Local Authority Housing Finance in Wales

July 2009

This briefing paper summarises the operation of the local authority housing finance system in Wales.

Housing is a devolved responsibility of the NationalAssembly for Wales, which has secondary legislative powers and controls theoverall budget for most public services in Wales. Responsibility for primarylegislation rests with Westminster.

The current governing primary legislation is the same as inEngland, but much of the secondary legislation is now different fromEngland. Welsh Housing Policy is basedon the National Housing Strategy and on ‘One Wales’ – the programme agreed bythe new Welsh Assembly coalition Government in 2007.

A Local Housing Strategy planning regime has been introducedin Wales. There are three key components:

• The Local Housing Strategy. This is a locally agreed,long-term ‘housing vision’ with clear objectives and target outcomes consistentwith the local authority’s Community Strategy, produced on a five-year cyclebeginning in April 2004;
• The Local Authority Housing Operational Plan. This is anannually prepared planning and review document containing interim targets andactions for achieving the strategic housing aims;
• The Local Authority Housing Stock Business Plan. This is anannually prepared 30-year plan covering the management, maintenance andinvestment needs of the council’s housing stock, from April 2003.

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