Michelle Glavin reports on the changes that are now taking place
The Welsh Government’s Programme for Government highlights its commitment to supporting tenants. The Housing White Paper published last year included a commitment to continue to support tenant participation and to consider the effectiveness of the support.
A study has been commissioned and awarded to Campbell Tickell. The study will consider the current approach to supporting tenants, the roles played by Welsh Government, social landlords and other organisations to including the Tenant Participation Grant. The findings of the study will inform future developments.
While unfinished projects are still currently being finalised, there will no longer be any funding on any new projects until the review has been concluded and its findings considered.
During this period it is good time to reflect on what the TEG programme has done for so many and what tenant participation can do for our growing communities.
For any questions about the study or Tenant Empowerment Grant programme, please do not hesitate to contact Judith Askew on 0300 062 8627
You can access the ten years of innovation and diversity reports here.
Facts and figures
Grants by type of tenant group
Local association: 30 (23%)
Multi-landlord group: 10 (8%)
Landlord-wide group: 56 (42%)
Special interest: 36 (27%)
Total: 132 (100%)
The distribution of grant by tenant group type reinforces that the fact there continues to be a trend away from estate based tenant associations to a more diverse range of structures for involvement. Only one in four TEGs is now exclusive to one community wheras nearly half are either landlord-wide or involve a number of landlords. Nearly a third of all grants have been awarded to groups that represent special interests.
Grants by landlord
RSL: 73 (55%)
Local authority: 38 (29%)
Joint: 7 (5%)
Supported housing: 14 (11%)
Total: 132 (100%)
Landlord endorsement for TEG applications is a prerequisite for support unless there are exceptional circumstances. Just over half of all TEGs go to RSL-sponsored applications, with just under a third going to local authority groups, reflecting the increase in size of the former sector due to stock transfer.
A relatively small proportion (6 per cent) were joint RSL/local authority TEGs. One in ten TEGs now goes to projects exclusively focussing on tenants with support needs.
Grants by Location
North Wales: 39 (26%)
Mid Wales: 10 (8%)
South East Wales: 53 (40%)
South West Wales: 4 (3%)
Total: 132 (100%)
The capacity of the TEG scheme to reach all parts of Wales continues. The twelve local authority areas in South East Wales account for 40 per cent of all grants, an unde-representation in terms of population, local authoirity areas and numbers of social landlords. The six North Wales local authority areas receive just under a third of all grants with one in five going to South West Wales based tenant groups.