Dispelling the myths

Moneyline Cymru opened its doors late in 2009 in Bridgend, Cardiff, Newport, Cwmbran and Pontypridd, amid some controversy and many uncertainties.  Its sole purpose at that time was to provide a realistic alternative to doorstep lenders and illegal…

Why Wales needs an endowment Fund

The Community Foundation in Wales has recently launched a new endowment ‘Fund for Wales’: a long-term source of charitable funding created by a community of donors whose gifts, of all sizes and from all over the world, will enable local people to achieve inspiring things in communities across Wales.

We had…

Assembly must get tough on private providers

Forget the protests, the private sector is already delivering a substantial number of public services, as this week’s news about Southern Cross, DWP’s Work Programme and the new private…

How has it come to this?

UNISON has long argued that the privatisation of public services will lead to disastrous outcomes and poorer services for our society. The financial failings of Southern Cross have very much put that argument into practice and there…

The long and bumpy road between ‘thinking’ and ‘doing’

This week the great and the good of the European Housing world will be in Cardiff as CHC  host CECODHAS Housing Europe’s* annual conference which will this year focus on the…

The true cost of bad housing

There is a growing body of evidence to demonstrate the spend-to-save benefits of investment in housing.  According to research recently funded by Shelter Cymru and the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Trust, the costs to the NHS in Wales of…

There is a crisis and there’s no silver bullet solution

I’m not a natural pessimist so I’ll rid myself of all negative baggage upfront.  Record waiting lists, demand for affordable housing overshooting supply four times over, less public money available and fewer homes delivered through planning gain. Add what…

Solving Wales’ Housing Crisis

Crisis, what crisis?! The average age of first-time buyers is 37 and rising, 90,000+ households on social housing waiting lists across Wales, increasing levels of homelessness, many older home-owners living in unsuitable housing without adequate income to repair…

The Hardest Hit: fighting cuts to disability benefits

“I dragged myself out of bed at 5 o’clock this morning to come to this protest because I feel it’s very important that disabled people across Wales and Great…

Isn’t it about time..?

The new equal pay duty for Wales will require all affected public authorities in Wales to examine their workforce data to identify who works where in the organisation, their employment conditions and require an action plan to tackle gender…