by Rhidian Jones at the Confederation of Co-operative Housing / Wales Co-operative Centre conference in Cardiff 24-26 July 2015 #CoopHousing15

1. Co-operative Housing in Wales
Rhidian Jones – Head of Affordable Housing, Welsh Government
CCH Annual Conference, Cardiff, July 2015.

2. Background
• Historic and current co-operative housing movement in Wales.
• Relatively small scale, but principles exist.
• e.g. much housing in the Rhondda Valley was built by terminating
co-operative building societies. Around the 1st
world war several
Garden City projects in Wales. Built on co-operative principles.
• LSVTs - Community Housing Mutuals.
• Previous Labour Manifesto commitment and now part of Welsh
Government Programme for Government.
• Cross-cabinet commitment to co-operation.

3. Taking it forward
• Whilst a Government objective – cant do it alone. Partnership
approach.
• Set up stakeholder steering group to take forward – agreed terms of
reference
– Welsh Government
– Welsh Local Government Association
– Community Housing Cymru
– Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru
– Council of Mortgage Lenders
– Wales Co-operative Centre
– Confederation of Co-operative Housing
– CLT Movement
– CDS Co-operatives
– TPAS
– Shelter Cymru

4. Outcomes
• To provide an alternative way to access housing via a recognised
approach to co-operative housing in Wales.
• Increased delivery and choice of affordable housing in Wales.
• Recognition of co-operative housing as a robust and policy
recognised approach to affordable housing delivery.
• Partnership working between co-operative sector, affordable
housing sector and local communities.
• Efficient use of Government and public land and public subsidy
(where appropriate).

5. Measures of success
• Meets housing need
• Provides democratic community membership
• Membership is involved in the governance of cooperative
• Provides one or a combination of; rental co-operatives; market value
co-operatives and limited equity cooperatives
• Quality of the housing - equivalent or better then current Welsh
standards for social new build housing.
• Quality of place demonstrated through social, economic and
environmental sustainability
• Flexibility to be accessible and attractive to range of
incomes/households - includes equity stake + low incomes
• Mixed communities with a flexible form of tenure
• Models of co-operative housing are fundable

6. Work Programme
•Legislative work stream
• Barriers - Housing Bill – Housing Act
•Operational work stream
• Funding – Models - Structures - Support

7. Work Programme
Legislation
•The Housing Act (Wales) includes Section 6 on Co-operative Housing.
•Lifts the bar on fully mutual co-operatives being able to grant assured
tenancies.
•It creates new grounds for possession which will allow lenders to
repossess the properties if the co-operative (members) default on the
payments.
•By allowing fully mutual housing co-operatives to grant assured
tenancies, it will allow them to use standard and well-understood
tenancy agreements and remove a known difficulty with occupancy
agreement between the cooperative and its members.

8. Work Programme
Operational
•Research around need and demand
•Exploration of mutual home ownership
•Provide revenue funding to the Wales Co-operative Centre to host a
Co-operative Housing Project Manager and a call off contract of
support (CCH/CIH/consultants)
•Provided £1.9 m capital grant to support three pilot co-operative
housing projects in Newport, Cardiff and Carmarthen
•These pilots will deliver approximately 100 co-operative homes, the
first of which will be delivered by this summer.
•Guidance and ongoing support as well as over 25 other co-operative
housing projects emerging,

9. Pilot Projects
Loftus Garden Village, Newport
Part of a wider 200+ garden village housing development on ex-Pirelli
Cables site. Welsh Government Land, led by Seren Group. 20+ co-
operative shared ownership homes. Completed late 2015
Home Farm Co-operative
41 social rented home co-operative. Welsh Government land. Cadwyn
led with City Council support. Homes close to completion and co-
operative formed.
Carmarthen Co-operative
28 intermediate rented home scheme. Local Authority land. Delivered
by Grwp Gwalia. Completed in 2016.

10. Other activity
• Other projects happening – e.g. MVHA – Taf Fechan Housing Co-
op – West Rhyl CLT
• Wide and diverse range of other projects coming forward.
• Support available through the WCC.
• Range of different approaches – CLT, Co-op, TMC etc
• Welsh Co-operative and Mutuals Commission made
recommendations on growing and developing the co-operative and
mutual economy in Wales - to create jobs and wealth in support of
the Welsh Government’s aims and ambitions

11. Challenges
• Same challenges as “mainstream” housing
– Development investment
– Development opportunities
– Rent levels
– Welfare Reform
• Co-operative Housing evidencing that it brings added value
(Evaluation underway)
• Scale in comparison to wider housing scene.
• New models of mutual ownership at a time where traditional lending
is constrained.
• Becoming an embedded housing choice
• Emerging housing co-operatives working together – need to find a
way to make this easy.

12. Challenges
• To many models?

13. Opportunities
• Previous evidence to suggest increased tenant
perception of ownership and empowerment leads to
reduced arrears, reduced void turnarounds and
improved community and quality of life.
• Opportunities with social services and health sectors -
housing co-operatives can provide more than just
housing - promote well being and provide care services
for their members.
• Examples of this - emerging housing co-operative in
Cardiff for young people with learning difficulties being
developed by United Welsh and the Bronllys Health and
Wellbeing CIC in Powys.
• Wales, co-operatives generate more than £1billion in
income a year - employ an estimated 7,000 people
(2010 figures).
• Co-operative Housing can contribute to this further.

14. Co-operative Housing in Wales
Rhidian Jones – Head of Affordable Housing, Welsh Government
CCH Annual Conference, Cardiff, July 2015.