This report, launched at CHC and WLGA’s Annual Conference in November 2008 by Jocelyn Davies AM and sponsored by Hugh James Solicitors, emphasises the important role Welsh housing associations play in supporting the Welsh economy.
Some of the key findings include:
· Welsh housing associations spent an estimated £407m in 2007/08 comprising operational spend. Of this 36.2% was spent on construction, 23.1% on labour costs and 21.9% on maintenance/repairing stock. £338m of the £407m was retained in Wales.
· For every full time person employed by a housing association, another two and a half jobs are supported elsewhere in the economy. HAs employ 3,300 full time employees with 8,747 employed indirectly.
· The contribution made by HAs to regeneration and the total expenditure on brownfield development for 2007/08 is estimated to be £100m.
· Housing associations spent £89m on maintenance and repairs. A further £1.7m was spent on training and £2.6m on other expenditure including community regeneration projects not involving building.
Nick Bennett, Chief executive of Community Housing Cymru commented: "The impact study shows what we as a sector achieved in 2007, before the Essex Review, before the additional investment opportunities emerging from the credit crunch and before we look to match funding and develop the impact on EU convergence funding - imagine what we can do in the future! I hope it gives inspiration to all suppliers and private sector stakeholders at a time of great worry, and I also hope it serves as an advocacy document within the Welsh Assembly Government and in Local Government, to break down barriers and ensure that stakeholders understand investment in social housing makes economic and social sense." Jocelyn Davies AM, Deputy Minister for Housing said: "I hope the Essex Review and the way that the One Wales Government has taken up its recommendations has put to bed any doubt on how important the partnership between the centre, Local Government and the RSL sector is. As the report shows, the Assembly Government doesn’t build a single home itself so we depend on Local Authorities to take the lead locally in identifying need and working with partners to build them. We expect all partners – public, private and third sector – to help us deliver our wider objectives for economic and community regeneration."
For a copy of the report and for the executive summary, please see the resource column on the right.