Caerphilly housing services progress despite pandemic

DESPITE the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, housing services in the Caerphilly county borough have continued to make great progress in supporting those in need.

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee considered a report outlining an assessment of Caerphilly Homes performance during a remote meeting held on Tuesday 9th March.

The report reflected that, despite the ongoing pandemic, good progress has been made in several areas, whilst the service has also supported wider community aims and objectives to support the most vulnerable within our communities during these difficult times.

Included within the report is the Council’s ongoing commitment to deliver its £270 million Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) home improvement in time for the Welsh Government’s extended deadline of December 2021.  In addition, a planned asset management strategy is also in place to ensure Council owned homes continue to be maintained to WHQS.

The Housing Team has also reacted quickly to install essential adaptations where needed, such as those to enable hospital discharges.  In addition, an immense amount of work has been undertaken to tackle the issues around homelessness; including work to bring empty homes back into use and the allocation of socially rented homes.

The Council’s Housing Team has also been extremely successful in helping to sustain tenancies; including using its specialist skills to establish a dedicated financial helpline for all residents affected by the pandemic as well as putting in place reassurance calls to many of its vulnerable tenants.

Cllr Lisa Phipps, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Property, said:

“The Caerphilly Homes Progress Report shows that not only has the Council continued to deliver housing services throughout the pandemic, but it has thrived in doing so.  In addition to delivering the essential services highlighted in the report, many housing staff have also been redeployed to support other key areas and some of our most vulnerable residents during the pandemic, such as the free school meals delivery service and community buddy scheme.

I would like to personally thank each and every member of housing staff for their commitment and dedication throughout the exceptional times we find ourselves in.”