THE HERALD reported exclusively last week the news that Carmarthenshire County Council had expressed an interest in partnering or taking over the Tai Cantref Housing Association.
Ceredigion AM Elin Jones openly expressed her concerns over the fact that any take over by an external organisation would risk the integrity and continuity of Tai Cantref’s work.
The Herald caught up with Elin Jones this week and asked her how things were progressing regarding Tai Cantref.
Elin Jones told us: “It is very distressing for tenants and staff of Tai Cantref. It is looking to merge or be taken over by another housing association.
“It makes it very unsettling for people who have a direct interest especially staff and tenants. They have been in touch with me to express those concerns.
“There needs to be a period of consultation and a period of taking time to consider the best options for Tai Cantref. Everything has happened so quickly overnight and caught most people including myself off guard really. Not expecting that things had become so serious.”
We asked if the concerns of the lenders or concerns over finances had contributed to the sudden decision to look for a partner or takeover.
MANAGEMENT CONCERNS
Elin Jones explained: “There are concerns internally about the management of Tai Cantref and that has led to the Welsh Government intervening. That has put the lenders more wary of the future.
“The board has taken the decision to look for a partner and a take over. We need to ensure that whoever ends up in control of the Tai Cantref housing stock is locally accountable.”
We asked Elin Jones if Ceredigion County Council were not the most obvious partner or organisation set for a take over.
She told us: “There are other interests, not just Carmarthenshire County Council. The majority of housing stock is in Ceredigion. Tai Ceredigion I believe are interested.
“I believe strongly that there should be a local solution for the future of Tai Cantref. I wouldn’t like to see a external national housing association take over Tai Cantref. I’d like the new set up to have strong local ownership, strong local accountability and staff to continue to be able to work locally as well.”
She continued: “I think Ceredigion County Council have seen that the stock has been transferred from Ceredigion Council to Tai Ceredigion, so Tai Ceredigion are the natural Ceredigion partner possible for take over of Tai Cantref stock.
“I can’t speak on behalf of Ceredigion Council but I would hope that Ceredigion Council would see that Tai Ceredigion and other local housing associations may well be the answer for Tai Cantref.
“The important thing is to make sure tenants are involved in the final decision making process and also that everybody commits to working towards a local solution for Tai Cantref.”
The Herald asked if tighter controls were now required to make sure any company partnering Tai Cantref should have due diligence checks carried out in order to assess their suitability and finances to sustain the association.
Elin Jones replied: “I think that whoever ends up being the partner responsible for Tai Cantref housing stock and their tenants that we need to ensure that they have the suitability the sustainability and the ability to provide a safe and secure tenancy for all of their tenants.
“That has to be the primary responsibility of a housing association. Currently there is uncertainty for everyone and that is not a good place to be. The ability to have local control but to have stability for the future has to be the overriding concern of the current Tai Cantref board that have to take some of these decisions.
“I also want the next Welsh Government to take an active interest in finding the right solution for the Tai Cantref stock.
“The local authorities have a particular interest and a responsibility here as well. They all have to make their pitch for it. The majority of the housing stock is in Ceredigion. It would feel a bit strange to have Carmarthenshire County Council responsible for that stock.
“I believe that for the Ceredigion stock in particular that the first option should be for Tai Ceredigion to have the ability to show that they could appropriately and securely run that housing stock for their tenants.”
HOUSING STOCK
We asked Helen Mary Jones if she thought it was right for Carmarthenshire County Council to help bail out a housing association in Ceredigion when they have their own abandoned housing stock at Brynmefys.
The Llanelli candidate told us: “There have to be lots of options for Tai Cantref. It would be slightly odd for our County Council to be spending its resources on running housing stock in another county.
“Our housing stock has not been outsourced. From my perspective that is fortunate because it gives democratic control. I haven’t heard this discussed but I suppose that one option might be that Tai Ceredigion would take on the Ceredigion stock and Carmarthenshire County Council would take on the Carmarthenshire stock.”
Helen Mary Jones echoed Eline Jones’s views on the importance of ensuring continuity of service: “The absolutely crucial thing is that the tenants have some security and for the staff that they know what the right way forward is. We need to take time to consider how best to do this.
“My perspective would be that one of the reasons Carmarthenshire have said that they could be a potential buyer is because that does give some stability. It means in the short term that the lenders know that there are credible bidders out there who could take on those liabilities.
“I think that is probably beneficial, but in the end I think that a Ceredigion based solution with the Carmarthenshire stock coming to Carmarthenshire would be better.
“There is a shortage of social housing. What we need is long term planning.”
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