Thousands sign Chartists’ petition calling on Welsh Government to act on housing crisis
“Take urgent action on the housing crisis now!” – that is the call to the Welsh Government from a national group, Siarter Cartrefi.
The group is a partnership of housing campaigners and councillors from across Wales.
They are expecting to raise at least 10,000 signatures over the next month or so on the Senedd Petitions website, in order to trigger a parliamentary debate on the housing crisis.
‘Grieving’
Spokesperson Cara Wilson said: “We launched at high speed, with 500 signatures a day on our first weekend. This fantastic reaction shows the Senedd how strongly people feel about this crisis. We feel the future of the Nation is at stake, no less.
“People are grieving and in shock. Local people are being priced out of renting or buying in their own communities right across Wales. This is destroying our culture and language”.
The petition goes on: “Simply building more houses is not enough. We are calling for a fundamental rethink of policy to prioritise social, cultural, and economic needs in line with Cymraeg 2050 and the Well-being of Future Generations Act.”
‘Fragile’
The campaigners hope that a long-awaited statement from the Senedd will include changes in planning for second homes and holiday lets and percentage caps on such homes in areas under pressure from tourism – often areas with low wages and fragile employment.
They also hosted an open online meeting on June 30 for campaigners across Wales to discuss what further steps to take.
“Covid has shown the need for decisive Welsh Government action to deal with a major crisis. Urgent action is needed now to address our housing crisis before local cultures and language are lost and an out of control housing market destroys both urban and rural Welsh communities.”
Demands
The petition’s eight demands are:
1. Declare a housing emergency in Wales
2 Create a bill to address housing inequality.
3. Protect our communities; rural and urban.
4. Protect Welsh Language and culture.
5. Reform social housing provision.
6 Urgently address the pressing issue of second home ownership.
7. Reform planning laws to respond to local housing needs.
8. Create a citizens assembly on housing.
All petitions with more than 50 signatures will be discussed by the Petitions Committee, and at 10,000 signatures Petitions will be considered for debate in the Senedd.
For more on each demand see www.siartercartrefi.org and to sign the petition.
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“Crisis” is entirely the right word to describe Welsh housing, both rural and urban, and there are some very pertinent points in this petition. It will cost the Drakeford Government money, time, and backbone, but it simply has to be addressed if the FM wants to retain credibility and the public goodwill that got him re-elected in May.
We want to be careful of Chartism. We already know how WM and the crown deal with Chartists in Cymru. Biggest massacre of British citizens by their own army since 1770 (although of course history ignores Merthyr and Newport and instead preaches about Peterloo in Yorkshire. In Merthyr and Newport, the troops were shooting to kill. 1 dead for every 2 wounded. In Peterloo 1 died for every 28 wounded.
This ladies and gentlemen is how the ruling elites treat the Cymry
Peterloo was in Manchester. I signed Charter 88 in 1988, happily I’m still alive but sadly the Charter 88 movement didn’t achieve anything.
It could have if Tony Blair hadn’t been a glib coward!
A differential Land Transaction Tax is needed in areas with more than say 5% or 10% holiday homes, to protect the area from losing its housing stock to holiday homes.
No. They’d have enough money to pay it plus Councils will be encouraging second home ownership because it will bring them in more money. We need planning laws, the same as you do for holiday parks. Holiday parks cannot be lived in full time, cannot be used as your main residence. They should make the same law regarding houses, they MUST be lived in full time and cannot be used for holiday purposes. It’s so simple.
My computer blocks the link to http://www.petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/244842 as unsafe, warning of possible third party stealing my passwords etc.. Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the Senedd IT department.
Unless, of course, the Senedd prefer not to receive too many petitions and a chance to blame computer error for reducing their workload is just too good to pass up!
Try again Huw – I didn’t experience any problems, it immediately recognised me (being a regular petitioner, probably)
I’ve just signed this petition on Sunday 4th July at 9.43am, it only has 2,181 signatures, I take it that most of Wales is quite happy with the housing crisis?