The focus of this issue of Welsh Housing Quarterly is firmly on the Housing Bill. As Wales gets the chance to pass its first-ever legislation on housing, the detail will be debated inside and outside the Assembly over the next few months.
Our special feature on the Bill begins with a summary of what the Welsh Government is proposing in seven key areas that will become part of a distinctively Welsh vision for the whole housing system and the way that it should work with the rest of economic and social policy.
It continues with articles designed to illuminate all sides of the debate about the proposals. Housing minister Carl Sargeant and the housing spokespeople from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru outline their priorities and reveal some areas of agreement and disagreement that will be at the heart of the political debate. Meanwhile Tai Pawb, Welsh Tenants and the Residential Landlords Association give their different perspectives on the proposals.
However, you will also find views on different aspects of the Bill from many of our regular contributors throughout this issue, including Shelter Cymru, CIH Cymru, the Homelessness and Supporting People Network and Cymorth Cymru.
Regulation and governance will also be big themes this year. Hugh Thomas of the Regulatory Board for Wales explains the thinking behind a new approach to risk-based regulation for housing associations. Antonia Forte, who retired as chief executive of Cynon Taf Community Housing Group at the end of 2013, gives her personal perspective on what being independent should mean.
Taking a step back from those immediate policy changes, this issue also focuses on housing and research – the focus of a conference organised by Cardiff University and Shelter Cymru in November. We look at how research can successfully inform housing policy and practice and feature research on the Housing Bill and social justice and housing and inequality.
Elsewhere in this issue, WHQ takes a look Beyond Housing with a series of features covering different ways in which housing providers are looking beyond bricks and mortar to make a difference to the lives of their residents and communities. We also hear from Nick Bennett of Community Housing Cymru about the contribution being made by housing associations and his call for devolution of welfare reform in the wake of the damage done by the bedroom tax.
All that plus much more from our regular contributors make this a wide-ranging first WHQ of what looks certain to be a busy as well as historic 2014. Happy New Year.
Jules Birch,
Editor, WHQ