Housing secretary Jayne Bryant has appointed Lee Waters MS to lead the Affordable Homes Task Force.
In a written statement to the Senedd she said: ‘The delivery of more homes is, and must remain, inextricably linked to our ambition to end homelessness in Wales. We cannot realise this ambition without a sufficient supply of suitable homes that people can afford to live well in, complemented by early intervention, prevention and support systems.’
This follows an oral statement in October in which she said she was reviewing the options to establish the task force. ‘I have now given this my full consideration, and I believe that a focus on practical support and action in unlocking and advancing affordable housing developments is key. To this end, I am pleased that my colleague Lee Waters, MS has agreed to take on this challenge.’
Lee Waters has served as Labour MS for Llanelli since 2016 and was deputy minister for climate change from 2021 to 2024.
Jayne Bryant said that Welsh Government’s engagement with sector partners had provided valuable feedback on the challenges and potential blockages they face in delivering some schemes by the end of this Senedd term. ‘We have taken action to respond to the challenges, but it is right that we must continue to challenge ourselves to explore what more can be done to aid the delivery of more affordable homes in Wales.’
The work of Lee Waters will consist of two interlinked workstreams. The immediate focus will be on short-term actions to expedite delivery of homes in the current build programme.
Building on the success of the Transitional Accommodation Capital Programme, the workstream will also explore opportunities for using sites in public ownership on a meanwhile basis utilising modern methods of construction to deliver homes in this term of government.
Strand two will have a longer- term focus. Informed by issues identified when addressing the short-term challenges, the Delivery Group will make recommendations for practical system change to streamline the delivery of more homes for social rent.
The minister said that Lee Waterswill take an agile approach to the work supported by a small core group of sector specialists and drawing on wider expertise as necessary.
She said: ‘I look forward to seeing the progress of this important work and to receiving the insights and outcomes that will help us drive the delivery of much needed affordable homes.’