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Welsh Government ministers must make sure plans to merge councils do not have any “unintended consequences” for affordable housing delivery, the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Cymru has warned.
The body surveyed local authority workers about their views on how the merger proposals could affect housebuilding as part of its Tyfu Tai Cymru research project into housing in Wales.
The Welsh Government wants to reduce the number of local authorities in Wales from 22 to 10.
More than 50% of respondents raised concerns about losing touch with accountability and local needs.
And 32% said they did not want the mergers to go ahead, while 26% said they would prefer a voluntary merger.
Matt Dicks, director of CIH Cymru, said: “We’re calling today for the Welsh Government and local authorities to take swift action to ensure the voice of housing professionals is fully considered in these merger discussions.
“It is crucial that as a first step, the minister for housing and regeneration and the cabinet secretary for local government and public services come together to hear the views of these professionals and consider how the proposals can benefit from their insight.”
CIH Cymru called for the Welsh Government to consider carrying out a “comprehensive analysis” of the impact of merging councils where one still builds homes and the other does not.
And it said tenants’ voices “should be at the heart” of any proposed changes to housing services.
The report, titled Weighing the Options, is attached below.