy daily except when during occasional events and operations when temporary fencing is erected. The proposed meshed metal gates are seen as intrusive in this context, quite alien to the public enjoyment of the area.

“Officers have considered the weight to be given to the desirability of restricting access to the working pier and reducing conflicts such as tombstoning activities and conflicts with boats.  Temporary fencing has currently been used to achieve this which does not require permission.”

The application was refused on the grounds it “would introduce an unacceptable visual intrusion due to the overly industrial design of the proposed gates which would not conserve or enhance the existing character of the harbour,” and would “also cause harm to the setting of a listed building”.